The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media.
Effie Awards South Africa announces 2025 winners
Effie Awards South Africa unveiled the 2025 winners at The Venue, Melrose Arch, in a spotlight-soaked celebration of ideas that deliver real business results. The programme recorded 44% year-on-year growth in entries, with 26 trophies awarded and 44 campaigns shortlisted as finalists — underscoring continued momentum and the industry’s sharpened focus on measured effectiveness.
The Grand Effie—the highest honour recognising South Africa’s most effective campaign of the year—was awarded to City Lodge Hotel Group and TBWA\ Hunt Lascaris for Save Our Stay (SOS) in the Travel & Tourism category.
“Effectiveness is disciplined creativity — the fusion of insight, imagination and evidence that turns strategy into growth. With continued growth this year, the bar keeps rising, and so does the quality of the proof presented. The 2025 winners demonstrate what Effie stands for: clarity of problem, originality of solution and hard, verifiable results. Their cases are a reminder that effectiveness isn’t a buzzword; it’s the discipline of making strategy, creativity and measurement work as one,” said Gillian Rightford, ACA Executive Director for Effie South Africa.
Looking ahead, Effie and Ipsos will present the 2025 Effie Awards South Africa Ipsos Trends Report, continuing the evidence-led series that examines what drives marketing effectiveness among South Africa’s Effie winners. Details will be announced soon.
Find all the winners here.
2025 Galliova Award winners announced
The 2025 Galliova Awards were celebrated at Clara’s Barn on the picturesque Vergenoegd Löw Wine Estate in Cape Town.
Finalists, guests, and sponsors gathered for the event, which honours excellence in food and health media in South Africa. The awards are sponsored by the Egg and Broiler Producers of the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), and this year’s accolades were handed out by Colin Steenhuisen, chairman of the Egg Board and Breed Society, and vice chairman of the SAPA Board.
This year’s Galliova Food Writer Award went to Christi Nortier, who also won the same award last year, making it two in a row. Anna Trapido, a well-known figure in South African food writing, took second place.
In a newly expanded category that now includes social media influencers, the Galliova Health Content Creator Award was won by first-time entrant and registered dietitian Claire Julsing Strydom. Multiple Galliova winner Lydia van der Merwe was awarded second place.
The Galliova Food Content Creator category was also opened up to social media influencers this year, and the judges found themselves unable to choose between the top two contenders. In the end, it was decided that both Herman Lensing and Sam Linsell would share first place.
This year’s Galliova Egg Champion was Liezl Vermeulen, with Herman Lensing once again in the spotlight, earning second place. The Galliova Chicken Champion Award went to Clement Pedro, with food social media influencer Thilivhali “Mash” Mugwena coming in second.
A brand-new category, the Galliova People’s Hero, was created to highlight food content creators whose content focused on affordable chicken and egg meals. The winners were both social media foodies: Asanda Mbayimbayi took first place, and Denzhe Makungo followed in second.
The Up-and-Coming Content Creator category made a return this year. Open to entrants who had entered the Galliova Awards fewer than three times, the award was given to Lichelle May, who made her debut this year.
Publicis Groupe Africa named Network of the Year at the African Cristal Awards for the second consecutive year
Publicis Groupe Africa has once again been named Network of the Year at the African Cristal Awards 2025, marking its second consecutive win and reaffirming its leadership in creativity and effectiveness across the continent.
Adding to this achievement, Circus! Mauritius, part of the Publicis Groupe Africa network, was honoured as Agency of the Year, recognising its exceptional creative output and impact.
The wins come one week after Publicis Groupe MEA was named Regional Agency Group of the Year at the 2025 Loeries Awards, underscoring the Groupe’s consistent creative excellence across multiple platforms and regions.
The African Cristal Awards celebrate the very best in creativity and brand communication across the continent, spotlighting work that drives impact, tells powerful African stories, and influences culture in meaningful ways.
Pete Little, Chief Creative Officer of Publicis Groupe Africa, said: “Winning Network of the Year for the second time in a row, and seeing Circus! Mauritius recognised as Agency of the Year, is a proud moment for every creative across our Groupe.
Y-Brand’s Kabelo Ncholo named HR Leader of the Year
Kabelo Ncholo, the founder and CEO of Y-Brand – an African-based marketing, advertising and communications agency – was named HR Leader of the Year at the Topco Media’s Future of HR Awards Ceremony.
The Future of HR Awards is an annual event recognising and celebrating excellence in human capital management, HR innovation and HR technology. Now in its 10th year, the awards have become the benchmark for HR excellence and honour the most exceptional, inspiring and effective leaders in the HR industry.
Ncholo was handed the HR Leader of the Year Award highlighting his accomplished, innovative leadership of Y-Brand’s HR team. At the helm of the organisation, he has demonstrated a track record of excellence in managing HR functions and employee engagement, ensuring to strengthen the company’s organisational framework to align with best-practice HR policies and industry standards.
He leads a high-performance HR function that attracts top talent and which drives initiatives that improve morale, teamwork and workplace satisfaction, while inspiring staff to perform at their best.
Winners in the Sunday Times GenNext Awards
The 21st edition of the annual Sunday Times GenNext Awards held at The Empire Conference & Events Venue in Johannesburg on 23 October, saw Nike crowned as the Coolest Brand Overall in a retrospective look at the performance of brands over the last ten years. Apple and Samsung secured second and third place respectively.
The annual Sunday Times GenNext survey is considered the leading barometer of what South Africa’s youth find on-trend and aspirational, delivering insights that are valued by brand management and advertising and marketing professionals alike.
“GenNext has become more than just a campaign – it’s a movement that empowers brands to stay relevant. Arena Holdings and the Sunday Times are proud to continue championing this initiative, and we look forward to the next chapter in this dynamic story,” says Lyndon Barends, MD of strategic partnerships and events at Arena Holdings.
Find out all the winners here.
Uber and Uber Eats named Coolest Transport and Food Delivery brands at Sunday Times GenNext 2025
Uber is celebrating a milestone week of recognition, taking home two major honours at the 2025 Sunday Times GenNext Awards – Coolest Public Transport Brand for Uber and Coolest Food Delivery App for Uber Eats – marking another year of continued connection with South Africa’s youth.
Uber’s back-to-back wins reaffirm its enduring appeal and relevance among young South Africans. Since first appearing in the GenNext rankings, both Uber and Uber Eats have repeatedly dominated their respective categories, reflecting the brands’ ability to evolve alongside the lifestyles, habits, and expectations of the next generation.
“For us, these awards are more than titles – they’re a reflection of trust, innovation, and the everyday impact we have on people’s lives,” said Deepesh Thomas, Uber General Manager for sub-Saharan Africa. “We’re honoured that South Africa’s youth continue to see Uber as part of how they move, eat, and live. Their recognition inspires us to keep building safer, more affordable and more reliable ways to connect communities.”
The celebration comes just days after Uber Eats earned a Bronze Effie Award in the Transportation category at the 2025 Effie Awards South Africa for its “Uber Black: So good you’ll find a reason” campaign – a testament to Uber’s continued commitment to marketing effectiveness and creativity that drives real results.
Dentsu Creative’s Michelle Marais shortlisted for Next Creative Leaders 2025
Dentsu Creative South Africa is celebrating creative director, Michelle Marais, for being shortlisted in the prestigious Next Creative Leaders (NCL) 2025 competition.
This is a global platform recognising rising women and non-binary and trans creative leaders who are shaping the future of the industry.
Run by The One Club for Creativity in partnership with the 3% Movement, NCL spotlights emerging voices who not only produce world-class creative work but are also actively driving change through mentorship, advocacy and inclusive leadership. This year’s shortlist features 120 standout creatives and teams across 30 countries.
Young Guns 23 global finalists announced – and Joe Public team crack the nod
The One Club for Creativity has announced 102 talented young creative individuals based in 17 countries who have been named finalists for the prestigious Young Guns 23 competition, celebrating global creative professionals age 30 or younger.
Finalists include Joe Public art director Zainab Mitha and copywriter Jasmin Vandersteen.
Young Guns is the industry’s only global, cross-disciplinary, portfolio-based awards competition that identifies and celebrates today’s vanguard of young creative professionals. This year’s entries were judged by a diverse jury of 98 creative professionals — many of whom are past YG winners — from 41 countries.
The complete list of Young Guns 23 finalists, who this year are based in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, UAE, UK and US, can be viewed here.
Nerdware Scoops Gold and Silver for SANRAL at PRISM Awards
Nerdware, an award-winning digital marketing agency in South Africa took home three accolades at the recent PRISM Awards – a coveted Gold and two Silver Awards – cementing its position as a leading force in digital marketing, public relations, and communication.
Nerdware secured Gold in Digital Reputation Management (Long-term) for its work on SANRAL’s “When Snow Fell on the N3: A Rare South African Crisis,” and Silver in Social Media as a Primary Tool for the same campaign, showcasing its strength in digital storytelling, crisis communication, and social media strategy.
These achievements come just months after Nerdware won its first Bookmark Award in August 2025 for the same SANRAL campaign – marking the start of a winning streak across multiple respected industry awards. Together, these honours recognise creative excellence and Nerdware’s growing influence as a results-driven South African agency shaping the digital communication landscape.
Online and Digital Channels Manager at SANRAL, Sizwesethu Futshane, adds: “Nerdware’s award-winning digital expertise isn’t just about creative execution; it’s a masterclass in how to make clients the hero of their own stories.”
Red Ribbon Communications wins two Gold PRISMS Awards for Thought Leadership and Industry Excellence
Red Ribbon Communications has secured a dual victory at the annual PRISMS Awards ceremony held in Johannesburg on 18 October, receiving two prestigious Gold Awards for agency and individual excellence.
The agency was awarded Gold in the Thought Leadership Profiling category for its work in establishing KnowBe4’s Anna Collard as the leading voice in the South African cybersecurity sector. The campaign was recognised for its excellence in the long-term strategic positioning of an individual in the business-to-business industry.
Additionally, Ronelle Bester, Founder and Account Director of Red Ribbon Communications, was individually honoured with Gold in the Recognition In PR Leadership category. This award celebrates excellence in leadership and positive impact on the industry as a whole.
“To be recognised by the industry for both the strategic success of our client work and for my personal commitment to leadership is a deeply humbling honour,” commented Bester. “These awards belong to the entire team, whose dedication to PR excellence and strategic agility makes all the difference. We believe that true influence must be earned, and we are committed to continuing to earn it for our clients across the technology sector.”
Client belief in creativity powers historic win for Joe Public – Africa and the Middle East’s #1 agency
Joe Public’s performance at the 2025 Loerie Awards is proof that great partnerships, brave clients, and an unwavering belief in the power of creativity can build brands that drive business ambitions.
The agency’s award-winning work celebrates the creativity and collaboration between Joe Public and its brands, including Chicken Licken®, Nedbank, Cell C, Flying Fish, Castle Milk Stout and Uber.
Chicken Licken® took home 19 Loeries, including a Grand Prix for Performance Craft honouring actor Phila Mazibuko, director Karien Cherry, and Giant Films.
Cell C marked a pivotal moment in its brand journey, winning two Bronze Loeries that signal the beginning of something bigger to come. This is a brand finding its voice, and we’re honoured to help amplify it.
Nedbank reaped the rewards of climbing the creative rankings over the years and banked 7 Loeries, including a Campaign Gold Loerie and a Gold Loerie for Craft Writing for its Hard-Working Professionals campaign for the Nedbank Platinum Credit Card, as well as a Campaign Gold Craft Loerie in the radio category.
South African Breweries delivered exceptional work for Flying Fish and Castle Milk Stout, earning one Gold, three Silvers, and one Bronze Loerie, proving that great beer deserves great advertising.
