The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media.
Flow wins Best Large PR Consultancy at 2026 PRISM Awards
Flow Communications won 26 trophies and three special mentions at the 2026 PRISM Awards, including the title of Best Large Public Relations Consultancy in South Africa.
The agency collected six gold, seven silver and 13 bronze awards at the ceremony, held at the Indaba Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre in Fourways, Johannesburg, on 24 October.
Presented annually by the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA), the PRISM Awards recognise public relations and communications campaigns across Southern Africa.
Flow retained the Best Large Public Relations Consultancy title, which it also won in 2022, 2024 and 2025.
The agency’s gold awards included International Campaign for AUDA-NEPAD’s Financing Africa’s Future; Internal Stakeholder Engagement and Communication for GIZ’s The Ripple Effect; and Thought Leadership Profiling for Medicines Patent Pool’s Taking Africa’s mRNA Story to the World.
Other gold-winning campaigns included The Ichikowitz Family Foundation’s The Trials of Winnie Mandela, which won in Arts and Entertainment and PR on a Shoestring Budget, and UNICEF’s Girl Talk, a research-driven messaging campaign recognised for Communication Research.
Silver awards went to campaigns for AUDA-NEPAD, Hollard, the International Year of Quantum, Medicines Patent Pool, Oppenheimer Memorial Trust and Sizekhaya.
Among the bronze-winning campaigns were C40 Cities’ #PauseAndBreathe, FinMark Trust’s Digital ke Power, Jozi My Jozi’s Main Street Sundays, and Tourvest Destination Management’s Your Africa.
The agency also received special mentions for Jozi My Jozi’s Main Street Sundays in the NGO/NPC Campaign and Social Media as a Primary Tool categories, and for Medicines Patent Pool’s mRNA campaign in International Campaign.
“We are delighted with this recognition,” said Flow CEO Tara Turkington. She credited the team’s work and its clients’ trust in the agency to build brands and protect reputations.
Managing director Tiffany Turkington-Palmer said the awards reflected the agency’s range of work across 13 clients, from community initiatives to international scientific and healthcare campaigns.
Tribeca wins Grand Prix Agency of the Year at PRISM Awards
Tribeca Public Relations has won the Grand Prix Agency of the Year award at the 2026 PRISA PRISM Awards, capping a successful awards season as the independent agency celebrates 20 years in business.
The agency also won Best Mid-sized PR Agency, two gold awards and a bronze for LEGO’s Biggest Unboxing Ever campaign. Senior account executive Tekanyo Selatela was named Best Up-and-coming PR Professional.
“We have spent 20 years building an agency that does excellent work, treats people properly and stays true to its values,” said Nicky James, co-founder and managing director of Tribeca. “To have this recognised by our industry means everything to us.”
James also praised Selatela’s achievement, citing his willingness to learn, thoughtful approach to his work and growing confidence.
AI for Africa’s Development Initiative Wins Campaign of the Year at the 2026 PRNEWS Platinum Awards
Global Advisors Communications (GA) has won Platinum Elite – Best Campaign of the Year and Campaign of the Year in the Technology Category at the 2026 PRNEWS Platinum Awards for AI Powers Africa, its campaign highlighting the UAE’s $1 billion AI for Development” initiative for Africa.
The initiative supports African countries in harnessing artificial intelligence for development, creating opportunities across education, agriculture and infrastructure while strengthening the capabilities needed to participate in the global AI economy.
Delivered by UAE-based Global Advisors Communications, AI Powers Africa brought the initiative’s story to audiences across more than 17 African countries in under 90 days. Through engagement with media across the continent, the campaign raised awareness of the initiative and its potential to support Africa’s technological future.
The two awards were presented at the PRNEWS Platinum Awards ceremony in New York on 6 October 2026.
AAA students win silver and gold at creative industry awards
AAA School of Advertising students have won silver at the Loerie and Effie Awards, two gold awards at the New Generation Social & Digital Media Awards, and secured three finalist spots at the iPendoring Awards.
The results span integrated campaigns, creative strategy, design, art direction and illustration, recognising student work across four South African awards programmes.
Francois van Loggerenberg won silver in the Student Integrated Campaign category at the Loerie Awards, where AAA students were also shortlisted in five categories: Indoor Poster, Print & Design Craft; Art Direction; Integrated Campaign; Creative Strategy; and Print Design Craft.
At the Effie Awards, Tayla Cooper, Relilwe Mohlala and Khanyisani Dlongolo placed second in the Effie College Challenge, which recognises student work in marketing effectiveness.
Lesego Thubela was named a finalist in three categories at the iPendoring Awards: Publication Design: Whole Publication; Student Print, Design & OOH Craft: Art Direction; and Student Print, Design & OOH Craft: Illustration.
AAA also won two gold awards at the New Generation Social & Digital Media Awards. The winning work was produced by Tayla Cooper, Khanyi Dlongolo, Refilwe Mohlala and Francois van Loggerenberg.
“Seeing our students’ work being recognised at these awards is a proud moment for everyone at AAA,” said Avikar Ramsundra, dean of AAA School of Advertising. He credited students’ creative development and the support of their lecturers, adding that the recognition would help prepare them for careers in the industry.
Red & Yellow students win five Loeries as graduate earns Grand Prix
Red & Yellow Creative School of Business students won five awards at the 2026 Loerie Awards, while 2025 copywriting graduate Zara Jackson earned a Craft Gold and contributed to a Grand Prix-winning campaign for Sunlight.
The student awards span live communications, integrated campaigns, packaging and general design, recognising work across four creative disciplines.
Tasneem Majiet, Daniella Lee-Ming Yesca and Maria du Toit won silver in Student Live Communications for “A Case for Her: Make Her Time Visible”, and bronze in Student Integrated Campaign for the same work.
Nadine van Doesburg won bronze in Student Package Design for “Tastic”, while Carla de Wet received bronze in the same category for “Ouma Rooi”. Jaden Thompson won bronze in Student General Design for “Touch Points”.
Jackson, now working at Joe Public, received a Craft Gold for her writing on the radio commercial “Scraping Knife”. She was also part of the team behind Sunlight’s “Thank You, Enzymes” campaign for Unilever, which won the Grand Prix at this year’s awards.
Verusha Maharaj, managing director of Red & Yellow, said the results recognised students’ imagination, persistence and growing confidence in their creative judgement.
Jackson said her studies taught her to look for the human insight in a brief and refine ideas until they were clear and compelling.
The awards highlight the school’s student talent and the achievements of a graduate now working in the advertising industry.
King Price wins Best Insurance Company in Pretoria for third year
King Price Insurance has been named Best Insurance Company in the Best of Pretoria Readers’ Choice Awards for the third consecutive year.
Hosted by Pretoria Rekord, the awards recognise businesses and brands favoured by readers in the capital. King Price also retained its Best Home and Car Insurance title for a third year.
De Wet van Deventer, head of marketing at King Price, said the recognition reinforced the insurer’s focus on customer service and challenging traditional approaches to insurance.
“Every year, we strive to give our clients even more reasons to choose us. This means challenging the way insurance has always been done and living our ‘customer is king’ value every day,” he said.
Natalie Bisset, the insurer’s head of brand, credited clients, broker partners and employees for the achievement, saying the award reflected their collective contribution to the business.
King Price said it would continue to focus on customer experience and finding ways to make insurance work harder for policyholders.
MTN wins two Loeries for Soweto Uprising anniversary campaign
MTN South Africa’s Carry Them Forward campaign has won two Loerie Awards for its tribute to the generation of young people who participated in the 1976 Soweto Uprising.
Developed with the Junesixteen 1976 Foundation NPC and The Up & Up Group, the campaign received a Silver Loerie in Digital: Mobile Media and a Bronze Loerie in Media Innovation.
Created to mark the uprising’s 50th anniversary, the campaign combined mobile technology and storytelling to honour the role of young South Africans in shaping the country’s history.
Its central activation temporarily transformed MTN’s network carrier display into a tribute to Youth Day heroes, prompting public curiosity and conversation. The initiative also invited South Africans to explore a digital storytelling platform featuring educational content, interviews and personal accounts from members of the 1976 generation.
The awards recognise the campaign’s use of mobile media and innovative storytelling to connect audiences with an important chapter in South Africa’s history.
Salsify at the Roundhouse and FYN make 50 Best Restaurants extended list
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants has unveiled its 51–100 ranking, with two Cape Town restaurants climbing the list, while another local favourite is notably absent.
FYN has risen 17 places to No.65, up from No.82 in 2025, while Salsify at the Roundhouse has climbed from No.88 to No.71.
The extended rankings were announced on 21 October, ahead of the main awards ceremony in Lima, Peru, on 4 November. Sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, the annual awards recognise outstanding dining destinations across six continents.
FYN and Salsify are the only South African restaurants on this year’s 51–100 list, and the only African establishments to feature in the extended ranking.
GTP names five finalists for Bellville Business Expo
Five entrepreneurs have been named finalists in the Greater Tygerberg Partnership’s (GTP) 2026 Level Up Business Programme and will compete for the top three positions at the Bellville Business Expo (BBEXPO) on 28 and 29 October at Tyger Valley Shopping Centre.
The finalists were selected from 10 entrepreneurs who pitched at the Sanlam Auditorium on 19 October, following an initial selection of 33 programme participants.
The five finalists are:
- Franc Lubbe, Francly Foods, a halaal-certified bakery supplying coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and retailers across Cape Town.
- Jorgina Heugh, Adore Her by G, a beauty and grooming brand with around 30 products and more than 15,000 customers.
- Algernon Jacobs, Multi-Fast, an industrial fastener and tools supplier planning to expand distribution and explore local manufacturing.
- Tanya van Stade, Seeds for Life Farm, a Bellville agricultural co-operative producing vegetable powders and vegetable-infused butters while creating market access for local growers.
- Haythem van der Schyff, Spice It Up & Go, a Durbanville spice retailer aiming to expand its reach into more communities.
The top three entrepreneurs will be announced at BBEXPO 2026, which brings local businesses and commercial opportunities together in the Greater Tygerberg area.
Epson wins Red Dot design award for EcoTank printers
Epson has received a Red Dot: Best of the Best 2026 award for its EcoTank ink tank printers and has been named Red Dot: Design Team of the Year 2026.
The Best of the Best award recognises selected EcoTank models for their compact design, ease of use and cartridge-free ink tank system, which reduces the need for frequent user intervention. It is the seventh time Epson has received the distinction.
Epson’s Lifestudio home projectors and DS-1760WN and DS-1730 document scanners also received Red Dot awards. The SurePress L-5034 industrial inkjet label press was recognised in the commercial printing category and is expected to launch in the META-CWA region later this year.
The separate Design Team of the Year award, presented by Germany’s Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, recognises Epson’s sustained design achievements and the integration of design into its business and product development.
Suat Ozsoy, vice-president of commercial operations at Epson META-CWA and regional director at Epson’s MENA headquarters in Saudi Arabia, said the EcoTank award reinforced the company’s focus on practical, user-centred design.
City of Cape Town is the ‘Employer of Choice’ in public sector
The City of Cape Town has been named the winner in the ‘Employer of Choice for Public Sector Organisations’ at the SALGA 2026 annual Future of HR Awards that was hosted in Fourways, Johannesburg, last week.
- The City of Cape Town was named the overall winner in the Employer of Choice for Public Sector Organisations on 15 October 2026
- The City was a finalist in all three HR categories at this year’s awards, namely: Best Employer of Choice: Public Sector; Best Learning and Development Strategy; and Best Health and Wellbeing Strategy
