Now in its second year, SMARTIES SSA continues to cement its position as the premier platform for recognising marketing innovation and effectiveness across the region.
The Marketing + Media Alliance (MMA) announced the winners of the SMARTIES Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 2025 Awards, following a gala dinner held in Cape Town on Friday night.
SMARTIES SSA received more than double the number of entries received than in 2024, welcoming new entrants and highlighting the growing recognition of SMARTIES SSA as a benchmark for excellence in modern marketing.
A standout of the evening was Ogilvy South Africa and their client YUM!, who dominated the top industry accolades:
- Agency of the Year – Ogilvy South Africa
- Best in Show – KFC Block Booked (Ogilvy South Africa for YUM!)
- Brand of the Year – YUM!
Their winning campaign, KFC Block Booked, impressed judges with its powerful integration of creativity, technology, and insight, delivering outstanding business results while resonating deeply with consumers.
“Ogilvy South Africa and YUM! truly embody what SMARTIES is all about – powerful work that inspires people and drives real business results,” said Mpho Dlamini, MMA SSA SMARTIES programme director. “The calibre of their performance this year establishes a new standard for the region.”
The exceptional calibre of entries is reflected in the winners’ list for 2025. Among 135 entries, Pep emerged victorious, securing two Gold awards in the category Purpose Driven Marketing for the Pep ‘Dry and Detect Towels’ campaign.
Multichoice’s DStv Multilingual Bot won Gold in the Diversity and Inclusive Excellence category. Social Media Marketing Gold went to the Durex Come Together campaign from Pulse Nigeria (Pulse Marketing).
AI-Powered Audience Engagement Gold was won by TFG Precision Marketing, The New Growth Engine for The Foschini Retail Group.
Marketer only CMO judging panel
To uphold the highest standards, the 2025 jury comprised a credible, marketer-only CMO judging panel, featuring senior leaders who oversee marketing across the SSA region.
The judging panel was chaired by Luisa Mazinter, chief growth officer, Mesh.trade and MMA Chair Emeritus, who led a rigorous evaluation process focused on creativity, innovation, measurable impact, and marketing effectiveness.
“The growth we’ve seen in both the number and calibre of entries this year is truly impressive,” Mazinter said. “The work was courageous, data-informed and firmly rooted in real human insight. Brands and agencies across Sub-Saharan Africa are no longer just keeping up – they’re setting new global standards for marketing effectiveness.”
A Pan-African showcase of innovation
Judges highlighted the strong representation and world-class work from markets including Nigeria, Seychelles, Namibia and Mozambique, reflecting the depth of talent and innovation emerging from across the continent.
“The campaigns we saw from these markets show agencies and brands fearlessly experimenting with new formats, channels and data to solve real business challenges,” Mazinter added.
For the full list of winners click HERE.
