Announced on Wednesday night [26 November], at Arena Holdings in Johannesburg, Ogilvy dominated the Awards, winning PR Agency, Specialised Agency, Partnership of the Year (with client Volkswagen) Group of the Year.
The agency last won the overall AdFocus Awards title in 2018 when Ogilvy Johannesburg took the title.
The period under review for the AdFocus Award 2025, from July 2024 to June 2025, saw the agency retaining their Volkswagen Group Africa and then winning a new account, Vodacom.
The Awards recognised Mike Abel, Executive Chairman and Founder of The Up&Up Group as its Lifetime Achiever. The jury recognised his rich contribution to the South Africa creative industry from his first agency to working on Volkswagen at Ogilvy, to becoming its youngest MD, and his move to Australia and back to South Africa to launched M&C Saatchi and more recently The Up& Up Group.
Individual winners
Industry Leader of Year is Dawn Rowlands, chief executive officer at dentsu Sub Saharan Africa. Her leadership has seen dentsu expanded from 40 to 5 000 people, 11 market start-ups and 23 local partners throughout Africa.
Melusi Mhlungu, founder and chief creative officer of We Are Bizarre is the Awards’ Shapeshifter for 2025. Since his return to South Africa two years ago he has shown just why he is this year’s shapeshifter.
The AdFocus Student of the Year is Abigael Cassell from the Cape Town Creative Academy.
Integrity is non-negotiable
Vicki Buys, Ogilvy MD and this year’s AdFocus Awards 2025 chair, says,” To every agency that entered: thank you.
She notes that the entry process is work — the useful kind. “It forces teams to examine the engine room, not just the showroom.
“To the winners – congratulations, You’ve shown that creative excellence and business excellence aren’t trade-offs; they’re reinforcing forces.”
Buys gives a word on judging.
“The integrity of the process is non-negotiable because the stakes are high. We began with online scoring to form shortlists. We then debated in person and concluded with a fresh secret ballot.
“Conflicts were handled as full-category recusals. An independent auditor oversaw the in-room process. Debate sharpened judgment; the vote spoke.”
The FM AdFocus 2025 winners
AdFocus Small Agency of the Year
Winner – Retroviral
Finalists: Boundless, Halo
AdFocus Medium Agency of the Year
Winner – The Odd Number
Finalists: Clockwork, McCann Jhb
AdFocus Large Agency of the Year
Winner – Joe Public
Finalists: M&C Saatchi Abel, Ogilvy
AdFocus PR Agency of the Year
Winner – Ogilvy PR
Finalists: Magna Carta, Razor PR
AdFocus Specialised of the Year
Winner – Ogilvy One
Finalists: Design Bridge and Partner, MscSports
AdFocus Media Agency of the Year
Winner: Carat
Finalists: Connect, Juno
AdFocus Partnership of the Year (Sponsored by IAS – Independent Agency Search and Selection Company)
Winner – Ogilvy SA and Volkswagen
Finalists: 99c and Checkers, The MediaShop and Shoprite Checkers
AdFocus African Impact Award
Winner – Dentsu
Finalists: M&C Saatchi – Up& Up Group, TBWA
AdFocus Transformation Award
Winner – Park Advertising
Lobengula, Ogilvy
AdFocus Group of the Year
Winner – Ogilvy
Dentsu, M&C Saatchi – Up& Up Group
AdFocus Student of the Year
Winner – Abigael Cassell – Cape Town Creative Academy
Finalists: Alice Bosch – Cape Town Creative Academy, Danica Viljoen – Vega Cape Town
