The Marketing Achievement Awards (MAAs) recognise the pivotal role of marketing in driving business growth and shaping the South African cultural landscape. Anchored in business strategy, the awards celebrate initiatives that demonstrate the positive impact of marketing and brand building as critical commercial tools.
These entrants have demonstrated exceptional strategic thinking and impactful execution, achieving an average score of 70% or more from its esteemed panel of judges. This accomplishment positions them among the top percentile of entries in their respective categories. Qualifying for the MAAs is a testament to the power of well-conceived strategy, impactful execution and substantiated business results.
‘This year’s entries have impressed our judges, attesting to the thorough and robust adjudication process,’ said Ivan Moroke, Chairperson of the MAAs. ‘Each written submission underwent careful evaluation against specified criteria, with judges engaging in spirited discussions to determine the merits of top-scoring entries. Achieving qualifier status is a significant accomplishment, and we congratulate all those who have reached this milestone.’ Qualifiers are now invited to the prestigious awards ceremony where finalists and winners will be revealed.
Categories And Qualifiers
The 2025 MAA qualifiers have demonstrated excellence across 13 main award categories, including: Excellence in Brand Marketing B2B, Resourceful Marketing, New Product or Service Launch Strategy, Strategic Sponsorship Marketing, New Brand Launch/Relaunch Strategy, South African Resonance Marketing, Marketing Innovation, Purpose-Led Marketing, Brand Positioning, Integrated Marketing, Digital Brand Marketing, Reputation Management, and Internal Marketing.
Leadership Awards And Adjudication Process
The MAA Leadership Awards, including Rising Star of the Year and Marketer of the Year, are currently undergoing a rigorous adjudication process, including interviews with nominees and their colleagues.
|
Entry |
Brand / Organisation |
Lead Partner |
Category |
|
Absa Brand Launch |
Absa |
Avatar |
Excellence in Brand Positioning |
|
Absa Brand Positioning Launch |
Absa |
Avatar |
Excellence in Digital Brand Marketing |
|
Absa Brand Sponsorships |
Absa |
Avatar |
Excellence in Strategic Sponsorship Marketing |
|
Absa Brand Positioning Launch |
Absa |
Avatar |
Excellence in Internal Marketing |
|
Audi Curated Collection |
Audi South Africa |
Ogilvy South Africa |
Excellence in Marketing Innovation |
|
Betway SA20 Catch R2 Million |
Betway |
Mscsports |
Excellence in Strategic Sponsorship Marketing |
|
Cadbury – Give A Little Thanks |
Cadbury |
Ogilvy South Africa |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Checkers brings Xtra Joy to Stanford |
Checkers |
99c |
Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing |
|
Checkers brings Xtra Joy to Stanford |
Checkers |
99c |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Game-Changing Marketing l How Discovery Insure drove positive Net sentiment through social media campaigns to build brand equity and resonance. |
Discovery Insure |
RCK |
Excellence in Resourceful Marketing |
|
Discovery Vitality Padel benefit |
Discovery Vitality |
RCK |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Discovery Vitality Run Series |
Discovery Vitality |
– |
Excellence in Strategic Sponsorship Marketing |
|
Vitality HealthyFood relaunch |
Discovery Vitality |
– |
Excellence in New Brand Launch |
|
DKMS Africa: The 360° Patient Appeal |
DKMS Africa |
– |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
DKMS Africa’s World Blood Cancer Campaign |
DKMS Africa |
– |
Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing |
|
DKMS Africa’s Resourceful Resilience: Patient Appeal |
DKMS Africa |
– |
Excellence in Resourceful Marketing |
|
FNB’s #BoksNeedYou Rugby World Cup Campaign |
First National Bank |
Gizmo |
Excellence in Strategic Sponsorship Marketing |
|
Futurelife |
Futurelife |
MullenLowe South Africa |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
GoSolr Digital Launch |
GoSolr |
Correlate Digital |
Excellence in Digital Brand Marketing |
|
#WomenpreneurHerPerfectPitch by Jacaranda FM |
Jacaranda FM |
– |
Excellence in Brand Positioning |
|
BIG Freeze by Jacaranda FM |
Jacaranda FM |
– |
Excellence in Marketing Innovation |
|
#WomenpreneurHerPerfectPitch by Jacaranda FM |
Jacaranda FM |
– |
Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing |
|
#WomenpreneurHerPerfectPitch by Jacaranda FM |
Jacaranda FM |
– |
Excellence in Brand Marketing B2B |
|
Jungle Oat Drinks Range |
Jungle Oats |
– |
Excellence in Marketing Innovation |
|
Make It KFC |
KFC South Africa |
Ogilvy |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
KFC Block Booked – Taking Back Lunch One Email At a Time |
KFC South Africa |
Ogilvy |
Excellence in Digital Brand Marketing |
|
L’Oreal Paris x McCann Joburg / Let Your Melanin Glow |
L’Oreal Paris |
McCann Joburg |
Excellence in New Product or Service Launch |
|
No Lay’s, No Game |
Lay’s |
MullenLowe South Africa |
Excellence in Strategic Sponsorship Marketing |
|
Magnum Chocolate Cookie Crumble Launch |
Magnum |
Hyphen Creatives |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Marmite Smear Campaign |
Marmite |
MullenLowe South Africa |
Excellence in Resourceful Marketing |
|
Milo Future Champs |
Milo |
Offlimit Communications |
Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing |
|
Learning Towards the Youth for Growth – MTN SA |
MTN SA |
– |
Excellence in Brand Positioning |
|
Connecting People by Giving a Voice to the Voiceless – MTN SA |
MTN SA |
– |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Nando’s Cabo Sosatie NPD Launch |
Nando’s |
M&C Saatchi Abel |
Excellence in New Product or Service Launch |
|
Nando’s Cabo Sosatie Integrated Marketing Campaign |
Nando’s |
M&C Saatchi Abel |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Nedbank, Bank Your Time |
Nedbank |
– |
Excellence in Brand Positioning |
|
Nedbank, The Art of Wine |
Nedbank |
Levergy |
Excellence in Marketing Innovation |
|
Nedbank, The Art of Wine |
Nedbank |
Levergy |
Excellence in Strategic Sponsorship Marketing |
|
Nedbank #Run4Avos |
Nedbank |
Levergy |
Excellence in Strategic Sponsorship Marketing |
|
The Signwriter – Nedbank Youth Honours Board |
Nedbank |
Joe Public |
Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing |
|
Nedbank #Run4Avos |
Nedbank |
Levergy |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Nedbank, The Art of Wine |
Nedbank |
Levergy |
Excellence in Resourceful Marketing |
|
Nescafé Make Your World |
Nescafé |
Publicis Machine |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Nescafé Make Your World |
Nescafé |
Publicis Machine |
Excellence in Brand Positioning |
|
Nescafé Make Your World |
Nescafé |
Publicis Machine |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Nescafé Make Your World |
Nescafé |
Offlimit Communications |
Excellence in New Product or Service Launch |
|
Nestlé Hot Chocolate #NowServingSelfcare – pause with purpose for South African Women |
Nestlé |
– |
Excellence in Brand Positioning |
|
Nestlé confectionery – Enjoy a little magic |
Nestlé Confectionery |
VML |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Nestlé Confectionery – Enjoy a little magic |
Nestlé Confectionery |
Revolve (Hoorah) |
Excellence in Digital Brand Marketing |
|
NESTLÉ NESPRAY® IPlug Yeskolo |
NESTLÉ NESPRAY® |
Publicis Machine |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
NikNaks_Own your Nak |
NikNaks |
MullenLowe South Africa |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
The Perfect Sishebo |
Rajah, Knorrox and Knorr |
Hyphen Creatives |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
The Perfect Get-Togetha Braai |
Robertson, Aromat and Knorr |
Hyphen Creatives |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Castle Lite x Nando’s Battle of the Billboards |
SAB (ABINBEV) |
Ogilvy South Africa |
Excellence in New Product or Service Launch |
|
SASKO Care in Action |
SASKO |
MullenLowe South Africa |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
SASKO Siyasizana – Better Play for Better Tomorrows |
SASKO |
MullenLowe South Africa |
Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing |
|
SASKO Flour Moir’s Safari |
SASKO, Moirs and Safari |
MullenLowe South Africa |
Excellence in Digital Brand Marketing |
|
Sea Harvest Fish Friday – Everyone’s Favourite Day |
Sea Harvest |
CRT Create |
Excellence in Digital Brand Marketing |
|
Sea Harvest Fish Friday – Everyone’s Favourite Day |
Sea Harvest |
CRT Create |
Excellence in New Product or Service Launch |
|
Make Savings Simple with Shoprite Xtra Savings |
Shoprite |
99c |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Xtra Savings Plus by ShopriteX |
ShopriteX |
99c |
Excellence in New Product or Service Launch |
|
Spar-letta “Eyakho! It’s Yours: A Taste of Home” |
Spar-letta |
Offlimit Communications |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Spar-letta “Eyakho! It’s Yours” |
Spar-letta |
Offlimit Communications |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Standard Bank Be #Walletwise 360 Integrated Campaign |
Standard Bank |
Matte BLK |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Standard Bank Be #Walletwise Consumer Education Programme |
Standard Bank |
Matte BLK |
Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing |
|
Standard Bank Be #Walletwise Regionalised Activations Campaign |
Standard Bank |
Matte BLK |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Enabling South Africa’s small businesses to ‘Rise Above the Noise’ |
Standard Bank Business & Commercial Banking |
M&C Saatchi Abel |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Enabling South Africa’s small businesses to ‘Rise Above the Noise’ |
Standard Bank Business & Commercial Banking |
M&C Saatchi Abel |
Excellence in Brand Marketing B2B |
|
We Believe In Here |
Standard Bank Corporate & Investment Banking |
M&C Saatchi Abel |
Excellence in Brand Marketing B2B |
|
We Believe In Here |
Standard Bank Corporate & Investment Banking |
M&C Saatchi Abel |
Excellence in Reputation Management (Corporate and Brand) |
|
Suzuki Jimny Launch |
Suzuki |
Penquin |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Suzuki Jimny Launch |
Suzuki |
Penquin |
Excellence in New Product or Service Launch |
|
Telkom, Stand Tall |
Telkom |
Levergy |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Show Up Big with Telkom |
Telkom |
BlackSwan Assets |
Excellence in Integrated Marketing |
|
Telkom, Stand Tall |
Telkom |
Levergy |
Excellence in Strategic Sponsorship Marketing |
|
Telkom, Stand Tall |
Telkom |
Levergy |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Telkom, Stand Tall |
Telkom |
Levergy |
Excellence in Reputation Management (Corporate and Brand) |
|
The Department of Science and Innovation Campaign |
The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) |
Matter Advertising |
Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing |
|
Unilever Professional – Better Clean Better Business – Food Safe Launch |
Unilever Professional |
Attic Rush |
Excellence in Brand Marketing B2B |
|
Volkswagen – Night School |
Volkswagen |
Ogilvy South Africa |
Excellence in Purpose-led Marketing |
|
Zam-buk Take Me Home |
Zam-buk |
Offlimit Communications |
Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing |
|
Zam-Buk Take Me Home |
Zam-Buk |
Offlimit Communications |
Excellence in Resourceful Marketing |
