The Interactive Advertising Bureau South Africa (IAB SA) has announced the finalists for the 2026 Bookmark Awards, with this year’s shortlist showcasing some of the country’s most innovative digital campaigns, from KFC’s AI-powered taste experience and NikNaks’ WhatsApp mentor to The Salvation Army’s homelessness awareness campaign.
The finalists were selected from hundreds of entries submitted between 1 March 2025 and 28 February 2026 by a panel of nearly 88 specialist judges following a remote judging process.
The shortlisted work spans seven digital ecosystems – Build, Communicate, Connect, Innovate, Impact, Publish and Special Honours – with leading agencies including Ogilvy, MakeReign, Clockwork, Accenture Song, Machine_ and Joe Public featuring across multiple categories. Brands with multiple finalist entries include Volkswagen, Spotify, KFC South Africa, The Salvation Army and Khula.
“The 2026 shortlist is one of the strongest we have seen,” said Chris Borain, executive director of IAB South Africa. “Across every category, the work that made it through judging is ideas-led, craft-driven and results-backed. That is exactly what the Bookmark Awards was built to recognise, and exactly what South African digital is capable of when the bar is set high enough.”
The Special Honours category highlights campaigns focused on social impact, including initiatives addressing gender-based violence, animal welfare, financial inclusion and community upliftment, while the Digital Rising Star category recognises emerging industry talent.
Final judging will take place in Johannesburg and Cape Town from 22 to 24 July under the leadership of Jury President Elizabeth Mokwena, executive marketing director at Unilever Africa. Category juries will determine the Gold, Silver, Bronze, Craft Pixel and Black Pixel winners ahead of the 2026 Bookmark Awards ceremony.
The full list of finalists is available at the Bookmark Awards website.
