The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media.
Twelve SA marketers and creatives shortlisted for Cannes Lions 2026
Twelve of South Africa’s most respected experts in the creative marketing industries have been selected to sit on various Shortlist Jury panels to judge a number of categories for this year’s Cannes Lions awards.
“As the official Cannes Lions Festival representative for the South African market, it is wonderful to have a broad range of industry representatives selected once again as members of the Shortlist Jury panels. We see it as a global acknowledgement of the very high standard of local talent that exists here,” says Lynne Wylie, chief marketing officer of Ster-Kinekor.
“The Lions Awards sit at the heart of the festival, and the jurors play a crucial role in shaping the work awarded at Cannes Lions. As such, it is important to uphold the standard of judging to preserve the value of the awards.”
| CATEGORY | JURY MEMBER | AGENCY |
| DESIGN | Bronwen Rautenbach: Co-founder, Owner, & Chief Creative Officer | Sunshinegun |
| DIRECT | Dudu Mokholo: CMO | Pernod Ricard |
| ENTERTAINMENT | Justin Gomes: Founder & Chief Creative Officer | Bananas |
| FILM | Graeme Jenner: Executive Creative Director | LePub |
| FILM | Thabang Manyelo: Executive Creative Director | The Odd Number |
| FILM CRAFT | Katlego Baaitse: Film Director | Spitfire Films |
| OUTDOOR | Galaletsang Kgoathe: Creative Partner | Ogilvy |
| OUTDOOR | Thembelathu (Themba) Msibi: Head of Creative & Co-Founder | Black Swan Assets |
| PR | Keri-Ann Stanton: Chief Strategist & Founder | KAMuses Consultancy |
| PR | Nozipho Tshabalala: CEO | Conversation Strategists Agency |
| SOCIAL & CREATOR | Bridget Harpur: Head of Marketing | Volkswagen Group Africa |
| SOCIAL & CREATOR | Sibu Mabena: CEO & Chief Creative Officer | Duma Collective (Pty) Ltd |
Inimba wins big at the AMVCA’s in Nigeria
The 12th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards was held on9 May 2026, at the Eko Hotel and Suites Convention Centre, under the evolving partnership between Canal+ and MultiChoice, bringing together the biggest names in African film, television, and entertainment for a night of celebrating cinematic excellence and storytelling across the continent.
Hosted by Nomzamo Mbatha and Bovi, the ceremony opened with the Best Costume Design category, where Valerie Okeke won for Colours of Fire.
Among the biggest winners of the night was My Father’s Shadow, which secured five awards, including Best Movie, Best Director for Akinola Davies Jr., Best Writing Movie for Wale Davies and Akinola Davies, Best Sound Design, and Best Score/Music.
Colours of Fire also emerged as one of the night’s standout productions, earning three awards, including Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction for Ajamolaya Bunmi and Yakub Oladejo, and Best Lead Actor for Uzor Arukwe.
In television and digital categories, Inimba secured two awards for Best Indigenous M-Net Original and Best Scripted Series, while Nigerian Idol Season 10 won Best Unscripted M-Net Original. Out and About emerged as the winner of Best Unscripted Series, while Leave to Live by Sophia Chisom and Emmanuel Kanaga won Best Digital Content Creator.
All the winners can be found here.
MMA South Africa appoints Elite CMO Grand Jury to determine 2026 SMARTIES top honours
The Marketing + Media Alliance (MMA) South Africa has unveiled its 2026 MMA Grand Jury, a distinguished, CMO-only panel entrusted with selecting the industry’s highest accolades at this year’s SMARTIES Awards. The Gala Awards Ceremony takes place on 21 May in Sandton, Johannesburg.
Reserved for the most senior marketing leaders in the country, the Grand Jury will determine the recipients of three of the programme’s most coveted honours: Brand of the Year, Agency of the Year, and Best in Show, awarded to the most impactful campaign of the 2026 SMARTIES.
The 2026 MMA Grand Jury includes:
- Bronwyn Pretorius, Chief Marketing Officer, Ackermans
- Karla Levick, Chief Marketing Officer, Takealot
- Beyers van der Merwe, Chief Marketing Officer, PEP
- John Bradshaw, Chief Marketing Officer, SPAR
- Vilosha Soni, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo
- Dudu Mokholo, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard
- Diana Springer, Head of Group Brand and Marketing, Standard Bank
- Luisa Mazinter, Chief Growth Officer, Mesh Trade
The 2026 SMARTIES Awards will spotlight the work, brands, and agencies redefining what it means to deliver business-driving marketing in South Africa.
Standard Bank’s Money Reels earns top industry honour
It struck a nerve, prompting many people to rethink their relationship with money and even commit to changing how they spend. Now, Standard Bank’s Money Reels has been recognised for that impact, winning the award for Best Customer Insight Initiative in South Africa from The Digital Banker.
When Standard Bank introduced Money Reels, a personalised year‑end recap that transformed each customer’s financial activity into meaningful insights, it sparked more than just engagement. What followed was an unexpected social media frenzy, one that’s far less typical for financial services. Customers openly shared and reflected, confronting their own money habits in public.
“The reaction was bigger than we expected, not only from our clients, but from the public too. It showed that when data feels familiar and easy to understand, people connect with it emotionally. We’re honoured to be recognised by The Digital Banker for the impact Standard Bank Money Reels has had,” says Shené Mothilal, Solution Owner for Digital Money Manager at Standard Bank.
Standard Bank wins global awards for Investment Banking and Sustainable Finance
Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank by assets, has been recognised as a Regional Winner for Sustainable Finance and Best Investment Bank in Africa at the 2026 Global Finance Awards.
The recognition reflects the Group’s progress and commitment to supporting Africa’s growth as a responsible financial partner, helping clients navigate the opportunities and trade-offs of energy security, infrastructure development, and a just energy transition.
Through its activities in Sustainable Finance, the bank supports Africa’s energy transition by mobilising capital into solar, wind, hydro and other enabling infrastructure that can improve energy security while advancing lower-carbon growth.
FAME Week Africa announces the return of the Inclusive Lens Awards 2026
FAME Week Africa has announced the return of the Inclusive Lens Awards, a pioneering initiative recognising and elevating diverse voices shaping the future of film and television.
The Inclusive Lens Awards celebrate creators, storytellers and industry changemakers who challenge traditional boundaries and bring authentic, inclusive narratives to screen. At a time when representation is critical to shaping perception and driving cultural impact, the awards spotlight work that reflects the full breadth and complexity of human experience.
“The Inclusive Lens Awards recognise the creators and changemakers who are not only telling these stories, but reshaping the industry in the process. Africa has a powerful role to play in this global shift, and these awards are about ensuring those voices are seen, heard and valued,” says Martin Hiller, Portfolio Director at FAME Week Africa.
The awards are proudly powered by EarCandy, the world’s leading African content localisation provider connecting global audiences to African stories in over 30 mother tongue languages across the continent.
Key dates:
- Submissions deadline: Friday, 13 July 2026
- Finalists announced: Monday, 31 August 2026
- Awards ceremony: Thursday, 29 October 2026
Enter here.
Entries Open for the 37th Galliova Awards
The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) has announced entries are now open for the 37th annual Galliova Awards, one of South Africa’s most respected platforms recognising excellence in food and health journalism and content creation.
Sponsored by the Egg and Broiler Producers of SAPA, the Galliova Awards (from galli, meaning chicken, and ova, meaning egg) aims to recognise excellence in promoting food and wellness culture, with a strong focus on locally produced chicken and eggs.
Open to journalists, stylists, and digital creators across print, online and social media platforms, the awards honour both established and emerging talent. Now in its 37th year, the Galliova Awards continue to uphold a legacy of credibility, supported by a rigorous and transparent judging process conducted by a panel of leading industry experts, including food journalists, influencers and nutrition specialists.
A total prize purse of R213 000 is up for grabs across nine categories, including: Food Writer, Food Content Creator, Health & Wellness Content Creator, Social Media Influencer, Egg Champion, Chicken Champion, People’s Hero, Up & Coming Content Creator, and Discretionary Awards.
The Galliova People’s Hero category remains one of the key highlights; recognising creators who produce impactful content for budget-conscious South Africans, reinforcing SAPA’s commitment to promoting accessible, nutritious meal solutions using chicken and eggs, two of the country’s most affordable protein sources.
The awards criteria are reviewed annually to remain relevant in an ever-evolving media landscape. Feedback from previous entrants, winners and industry stakeholders is incorporated to ensure that the awards continue to reflect current trends and uphold the highest standards of excellence.
For more information on how to enter, submission guidelines and deadlines, Galliova Awards.
Media24 wins Best in Africa in INMA Global Media Awards
During an emotion-filled awards ceremony at the Tipi am Kanzleramt in Berlin in front of more than 425 guests, the winners were unveiled across 20 categories aimed at surfacing innovation and best practices in news brands, optimising the use of media features, subscriptions, product, advertising and commerce, and newsroom transformation.
Winning the coveted Best in Show, the top award of the evening, was The Wall Street Journal’s Surfacing the Story: How WSJ’s ORCA Unlocks the Podcast Universe, a powerful investigative journalism tool that turns an unsearchable podcast ecosystem into structured, analysable data, enabling reporters to track narratives, sources, and influence across thousands of hours of audio with accountability built into the system.
Media24’s Saturday Night Fitness won the Best in Africa award and Best Use of An Event to Build a News Brand.
Click here for all the winners.
