The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media industry.
Net#work BBDO is having a meltdown
#ThePeopleThePeopleThePeople
Everything has changed. That is a given. And so when Net#work BBDO moved into their new offices and started unpacking the 27 years of awards haul for the shelves, the leadership team had, well, a meltdown.
Cannes, Loeries, Prisms, D&ADS, LIAs, New York Festivals, Bookmarks One Shows … melted down into liquid metal and reimagined.
“We are living in a new world, with new social contracts,” says Roanna Williams, chief creative officer.
“So rather than letting our awards gather dust in glass cabinets, we dusted them off, melted them down and reimagined how we could put them in the hands of the 670 employees that helped build this company.”
The melted-down awards have been used to craft the 670 hashtag logo pendants, each with its own unique hand-carved employee number. “We’re igniting a new era of Network BBDO by looking back and showing our gratitude to every employee who has been part of our 27 year story,” said Net#work BBDO’s MD, Leo Manne.
“We all know that awards are won not just by those that get called up on the stage or listed on the credits, but also the layers of people who make the calls, manage suppliers, and even make the tea. This is a tribute to everyone who has walked through our revolving doors since 1994. The incredible people behind the work,” says Tebogo Koena, Head of Strategic Planning at Net#work BBDO.
Net#work BBDO has always been about “the work, the work, the work,” says Williams, “But after these massive two years we have all been through, we really wanted to make this about the people, the people, the people, behind the work.”
Manne and his team have reinvented Net#work BBDO into a 51% South African and black-owned business recently adding Oppo, SA Taxi, Ford After Sales, Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona brands to their portfolio as creative lead partner.
Where else will the liquid gold turn up? Manne laughs. “One giant hashtag in our foyer maybe? Or maybe more pendants as we grow. For now we are focusing on gratitude for the past and the fullness of what tomorrow holds.”
The first batch of pendants are being delivered from Monday. If you are an ex-employee of Net#work BBDO and have not received your pendant of appreciation, please DM on any of our social media platforms to arrange #ThePeopleThePeopleThePeople.
Entries for RE:SOLVE – a purpose-led innovation challenge that gives entrepreneurs funding for prototypes – are now open
With South Africa facing numerous social and economic issues, many exacerbated by COVID-19, there is a real need for new ideas and innovative solutions to be fast-tracked. Enter the RE:SOLVE Challenge, an initiative that is designed to help South Africa’s innovative entrepreneurs to take their next steps. Now in its second iteration, RE:SOLVE has issued a Call for Entries for its next round of support and funding.
Once the call for entries closes, 80 ideas presented by individuals or teams, will be shortlisted to participate in an eight-month programme. Following this, the most viable solutions will get the opportunity to prototype their ideas thanks to a share of a total of R100 000 in grant funding on offer.
RE:SOLVE is funded by the City of Cape Town and managed by the Craft and Design Institute (CDI), a non-profit company with 20 years of success in developing creative people, small businesses and the craft and design sector in South Africa. RE:SOLVE’s aim is to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit of individuals and teams to co-create bold solutions, with a focus on access to economic opportunities, quality healthcare, food security, and water and sanitation.
With people at its heart, the Challenge will celebrate ideas that embrace:
- Community – enriching those around you
- Ecology – not harming, but rather benefiting the planet
- Dignity – valuing people and providing them with a sense of worth
- Profitability – an ability to make money
COVID-19 has changed everyone’s landscape. In South Africa it has brutally exposed the fault lines that pre-existed before the pandemic. Instability and volatility are high; inequalities are growing. There is a clear and present opportunity to re-evaluate, re-formulate and re-set. In this context, there is huge space to develop new ideas or fast-track and elevate existing equitable solutions.
“We are proud supporters of the RE:SOLVE initiative as these unprecedented times call for innovative thinking and product creation. As a City, our primary focus is on recovery through innovation and the support of fresh ideas from our ecosystems. These innovations will ultimately lead to the stabilisation of the economy and job creation. We call on individuals, teams and SMEs to participate in this challenge,” said Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management at the City of Cape Town.
RE:SOLVE will launch officially at the upcoming #cocreateDESIGN Festival running from 20-23 September 2021. The focus areas for this year’s Challenge are linked to the themes of the Festival, also organised by the CDI, in collaboration with the Dutch Consulate in Cape Town. There will be opportunities over the four days of the Festival for inspired innovators to attend facilitated design ideation sprints as a first step to preparing for the RE:SOLVE Challenge.
Global journalism and factual programming awards shortlist announced
The AIBs, the international competition for journalism and factual productions, has announced its 17th annual shortlist.
Despite the many challenges and problems that the pandemic has caused, journalists, editors, producers and directors have continued to produce a remarkable and varied range of work that is represented in this year’s competition. Hundreds of hours of content were submitted from throughout the world in many languages.
Work from 83 companies is shortlisted in 21 categories, reflecting the diversity of the world and the wide range of audiences that our entrants serve – from regional broadcasters through to global services, production companies large and small.
“The AIBs 2021 shortlist reflects a remarkable range of work produced by the world’s most tenacious journalists and the most talented producers,” said Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the Association for International Broadcasting.
“From COVID to Brexit, the menopause to addiction, Trump to Uyghur detention camps, the range of subjects that this year’s entries cover for audiences worldwide is immense. The journalism and productions offer many glimpses into aspects of life around the world, telling human stories innovatively and creatively. We extend our congratulations to all the shortlisted journalists and programme makers and thank them for their commitment to getting facts to audiences.”
The complete shortlist can be viewed on the AIBs website.
Tickets to The Loeries go on sale
Cape Town plays host to the 2021 edition of Loeries Creative Week as the region’s creative minds come together to recognise the best work from across Africa and the Middle East. Join us at the southernmost tip of Africa for a week of celebration, comedy, remembrance, innovative insights and networking with industry colleagues. Safety will be of utmost importance with a full vaccination or negative COVID-19 test required to access Loeries Creative Week.
Loeries Creative Hour Live. Loeries Creative Hour Live are MasterClasses aimed at the Student and Young Creative communities. Three exciting morning sessions will bring attendees the best thinking in creative excellence from across Africa and the Middle East. Sessions will be held at the Red&Yellow Creative School of Business School from Wednesday to Friday. Limited spots available. Topics to be announced.
Loerie Awards Cinematic Experience: Part 1 and Part 2 This year, the Loerie awards will be an incredible digitally-mastered cinematic experience like no Loeries before! Immerse yourself in Africa and the Middle East’s best creative work in Ster-Kinekor theatres at Cavendish, Tygervalley, Rosebank (JHB), Sandton and Gateway. Unleash your creativity by dressing as your favourite movie character!
Awards Part 1 will be on Wednesday 20 October from 13h30
Category winners to be announce on Wednesday include:
Out of Home | Crafts, Print Communication | Crafts, Young Creatives, Shared Value, Service Design, Design | Crafts, Digital Communication | Crafts, Marketing Leadership & Innovation, Film
Awards Part 2 will be on Thursday 21 October from 13h30
Category winners to be announce on Thursday include:
Film Crafts, Student, Effective Creativity, Media Innovation, PR and Media Communication, Live Communication, Radio & Audio (+SA Non-English Radio), Radio Crafts, Integrated Campaign, Hall of Fame, Regional Agency, Agency of the Year, Brand of the Year
The choice is up to you whether you purchase a single ticket or the entire theatre for your group! All tickets come with popcorn, a cooldrink and chocolate for the perfect cinema experience.
Ster Kinekor Tickets must be purchased Friday 8th October. Click here
If you want to book an entire cinema email nerisham@sterkinekor.com
Loeries Radio and Out of Home categories supported by Primedia
The Loeries welcomes Primedia as the sponsor for the Radio & Audio and the Outdoor & Out of Home categories. The Radio & Audio and the Outdoor & Out of Home categories receive numerous Loeries entries every year which reflect the impact of these categories on consumer thinking.
According to Geraint Crwys-Williams, Chairman of Primedia Broadcasting: “Radio is an exceptionally effective way for advertisers to achieve results and create connections for their brands. The real power of the medium is unlocked through creativity and contextualisation though, and we are dedicated to delivering this to our clients. We have a track record of highly innovative, creative solution conceptualisation and executions when clients work closely with our brand and sales teams. As Primedia Broadcasting, we’re very pleased to support the creative minds that make brands come alive.”
Speaking on the partnership, Primedia Outdoor’s CEO Dave Roberts said, “Out of Home advertising is probably one of the longest standing media spaces and undoubtedly one that has historically been the go-to platform for in-your-face, high impact branding. The evolution into digital out-of-home has brought with it a dynamism and agility that engenders a broader creative opportunity. Primedia Outdoor is proud to be partnering with the Loeries which recognises and rewards the agencies who embrace our platform while pushing the envelope of advertising excellence.”
“I would like to welcome Primedia as a sponsor of the Loeries,” says Loeries CEO, Preetesh Sewraj. “The Radio & Audio and Outdoor & OOH categories have been areas with strong innovation in the previous round of awards. I believe we can expect to see the same high standard this year. The partnership with Primedia will ensure that these categories receive strong support from a major player in this space, which ultimately benefits everyone engaged with radio and out of home media.”
