Algorithm Agency is a Bronze sponsor for the 2025 WesBank New Generation Awards, a move reflecting the agency’s ongoing investment in digital excellence and emerging talent. Jamie-Leigh Barnett, Director of Growth and Development at Algorithm Agency, discusses the top performance marketing trends; how marketers can use AI for prediction, personalisation, and efficiency; as well as the value Algorithm brings to the awards. Modern Marketing is a proud media partner of the awards.
Why did Algorithm Agency decide to be involved as a sponsor for the WesBank New Generation Awards?
This is our first year as a sponsor, and we’re excited to be part of a platform that celebrates digital excellence and innovation. At Algorithm, we believe in turning potential into performance, and the New Generation Awards champion exactly that by recognising work that delivers measurable impact. Sponsoring these awards allows us to support the broader marketing community, showcase the power of performance marketing, and celebrate those pushing the industry forward.
What value does Algorithm Agency bring to the awards?
Algorithm brings a perspective grounded in data-led creativity and commercial impact. Our team lives and breathes performance marketing, so we understand that great work is not just about clever ideas or pretty pictures, it’s about measurable outcomes. By participating as a sponsor, we’re not only contributing to the dialogue around accountability, innovation, and the smart use of AI and data, but also creating visibility for Algorithm as a growing independent agency.
As a small business, we see the New Generation Awards as an opportunity to expand our footprint and share the work we’re so proud to deliver for our incredible clients. We partner with ambitious brands that value results, and these awards provide a platform to highlight those partnerships, celebrate their success stories, and connect with like-minded marketers who share our passion for turning potential into performance.
What are the top performance marketing trends for 2025?
We’ve all heard these buzzwords, so it’s about knowing what is important and what will pass. We have seen the following really stand out this year:
AI is everywhere, but smarter: Moving beyond experimentation to fully integrated AI for predictive targeting, dynamic creative, and automated optimisation. However, the data that goes into these AI tools needs to be accurate, relevant and clean, which will ensure the output will make a real impact to the business. Rubbish in also means rubbish out!
First-party data acceleration: With privacy changes continuing, brands that own and activate their data will have a clear competitive edge.
Performance and brand convergence: The line between performance and brand marketing is blurring; winning campaigns will connect storytelling with measurable conversions.
What are your top three performance marketing tips?
Start with business goals: Define success in terms of leads, sales, or lifetime value, not just clicks or impressions. We are moving away from vanity metrics to those that actually move the needle for our clients’ businesses, so understanding what success looks like will help define the strategy to get there.
Build a clean data foundation: Data quality, as I mentioned before, is the fuel for AI and automation; invest in accurate tracking and attribution.
Test relentlessly: From creative formats to bidding strategies, continuous experimentation is key to unlocking incremental gains. Make sure you trust your agency partners to do this well for you!
Are marketers using AI to its fullest potential, and if not, what can they do to harness its power?
Most marketers are still scratching the surface. AI is more than a buzzword, it’s a toolkit for prediction, personalisation, and efficiency. To harness its power, brands need three things:
Structured data: AI is only as strong as the data it learns from.
Clear use cases: Identify where AI can solve real business problems (e.g., lead quality, budget allocation).
Human oversight: Pair AI’s speed with human creativity and strategic judgement to keep campaigns both effective and authentic. We have been using AI at Algorithm for years, and while it’s evolved, it’s just reinforced why we need that human touch to make sure the output is relevant and useful to our clients.
How does Algorithm’s culture drive the kind of innovation recognised by the WesBank New Generation awards?
Our culture is built on three values: Act Like a Business Owner, Be Curious, and Don’t Be a D*ck (pardon the swear word). These principles aren’t just words on a wall, they shape how we show up every day. Acting like a business owner means every team member takes full accountability for results, treating client challenges as if they were their own. Curiosity pushes us to constantly ask why and what if, encouraging experimentation with new tools, data sets, and creative approaches that drive breakthrough performance. And by committing to respect and transparency, we create a safe space where diverse ideas can be debated, tested, and refined without ego getting in the way.
This combination of ownership, relentless questioning, and collaborative problem-solving creates the conditions where genuine innovation happens. It’s what allows a lean, independent agency like Algorithm to stay agile, embrace AI and emerging technologies quickly, and consistently deliver the kind of measurable, forward-thinking work that the New Generation Awards celebrate.
What does ‘turn potential into performance’ mean for your clients and your team?
It’s our philosophy and our promise. We show up as business partners, not vendors, asking the hard questions, challenging briefs, and delivering work that moves the needle. It’s about curiosity, accountability, and never settling for ‘good enough’. We push our team hard because we know they can perform and we work hard because we want to deliver and deliver well!
ALGORITHM AGENCY
www.algorithm.agency
NEW GENERATION AWARDS
www.newgenawards.co.za
