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Investec Announces New Ambassador

Investec Announces New Ambassador
Teboho Mokoena, Bafana Bafana midfielder.

Professional footballer and Bafana Bafana midfielder, Teboho Mokoena, is Investec’s new ambassador. As part of this multi-year ambassadorship, Mokoena represents Investec as both a client and ambassador – giving him access to local and international expertise, bespoke financial solutions and resources to support his personal wealth journey and long-term financial goals.

Mokoena will work closely with Investec on initiatives that promote financial literacy, particularly among young South Africans, as well as participate in Investec events and marketing campaigns.

Mokoena believes young people need to be exposed to a wider range of financial strategies – from investing to wealth management – that can set them up for long-term security. This is very much aligned to Investec’s purpose of creating enduring worth for clients, communities, and the broader South African economy.

‘This ambassadorship is built on shared principles of legacy, empowerment, and integrity – demonstrating that when values align, success is not only possible, but sustainable. Together, we want to inspire South Africans – especially young professionals and athletes – to think beyond the present and help support them in building lasting legacies that extend far beyond themselves,’ said Itumeleng Merafe, Head of Private Bank at Investec.

Born and raised in Bethlehem, Free State, Mokoena is more than a national sports icon – he is a father, a philanthropist, and a passionate advocate for financial literacy. From his early days honing his skills on dusty pitches to representing South Africa on the international stage, Mokoena’s journey has been defined by discipline and determination. This, along with his dedication to giving back to the community as well as establishing a lasting legacy for his son and family, are qualities that resonate deeply with Investec’s ethos.

Investec Announces New Ambassador

‘For many of us, financial literacy was never part of the conversation growing up, but I want to help change that,’ said Mokoena. ‘My journey with money started at a very young age – from selling lollipops in primary school, to signing my first professional contract at just 17. Football has given me incredible opportunities, but I also know the importance of preparing for life after the game. I have also made mistakes along the way, and those lessons are what drive me to help young people make smarter financial decisions and avoid the pitfalls I faced. Partnering with Investec means working with people who understand my goals on and off the field, and who can help me create a future for myself and my family. Investec is giving me the platform to share those lessons and help others build the financial confidence they need.’

Mokoena joins rugby legend Cheslin Kolbe as an Investec ambassador, proudly representing this iconic brand and the values it stands for.

‘I remember seeing Kolbe’s collaboration with Investec and I thought, ‘That could be me one day, working alongside such an aspirational brand.’ Now, supported by Investec, I have the opportunity to do something truly out of the ordinary and help inspire others and make a real impact in driving financial education in South Africa,’ concluded Mokoena.

INVESTEC
www.investec.com/en_za.html

Finalists Announced For The 2025 WesBank New Generation Awards

Finalists announced for the 2025 WesBank New Generation Awards

After three exhilarating weeks of deliberation, the judges have revealed the finalists for the 2025 WesBank New Generation Awards. A huge shoutout to all the talented individuals who reached this impressive milestone. Your hard work and dedication have truly set the bar high. Modern Marketing is a proud media partner of the awards. 

The Jury Has Spoken 

The awards, now in their thirteenth consecutive year, received over 500 submissions from the corporate, agency, and tertiary sectors, as well as from individual candidates. This remarkable engagement serves as a strong indication of South Africa’s dynamic development in the digital and online technology sectors. We extend our profound gratitude to all participants for their exceptional contributions.

Stephen Paxton, the founder of the awards, remarked on the extraordinary calibre of this year’s submissions, which encompassed a diverse array of campaigns that surpassed our highest expectations and proved to be profoundly inspiring. 

An analysis of the entries indicated a significant increase in Influencer Marketing, Technical Innovation, and strategic Content Marketing efforts that conveyed meaningful narratives resonating with audiences. Notably, the substantial influence of virality emerged in various campaigns, particularly highlighting the effectiveness of low-budget initiatives. Additionally, a growing number of brands are courageously exploring the exciting potential of artificial intelligence.

‘I would like to express special gratitude to our Headline Naming Sponsor, WesBank; our Bronze Sponsors, Unilever South Africa and Algorithm Agency; our Brand Sponsor, Forge By Brave; our Vehicle Brand Sponsor, Volkswagen Financial Services; and our Media Partner, Modern Marketing.’

Paxton concluded, ‘To our thirty esteemed judges. Thank you for your unwavering commitment and invaluable insights over the past three weeks.’

The winners will be announced live at the Awards Gala Ceremony on Tuesday, 23 September at the NH Sandton | Arrival time: 18h00 | Event ends: 23h30 / Midnight.

To purchase seats and team tables (10 per table), please email natasha@lavello.co.za

Act fast — last year’s event sold out in just 10 days, leaving many finalists unable to attend! Only 28 tables are remaining at our 480-capacity venue at the time of publishing. Now is the time to secure your spot and ensure you don’t miss out. Agencies, please extend the invite to your clients and teams.

Here Are Your 2025 Finalists:

Corporate Categories

Best Revenue Generating Marketing Campaign or Event – Sponsored by Unilever South Africa 

Company 

Agency 

Campaign Name 

Absa

On Point PR and Lifestyle Management

AbsaXTakealot House of Beauty

Amstel

Dentsu Red Star

Amstel Radler Re-Launch

Bonitas Medical Aid

Adclick Africa 

Bonitas For All Life Stages

Cape Union Mart International – Old Khaki

365 Digital Media

Old Khaki’s TikTok Journey to Community 

and Revenue

Clicks Group

Clicks & Vaseline Cera Glow

Debonairs Pizza

The MediaShop & Lucid

Pizza Wrap

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Net#work BBDO

Keep Them Guessing

PepsiCo South Africa

M&C Saatchi Abel & PHD

Weet-Bix Flavourites

PepsiCo South Africa

M&C Saatchi Abel, IMA SA (Pty) Ltd, MSports Marketing

Simba x KFC: Original Recipe campaign

Suzuki Auto South Africa

Penquin  Advertising and Spitfire Inbound

Suzuki ROI Rocket

Telkom

Dentsu Data

Merkury for Telkom

The Beverage Company

Hellosquare

Reboost Watermelon Splash

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

Dove Express Yourself in 100 Colours

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

Vaseline Cera Glow & Clicks Live 

Shopping 

Vodacom

OGILVY

Vodacom V-Up Summer

Vodacom

VML

Vodacom’s 30th Birthday

Vodacom

OGILVY

Vodacom Postpaid Black Friday 

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

THE NIGHT SCHOOL LIFE-SAVING PLATFORM

Best Social Media Reach from an Event / Activation – Sponsored by WesBank

Absa

Flume Digital Marketing, On Point PR, Lifestyle Management

Absa Group Tyla Concert

Absa

On Point PR and Lifestyle Management

AbsaXTakealot House of Beauty

Cape Union Mart International – Old Khaki

365 Digital Media

Old Khaki’s TikTok Journey to Community 

and Revenue

Clicks Group

Clicks Beauty Playground 2024

Estee Lauder

Lumico

Foundation for the Nation

Heineken Beverages (Amstel)

Accenture Song, Dentsu Red Star, AIR Agency, Red Pepper Pictures

Friends of Amstel

KFC Africa

Punkystarfish

KENTUCKY TOWN BLOEMFONTEIN

MPA Alliance

Flow Communications

MPA Day 2024

Nedbank

Levergy

Ya Rona House

Nelson Mandela Foundation

Flow Communications

Nelson Mandela Foundation: 

22nd Nelson Mandela Annual 

Lecture

PepsiCo South Africa

M&C Saatchi Abel, PHD, IMA SA (Pty) Ltd, EVG Media, Hirt and Carter, MSports Marketing

Simba x KFC: Original Recipe campaign

PepsiCo South Africa

MullenLowe South Africa

7 Days 7 Ways for 7 Weeks with Spekko 

Rice

PepsiCo South Africa

M&C Saatchi Abel & PHD

Simba: For The Love of Tomato Sauce

SuperSport

Blue Robot

SuperFan Engagement Challenge

Transnet

Brand Leadership Group

Transnet Red Table Podcast

Unilever South Africa

MullenLowe South Africa

Unlock Your Green Flag with Knorr

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

AXE – Comic Con Africa 2024

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

Dove Express Yourself in 100 Colours

Vodacom

OGILVY

Vodacom World – Easter Egg Hunt

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Women Presidents Organization

Flow Communications

WPO #2025EEF campaign

Best Online Competition – Sponsored by WesBank

Absa

Flume Digital Marketing

Absa Group Tyla Concert

Budget Insurance

Penquin Advertising

Bill Blaster – Reframing the Way South 

Africans See Insurance

Heineken Beverages

Dentsu Red Star

UCL Delivery

PepsiCo South Africa

Accenture Song

NikNaks #OwnYourNak & Cheesy Kota

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Most Innovative App Developed – Sponsored by WesBank

Global Business Solutions

Disciplinary Enquiry Bots

NEXT ORBIT

Docaroo.ai

Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology

Richfield Mobile Application

Shyft, powered by Standard Bank

Shyft

Best Use of Technical Innovation – Sponsored by WesBank

African Bank

House of Brave

Fashionable Banking

African Bank

House Of Brave

Neema Silent Walk

Amstel

Dentsu Red Star

Amstel Radler Re-Launch

Bed Bath Home

Correlate

Hospitality Checks Out Online

Castle Lite

Blue Robot

Extra Cold Quest

Estee Lauder

Lumico

Foundation for the Nation

Finance365

Correlate

Busting Banner Blindness

Momentum

Techsys Digital

She Owns Her Success

Ringside Fitness

Lucky Hustle

The Legacy of Ludumo Lamati

Telkom

Dentsu Data

Merkury for Telkom

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

Dove Beautifies the Digital Shelf

Unilever South Africa

VML

Dove Real Beauty Generation

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

The Night School Life-Saving Platform

Best Low Budget Campaign – Sponsored by Unilever South Africa

AB InBev

Draftline

Afrikaraoke Street Challenge

Absa

On Point PR and Lifestyle Management

AbsaXTakealot House of Beauty

African Bank

House Of Brave

Neema Silent Walk

Bonitas Medical Aid

Adclick Africa 

Bonitas For All Life Stages

Cape Union Mart International – Old Khaki

365 Digital Media

Old Khaki’s TikTok Journey to Community 

and Revenue

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Net#work BBDO

Keep Them Guessing

MPA Alliance

Flow Communications

MPA Day 2024

Nelson Mandela Foundation

Flow Communications

Nelson Mandela Foundation: 22nd Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture

PluxNet

Spitfire Inbound

Fibre50: Connected for Less

Ringside Fitness

Lucky Hustle

The Legacy of Ludumo Lamati

Standard Bank South Africa

VML

Standard Bank Budget Speech 

Blow by Blow

SuperSport

Blue Robot

SuperSport’s SA20 SuperFan Engagement Challenge

Takealot

Blue Robot

Takealot Ultimate Checkout Sale

TEARS Foundation 

DarkMatter

Soothing the Nation

The Crazy Store

Flume Digital Marketing

Deck the halls with CRAZY Savings

Unilever South Africa

MullenLowe South Africa

Rap Your Bar with Sunlight Bar

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

Vaseline Cera Glow & Clicks Live Shopping 

Vodacom

OGILVY

When you see it

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Mobile Marketing Excellence – Sponsored by WesBank

Castle Lite

Blue Robot

Extra Cold Quest

Tiger Brands

Hellosquare

Albany Breaducation

Vodacom

OGILVY

Vodacom V-Up Summer

Vodacom

OGILVY

When You See It

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Blogging Excellence

Chas Everitt International

Stratitude

Chas Everitt International Property Group Blog

Hippo

Pitch SM

The Complete Car Guide (SA)

Nedbank Limited

MoneyEDGE

Most Innovative Use of Social and Digital Media – Sponsored by Algorithm Agency

AB InBev

DraftLine

Messages of Support

Engen

Mscsports

Engen Champions

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Net#work BBDO

Keep Them Guessing

Mondelez South Africa

VML

They’re out there. LunchBar’s, UFO’s and 

Aliens. 

Mondelez South Africa

OGILVY

#RealMzansiNames

PepsiCo South Africa

Accenture Song

NikNaks #OwnYourNak & Cheesy Kota 

PepsiCo South Africa

M&C Saatchi Abel & PHD

Weet-Bix Flavourites

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Woolworths

This Apple Can Save the World – Farming 

for the Future

Most Innovative Gamification Campaign – Sponsored by WesBank

Castle Lite

Blue Robot

Extra Cold Quest

Clicks Group

Play to Win

Aware.org

WONDER

Makers of Tomorrow – Party in your Pocket

Aware.org

WONDER

Makers of Tomorrow – Zombie Party

Vodacom

OGILVY

Vodacom V-Up Summer: Count The V’s’ 

Gamification

Best Community Engagement Award – Sponsored by Unilever South Africa

AB InBev

iProspect

Corona Cero Olympics

AB InBev

DraftLine

Messages of Support

AB InBev

Draftline

Afrikaraoke Street Challenge

GoldBits

Shift ONE Digital

GoldBits App

KFC Africa

Punkystarfish

KENTUCKY TOWN BLOEMFONTEIN

PepsiCo South Africa

Accenture Song

NikNaks #OwnYourNak & Cheesy Kota

PepsiCo South Africa

Machine_

No Lay’s No Game

Standard Bank South Africa

VML

Standard Bank Budget Speech Blow by Blow

Umlazi Mega City

Mbuso Media

Azidle Ekhaya With Maka Enzo

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

Cleanipedia – Countdown To Clean

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Excellence In Content Marketing – Sponsored by WesBank

AB InBev

Dentsu Performance

Corona Cero Olympics

Bonitas Medical Aid

Adclick Africa 

Bonitas For All Life Stages

Bryte Insurance

Instinctif Partners

#PackBryte: Redefining Insurance 

Through Data, Design, and Digital 

Culture

Cape Union Mart International – Old Khaki

365 Digital Media

Old Khaki’s TikTok Journey to 

Community and Revenue

Debonairs Pizza

The MediaShop & Lucid

Pizza Wrap

Exxaro

Idea Engineers 

Repositioning Resilience: Exxaro’s 

2025 Annual Financial Results

FUTURELIFE® (PepsiCo)

TDMC

From Shelf to Self

Good Work Foundation

Flow Communications

Reimagining Rural Education campaign

Heineken Beverages (Amstel)

Accenture Song, Dentsu Red Star, 

AIR Agency, 

Red Pepper Pictures

Friends of Amstel

Jacaranda FM

Her Perfect Pitch

John Deere Financial

Lumico

Plant the Seed to Success

KFC Africa

Punkystarfish

KENTUCKY TOWN BLOEMFONTEIN

LEGO South Africa

MullenLowe South Africa

Leveraging the weird & wonderful of Mzansi 

to build community

Mondelez South Africa

VML

They’re out there. LunchBar’s, UFO’s and 

Aliens. 

Nedbank

Levergy

Ya Rona House

Oppenheimer Memorial Trust

Flow Communications

Reframing Philanthropy campaign

PepsiCo South Africa

Accenture Song

NikNaks #OwnYourNak & Cheesy Kota

PepsiCo South Africa

Publicis-Machine

Bake it Better

PepsiCo South Africa

DNA Brand Architects

Lay’s_No Lay’s, No Game”

Shein

Dialogue Communications

Shein Johannesburg Pop-up Store

Standard Bank South Africa

VML

Standard Bank Budget Speech Blow by Blow

The Crazy Store

Flume Digital Marketing

Deck the halls with CRAZY Savings

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

LIFE ON THE MIND

Woolworths

This Apple Can Save the World – Farming 

for the Future

Woolworths

Finding Home

Woolworths

La Difference

Best Online PR Campaign – Sponsored by Algorithm Agency

Absa

On Point PR and Lifestyle Management

Absa Cape Epic

African Union Sports Council

Flow Communications

Keep Moving Campaign

Nedbank

Levergy

Ya Rona House

Nelson Mandela Foundation

Flow Communications

Nelson Mandela Foundation: 22nd Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture

Shein

Dialogue Communications

Shein Johannesburg Pop-up Store

South African Airways

Flow Communications

SAA is here to stay

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

Dove Express Yourself in 100 Colours

Best Integrated Marketing Campaign – Sponsored by Unilever South Africa

Chas Everitt International

Stratitude

CREATING SMILES 

Engen

Mscsports

Engen Champions

Indwe Risk Services

Stratitude

Hello Indwe

Jacaranda FM

Her Perfect Pitch

Aware.org

WONDER

Makers of Tomorrow – No to Underage Drinking

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Net#work BBDO

Keep Them Guessing

Mondelez South Africa

VML

They’re out there. LunchBar’s, UFO’s and 

Aliens. 

Mondelez South Africa

OGILVY

#RealMzansiNames

Nedbank

Levergy

Now More People Can Premium

PepsiCo South Africa

Accenture Song

NikNaks #OwnYourNak & Cheesy Kota 

PepsiCo South Africa

Machine_

Bake it Better Masterclass Series

PepsiCo South Africa

Machine_

No Lay’s No Game

PepsiCo South Africa

M&C Saatchi Abel, PHD South Africa, IMS SA (Pty) Ltd, EVG Media, Hirt and Carter, MSports Marketing

Simba x KFC: Original Recipe campaign 

PepsiCo South Africa

MullenLowe South Africa

7 Days 7 Ways for 7 Weeks with Spekko 

Rice

Sasol

Bluecloud AI

Sasol Rewards Thela Baba

TEARS Foundation 

DarkMatter

Soothing the Nation

Vodacom

OGILVY

Vodacom V-Up Summer

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

The Night School Life-Saving Platform

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Woolworths

This Apple Can Save the World – Farming 

for the Future

Most Viral Campaign – Sponsored by Unilever South Africa

Engen

Mscsports

Engen Champions

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Net#work BBDO

Keep Them Guessing

MPA Alliance

Flow Communications

MPA Day 2024

Nedbank

Levergy

Ya Rona House

PepsiCo South Africa

Accenture Song

NikNaks #OwnYourNak & Cheesy Kota

Sasol

Bluecloud AI

Sasol Rewards Thela Baba

Simba (PepsiCo)

M&C Saatchi Abel & PHD

Simba: For The Love of Tomato Sauce

Volkswagen South Africa

OGILVY

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

Woolworths

This Apple Can Save the World – Farming 

for the Future

Woolworths

Finding Home

Best Use of Social Media to Research and Evaluate – Sponsored by WesBank

Bed Bath Home

Correlate

Hospitality Checks Out Online

Mondelez South Africa

OGILVY, Publicis-Starcom

Cadbury Mzansi Names

Best Influencer Marketing Campaign

Cape Union Mart International – Old Khaki

365 Digital Media

Old Khaki’s TikTok Journey to Community 

and Revenue

Engen

Mscsports

Engen Champions

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Net#work BBDO

Keep Them Guessing

Nedbank

Levergy

Ya Rona House

Nelson Mandela Foundation

Flow Communications

Nelson Mandela Foundation ZA Rights campaign

PepsiCo South Africa

Accenture Song

#OwnYourNak & Cheesy Kota 

PepsiCo South Africa

MullenLowe South Africa

7 Days 7 Ways for 7 Weeks with Spekko Rice

PepsiCo South Africa

M&C Saatchi Abel & PHD

Simba – For The Love of Tomato Sauce

Standard Bank South Africa

VML

Standard Bank Budget Speech Blow by Blow

The Beverage Company

Hellosquare

Reboost Watermelon Splash

Unilever South Africa

MullenLowe South Africa

Unlock Your Green Flag with Knorr

Unilever South Africa

MullenLowe South Africa

Rap Your Bar with Sunlight Bar

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

AXE – Comic Con Africa 2024

Woolworths

This Apple Can Save the World – Farming 

for the Future

Best Use of AI in Marketing Campaign – Sponsored by Forge By Brave

Amstel

Dentsu Red Star

Amstel Radler Re-Launch

BUCO

Algorithm Agency & MobiClicks

Begin with Buco

Clicks Group

ClubCard Loyalty

Hollard Insure

Flow Communications

Elf yourself!

MiWay

Dentsu Performance

MiCashBack Launch 2025

Momentum

Techsys Digital

She Owns Her Success

Ringside Fitness

Lucky Hustle

The Legacy of Ludumo Lamati

SA Heart

The MediaShop & Lucid 

Check My Beat

Unilever South Africa

Oliver Marketing

Lifebuoy Global Handwashing Day 2024

Virgin Active 

Rookdigital & Kintaro

Leave the Cult Campaign

Best Email Marketing Campaign

Clicks Group

Broscape 

FUTURELIFE® (PepsiCo) 

TDMC

From Shelf to Self

Good Work Foundation

Flow Communications

Reimagining Rural Education campaign

Best CRM Strategy Campaign – Sponsored by Volkswagen Financial Services

Bonitas Medical Aid

Adclick Africa

Bonitas For All Life Stages

Clicks Group

ClubCard loyalty programme

FUTURELIFE® (PepsiCo)

TDMC

From Shelf to Self

Suzuki Auto South Africa

Spitfire Inbound & Penquin  Advertising

Driving Loyalty Through CRM Excellence

Takealot

Blue Robot

Takealot Ultimate Checkout Sale

Agency Categories

Best Augmented Reality Marketing Campaign by an Agency

Agency 

Company 

Campaign Name 

Hailr and XR Growth Lab

uCreate

Wild Space “Space Grannies” AR Activation

Best Use of Technical Innovation by an Agency – Sponsored by Forge By Brave

Blue Robot

Castle Lite

Extra Cold Quest

Dentsu Red Star

Amstel

Amstel Radler Re-Launch

Dentsu Red Star

Heineken Beverages

Pulse – Spend can be misleading

Futureborn

Hi Tec

Run Through Time

OGILVY

Volkswagen South Africa

The Night School Life-Saving Platform

Rookdigital & Dentsu RedStar

Heineken Beverages

Savanna Neat

Rookdigital & PHD

Audi South Africa

Audi Aftercare 

Vicinity Media

Lay’s

Game-on technology unlocks high-impact omnichannel

VML

Unilever South Africa

Dove Real Beauty Generation

Most Viral Campaign by an Agency – Sponsored by Algorithm Agency 

Accenture Song

PepsiCo South Africa

NikNaks #OwnYourNak & Cheesy Kota

Bluecloud AI

Sasol

Sasol Rewards Thela Baba

iProspect

AB InBev

Corona Cero Olympics

Dialogue Communications

Shein

Shein Johannesburg Pop-up Store

Flow Communications

Nelson Mandela Foundation

Nelson Mandela Foundation: 22nd Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture

Flow Communications

MPA Alliance

MPA Day 2024

Happy Friday Creative

Liberty

Liberty Asking for a Friend

Levergy

Nedbank

Ya Rona House

M&C Saatchi Abel & PHD

PepsiCo South Africa

Simba: For The Love of Tomato Sauce

Machine_

PepsiCo South Africa – SASKO Bakeries

SAM’s Stacks

Mscsports

Engen

Engen Champions

Net#work BBDO

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Keep Them Guessing

OGILVY

Volkswagen South Africa

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

On Point PR and Lifestyle Management

Absa

TylaXAbsa

M&C Saatchi Abel & PHD 

PepsiCo South Africa

Weet-Bix Flavourites

Publicis-Digitas SA

SAT

Gimme Summer

Publicis-Starcom

Mondelez South Africa

Oreo Our Way

Publicis-Starcom

Mondelez South Africa

Cadbury LunchBar Bra Lucas

Punkystarfish

KFC Africa

KENTUCKY TOWN BLOEMFONTEIN

The MediaShop & Lucid

Debonairs Pizza

Pizza Wrap

Most Innovative Social and Digital Media Campaign by a Small Agency

2Stories

Shyft – Standard Bank

Shyft Squadcation

365 Digital Media

Cape Union Mart International – Old Khaki

Old Khaki’s TikTok Journey to Community 

and Revenue

Blue Robot

Castle Lite

Extra Cold Quest

Correlate

Bed Bath Home

Hospitality Checks Out Online

Correlate

GoSolr

Solar Where You Shouldn’t

Futureborn

Hi-Tec South Africa

Run Through Time

Hellosquare

The Beverage Company

Reboost Watermelon Splash

Levergy

Nedbank

Ya Rona House

Most Innovative Social and Digital Media Campaign by a Medium Agency

Dentsu Red Star

Heineken Beverages

UCL Delivery

Machine_

PepsiCo South Africa – SASKO Bakeries

SAM’s Stacks

Mscsports

Engen

Engen Champions

Net#work BBDO

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Keep Them Guessing

The MediaShop & Lucid

SA Heart

Check My Beat 

The MediaShop & Lucid

Debonairs Pizza

Pizza Wrap

Most Innovative Social and Digital Media Campaign by a Large Agency – Sponsored by Algorithm Agency

Accenture Song, Dentsu Red Star, AIR Agency, Red Pepper Pictures

Heineken Beverages (Amstel)

Friends of Amstel

Oliver Marketing

Unilever South Africa

Cleanipedia -Countdown To Clean

OGILVY, Publicis-Starcom

Mondelez South Africa

Cadbury Mzansi Names

VML

Unilever South Africa

Dove Real Beauty Generation

VML

Mondelez South Africa

They’re out there. LunchBar’s, UFO’s 

and Aliens

Best Influencer Marketing Campaign by an Agency

Bluecloud AI

Sasol

Sasol Rewards Thela Baba

Dialogue in Partnership with People Have Influence

Shein

Shein Johannesburg Pop-up Store

Hellosquare

The Beverage Company

Reboost Watermelon Splash

House of Brave

African Bank

Fashionable Banking

Levergy

Nedbank

Ya Rona House

Mediology

Tetmosol

#MySkinTrustsTetmosol

MullenLowe South Africa

Unilever South Africa

Rap Your Bar with Sunlight Bar

MullenLowe South Africa

PepsiCo South Africa

7 Days 7 Ways for 7 Weeks with Spekko 

Rice

Net#work BBDO

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Keep Them Guessing

OGILVY

Volkswagen South Africa

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

OGILVY

Mondelez South Africa

#RealMzansiNames

Oliver Marketing

Unilever South Africa

Cleanipedia  – Countdown To Clean

On Point PR and Lifestyle Management

Absa

TylaXAbsa

Punkystarfish

KFC Africa

KENTUCKY TOWN BLOEMFONTEIN

The MediaShop & Lucid

Debonairs Pizza

Pizza Wrap

Best Integrated Marketing Campaign by an Agency

Accenture Song, Dentsu Red Star, AIR Agency, Red Pepper Pictures

Heineken Beverages (Amstel)

Friends of Amstel

Bluecloud AI

Sasol

Sasol Rewards Thela Baba

iProspect

AB InBev

Corona Cero Olympics

Dentsu Red Star & Honest Marketing

Heineken Beverages

E-Commerce Always-On Growth Engine

Dentsu Red Star & Honest Marketing

Heineken Beverages

Surprisingly Refreshing Journeys

Dentsu Red Star & TBWA

Savanna

Savanna Try January

Dialogue Communications

Shein

Shein Johannesburg Pop-up Store

Flume Digital Marketing

The Crazy Store

Deck the halls with CRAZY Savings

Futureborn

Hi-Tec South Africa

Run Through Time

Hearts & Science FZ-LLC

KFC Africa

Summer Festive Campaign

House of Brave

African Bank

Fashionable Banking

Idea Engineers 

Exxaro

Repositioning Resilience: Exxaro’s 2025 

Annual Financial Results

Instinctif Partners

Bryte Insurance

#PackBryte: Redefining Insurance Through 

Data, Design, and Digital Culture

Levergy

Nedbank

Now More People Can Premium

Lumico

Estee Lauder

Foundation for the Nation

Machine_

PepsiCo South Africa

No Lay’s No Game

Mediology

Huletts

Huletts Culture of Kindness

Mscsports

Engen

Engen Champions

MullenLowe South Africa

PepsiCo South Africa

7 Days 7 Ways for 7 Weeks with Spekko 

Rice

Net#work BBDO

Mercedes-Benz South Africa

Keep Them Guessing

OGILVY

Volkswagen South Africa

#SHOULDGOTAVIVO

OGILVY

Mondelez South Africa

#RealMzansiNames

On Point PR & Lifestyle Management, Flume Digital Media, Avatar, Playmakers Sponsorship & Captivate Activations

Absa

AbsaXTakealot House of Beauty

Penquin  Advertising and Spitfire Inbound

Suzuki Auto South Africa

Swift – Feels Iconic

Publicis-Starcom

Mondelez South Africa

Cadbury LunchBar Bra Lucas

Rookdigital & Dentsu RedStar

Heineken Beverages

Savanna Neat

Rookdigital & Dentsu-RedStar

Heineken Beverages

Friends Of Amstel 

Rookdigital & Kintaro

Virgin Active 

Leave the Cult Campaign

Rookdigital & PHD

Audi South Africa

Audi Aftercare 

Stratitude

INDWE RISK SERVICES

Hello Indwe

Stratitude

Chas Everitt International

CREATING SMILES 

Tribeca Public Relations

The Coca-Cola Company

Coke Wozzaah

Until Until Agency & Events

Absa Group Limited

I Grew It Finance 101

VML

Unilever South Africa

Dove Real Beauty Generation

VML

Mondelez South Africa

They’re out there. LunchBar’s, 

UFO’s and Aliens

WONDER

Aware.org

Makers of Tomorrow – No to Underage Drinking

Blogging Excellence by an Agency

Media24

Vodacom

Vodacom now!

Spitfire Inbound and Penquin  Advertising

Suzuki Auto South Africa

From Strategic Blogging to Market Leadership 

through SEO-First Content

Best Use of AI in Marketing Campaign by an Agency

Algorithm Agency & MobiClicks

BUCO

Begin with Buco

Avatar Agency & 99c

Absa

Behind the numbers

Dentsu Red Star

Amstel

Radler Re-Launch

Flow Communications

Hollard Insure

Elf yourself!

The Brave Group

Nedbank

Nedbank NAR Africa Month Campaign

The Brave Group

Nedbank

Nedbank Indalo Fund

Best Email Marketing Campaign by an Agency

Black & White

Dis-Chem

Extra Rewards

Flow Communications

Good Work Foundation

Reimagining Rural Education campaign

Publicis-Machine

Sanlam

SLS Sync

Best CRM Strategy Campaign by an Agency – Sponsored by Volkswagen Financial Services

Adclick Africa Agency

Bonitas Medical Aid

Bonitas For All Life Stages

Black & White

Dis-Chem

Extra Rewards

Blue Robot

Takealot

Takealot Ultimate Checkout Sale

Flow Communications

Cherie Blair Foundation for Women

HerVenture promotion campaign

TDMC

FUTURELIFE® (PepsiCo)

From Shelf to Self

Online Media And Tools Categories

Best Intranet

Company

Agency 

Campaign Name 

Accenture

Stratitude

Accent on You

Best Corporate Website

Barloworld Equipment

Spitfire Inbound

Barloworld Equipment Website Digital Overhaul

Hi-Tec South Africa

Futureborn

Run Through Time

Lexus South Africa

Flume Digital Marketing 

Lexus Website

Toyota South Africa

Flume Digital Marketing

Toyota 

Best Marketing Automation Campaign

Spitfire Inbound and Penquin  Advertising

Suzuki Auto South Africa

Smart Journeys, Real Results: Suzuki’s Always-On Automation Engine

Telkom

Dentsu Data

Merkury for Telkom

Vodacom

OGILVY

Vodacom Postpaid Always On 

Best Online Newsletter

AMIN Worldwide

Stratitude

Global Member Newsletter 

Chas Everitt International Property Group

Stratitude

THE PROPERTY SIGNPOST 

Good Work Foundation

Flow Communications

Reimagining Rural Education newsletter

Travelisa

Flow Communications

Travelisa newsletter

Best Use of Podcast / Vlog to Promote a Brand or Event

East Coast Radio

African Story Magic with Gcina Mhlophe (S2)

Jacaranda FM

Mevrou Mevrou (Season 2)

Savanna

Dentsu Red Star

Weekend of Marvels Live Podcast from the Durban July

The Intrepid Wendell

Tim Africa

Shine  – Life Perspectives from a Bespoke Jeweler 

TIM Africa

The Incredible Machines Podcast

Transnet

Brand Leadership Group

Transnet Red Table Podcast

Best Online Magazine Newspaper

Publicis-Machine

Sanlam

Connect Client Whisperer Special Edition digi mag

SME South Africa

Student Categories 

The New Generation Student Group of the Year Award – Sponsored by WesBank

AAA School of Advertising

GROOM

AAA School of Advertising Bryanston

Hisense, More Than a Brand

AAA School of Advertising Bryanston

Sanlam: More Than an Office

IIE-Vega

Cipla South Africa

IIE-Vega

PETLabs

Rhodes University

Rhodes University Sports Media Team

VOW 88.1 (Voice of Wits)

Human Rights – VOW 88.1 and Constitution Hill

The New Generation Student of the Year Award – Sponsored by WesBank

AAA School of Advertising

Mishka Samodien

NovelTea

AAA School of Advertising

Ankia Heyneman

Slave or Save

AAA School of Advertising

Christelle Saunders

How Bottom Trawling Hurts Reefs

AAA School of Advertising Bryanston

Mehna Gokal

If your shoes were On

AAA School of Advertising Bryanston

Gabby Bester

Chroma Sutra

AAA School of Advertising Bryanston

Mehna Gokal

Small Voices, Big Impact

Overall Black Onyx Categories

The New Generation Agency Community Engagement Manager of the Year Award

Philani Mokoena

DNA Brand Architects

The New Generation UX UI Designer of the Year

Lara Nel and Elizabeth Ras

NEXT ORBIT

Docaroo.ai

The New Generation Digital Marketer of the Year Award – Sponsored by WesBank

Mason Dayal

365 Digital

Nicole Glover

Penquin  Advertising

Stacy Linden

Vodacom

Thato Soato

Vodacom

The New Generation Top Animator of the Year

Shaheen Jacobs

Clicks Group

The New Generation Social Wiz of the Year Award – Sponsored by WesBank

Karabo Kgophane

SME South Africa

Oarabile Kgantsi

DNA Brand Architects

The New Generation Best Customer Experience (CX) of the Year – Sponsored by WesBank

Publicis-Digitas SA

SAT

Perfect Match

The New Generation Digital Brand of the Year Award – Sponsored by WesBank

Cleanipedia

Oliver Marketing

Nedbank Limited 

Olympics

iProspect

Lay’s – A PepsiCo brand

Machine_

Shein

Dialogue Communications & PHI

Suzuki Auto South Africa

Penquin  Advertising and Spitfire

Vodacom

Woolworths

The New Generation Online Strategy of the Year Award – Sponsored by WesBank

Cleanipedia

Oliver Marketing

KFC Africa

Hearts & Science FZ-LLC

“Summer Festive Campaign”

Old Khaki

365 Digital Media 

Olympics

iProspect

Corona Cero Olympics

PepsiCo – Lay’s

Machine_

Lay’s “Ultimate Superfan”

Sasol

Bluecloud AI

Sasol Rewards Thela Baba

Shein

Dialogue Communications & PHI

Shein Johannesburg Pop-up Store

Suzuki Auto South Africa

Penquin  Advertising and Spitfire

The New Generation Small Agency of the Year Award – Sponsored by WesBank

365 Digital Media 

Algorithm Agency

Bluecloud AI

Correlate

Druce Digital

Forge By Brave 

Futureborn

Lucky Hustle

Media24 Brand Story

Stratitude

ZenZero Agency

The New Generation Medium Agency of the Year Award

Flow Communications

Penquin  Advertising

The New Generation Large Agency of the Year Award

Dentsu

The New Generation Social & Digital Corporate of the Year Award – Sponsored by Algorithm Agency

Nedbank Limited 

PepsiCo South Africa

Sasol

Bluecloud AI

Vodacom

OGILVY

 

WESBANK NEW GENERATION AWARDS 2025
https://www.newgenawards.co.za/pages/awards

Rogerwilco’s New AI Search Engine Gives Brands Control Of Their Search Experience

Rogerwilco's New AI Search Engine Gives Brands Control Of Their Search Experience
Reghardt Marais, Rogerwilco.

Rogerwilco has launched Echo, a proprietary closed generative AI search engine designed to transform how brands help customers find information online. In today’s content-rich digital landscape, most websites contain valuable information that is often buried or difficult to access, especially for time-pressed customers and clients. Echo changes that by providing a clean, fast and intelligent alternative search solution.

It analyses a website’s full content ecosystem and delivers summarised, accurate answers in response to natural-language queries and provides direct links to relevant source pages.

Unlike generic AI search tools that deliver blended, often confusing results from multiple sources, Echo is brand-specific, delivering only verified content drawn from a company’s website, CRM and other trusted platforms.

‘Echo brings the power of AI search to your brand’s own digital front door,’ said Reghardt Marais, Chief Operations Officer of Rogerwilco. ‘It empowers customers to make confident, informed decisions about your products, your services and your value without being distracted or misdirected by third-party noise.’

Rogerwilco built Echo to solve three major pain points for modern marketers and customer-facing teams:

– High-volume, low-discoverability: Brands publish vast amounts of content, but users struggle to find what they need. Echo summarises and surfaces it fast.
– Control over brand messaging: Unlike public AI search engines that pull data from across the web, Echo ensures that only your verified brand content appears in search results.
– Decluttered decision-making: Echo removes the friction of traditional site searches, giving customers clear, context-rich responses that support better, faster decisions.
– Insight-driven content strategy: Echo gives brands visibility into what users are searching for. If content doesn’t exist or needs expanding, teams can respond proactively to enhance the customer experience and SEO performance across public AI search engines.

Echo’s Supervisor AI intelligently uses openly available generative AI tools to optimise the outcome of each query to tailor responses in a way that best aligns with the customer’s brand question. This ensures exceptional data precision, particularly when handling complex information such as pricing, product specifications, or documentation.

And because Echo is a closed AI system, all data remains securely within its environment, an essential advantage in a world of increasing privacy regulation and risk.

Echo also benefits internal teams, enabling staff to quickly access the most current company content from product data and HR policies to internal memos and training materials.

‘AI search is only as useful as it is secure and specific,’ said Marais. ‘With Echo, brands no longer have to rely on outdated chatbots or generic FAQs and other tools that dilute or distort their content. They can now own the search experience end-to-end.’

Real-World Application

Echo is built to support a wide range of business needs across marketing, operations, and customer experience. Marketing and brand teams can ensure that product, pricing, and campaign information is always accurate and instantly accessible. E-commerce platforms can surface FAQs, delivery details, product comparisons, and menu options on demand. This all happens without the need to search externally or check in with other team members, saving time, reducing resource strain, and ensuring a quicker query-to-conversion. For global brands, Echo’s built-in translation capabilities enable seamless multilingual accessibility.

Internally, teams can search across documents, knowledge bases, and intranet platforms if deemed as trusted sources, in seconds, improving efficiency and information access.
Whether it’s a customer looking for a return policy or a sales representative needing the latest product update, Echo reduces time to answer and improves time to trust.

As brands navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape, Echo offers the opportunity for brands to own their content, elevate their customer experience, improve decision-making and future-proof their digital presence.

ROGERWILCO
https://www.rogerwilco.co.za/

Collaboration Is The Catalyst That Makes The Influence Equation Work

Collaboration Is The Catalyst That Makes The Influence Equation Work

Murray Legg, Co-Founder of WEBFLUENTIAL, explains the Influence Equation, and why brands that win are those that have the courage to collaborate authentically with creators.

Roger Federer wasn’t just sponsored by On Running shoes; he helped shape the shoe and the brand. ‘I’d like this kind of a response, I’d like this kind of a feel,’ he told the founders as he worked with them to perfect the product, on and off the court. Then he made the brand an offer: ‘You don’t have to pay me to talk about it. I’ll just take 3% of the equity. If it’s worth nothing in the end, it’s worth nothing. But if it’s worth something, then I helped you get there.’

That 3% stake turned out to be worth more than his entire career of tennis winnings, all thanks to collaboration with the brand. That’s the power of creator-brand partnerships done right.

There’s more to Federer’s story than a feel-good anecdote about a sports star and a shoe brand. It’s a perfect illustration of what’s possible when creators and brands align.

Africa is a hotbed for digital content creation because of its massive, young, mobile-first population (the youngest on average globally). Combine that with growing GDP, increasing purchasing power, and the fact that storytelling is deeply woven into African culture, and you’ve got massive opportunities for brands and creators across the continent.

Behind the headlines about reach and virality is an equation that explains why some creators and brands thrive while others fade. We call it the Influence Equation: Creative Content + Authentic Connections + Creator Commerce = Sustainable Influence.

How Do Brands Fit Into The Influence Equation?

Brands often rush campaigns and choose influencers based solely on popularity or budgets. And, too often, influencers are treated as hired mouths rather than engaged partners. But collaboration is the catalyst that makes the Influence Equation work, like a triangle.

Creative content, authentic connections, and creator commerce only add up when creators and brands work as true partners. This means co-creating authentic stories, listening to the audience together, and aligning on how to deliver value. The creator brings trust and cultural relevance; the brand brings resources and reach. When both respect what the other brings to the table, the result is sustainable influence that benefits everyone. For brands, understanding and supporting this cycle, rather than trying to control it, is what unlocks real value.

The Influence Equation: What This Looks Like

Creative content: Brands and creators must co-create stories that feel authentic and culturally relevant. A brand that dictates the script misses the point; a creator who ignores the brand’s message risks alienating the audience. Collaboration here means finding the sweet spot where the creator’s voice and the brand’s values meet.

Authentic connections: trust lives in the creator’s community. Brands don’t ‘own’ this trust; they’re borrowing it. That means they must listen and adapt alongside the creator, respecting what the audience responds to. Collaboration at this stage is about being flexible and responsive to feedback rather than rigid about messaging.

Creator commerce: Ultimately, the commercial aspect thrives when the first two are in harmony. The creator understands how to present the product or service in a way that feels natural to their audience, and the brand supports the creator with resources, tools, and the freedom to maintain authenticity. Together, they drive sales without sacrificing credibility.

And The Brave Part? Here’s Why Today’s Brands Must Be Brave

The bravest brands are willing to co-create, listen, and trust the creators they work with, because influence today isn’t just about reach; it’s about relevance. Legacy advertising was once one-directional. Today’s audiences demand authenticity and transparency, and creators are trusted more than billboards or TV ads. Brands that win are those that have the courage to collaborate authentically with creators, even when they can’t control every word.

Take Shoprite Checkers, for instance. The retail giant teamed up with UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus du Plessis to introduce KNOX Hydrate, a sparkling sports drink line focused on hydration and recovery. Or Coca-Cola, who formed a strategic partnership with Uncle Waffles for the launch of Wozzaah soda, supported by an interactive online experience featuring the global music sensation.

Clicks, in collaboration with Nfinity Influencer and IconX360, hit a home run with the BroScape/BroNation campaign, an innovative two-part activation combining strategic influencer marketing featuring current and former PSL stars like Itumeleng Khune, Oupa Manyisa, Morgan Gould, Katlego Mphela, Lebohang ‘Cheese’ Mokoena, and Tristan Moses. It also included real-world engagement from theSalt’s nano creators. Brands including Gillette, Dove, Sorbet, and BIC further drove the message, creating authentic interactions and community connections around self-care, grooming, and masculinity.

Bravely Building Africa’s Influence Ecosystem

Looking at Africa, we have everything in place: technology, payment infrastructure, and creative grit. What it needs is for brands to stop seeing creators as ‘placements’ and start seeing them as partners. Because in today’s economy, relevance beats reach.

For Africa’s leading creator-brand platforms, brands should seek out agency partners that can connect brands directly with influencers who can tell their story, build their brand community, and drive commerce through authentic partnerships. Exploring the right brand influencer partner should come with measurable results, using tools that determine AI Matching, end-to-end campaign management, and real-time performance dashboards – all to help brands and marketers see the metrics that matter.

Next to creativity, collaboration is king – because influence isn’t one dimensional, and it doesn’t live in an isolated node of communication; influence is an ecosystem of progressive minds, authentic conversations, relationships and creative exchange where the value exchange is equal, the results are visible, and the business ultimately adds up.

WEBFLUENTIAL
https://webfluential.com/

Publicis Groupe Africa Appoints Senior Vice President: Communications

Publicis Groupe Africa Appoints Senior Vice President: Communications
Robyn Campbell, Publicis Groupe Africa.

Publicis Groupe Africa has appointed Robyn Campbell as Senior Vice President: Communications, strengthening its leadership team with one of the industry’s most dynamic and respected voices. Publicis Groupe Africa will draw on Campbell’s years of experience as she leads creative transformation across the Groupe, partnering closely with clients to sharpen brand and marketing impact in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Campbell brings a deep insight into the industry and a proven commitment to shaping the future of advertising in South Africa and beyond. She has judged multiple awards such as Advertising Week Africa, The Loerie Awards, Effies, Assegai Awards and The Bookmarks Awards; serves on the Loeries and Bookmarks committees; sits on the IAB South Africa board; and was named a 2025 South Africa Women Leaders Award winner by the World Women Leadership Congress.

She is equally passionate about transformation and mentorship, mentoring through SheSays ‘Who’s Your Momma’ and co-launching The Forge, an educational transformation platform built by Machine, aimed at unlocking diverse talent pipelines for the industry.

‘Creative communication changes outcomes. I’m energised to help our clients move faster, think braver and create work that grows brands and opportunities. This role brings together my biggest passion – transformative, inclusive creativity – with the chance to open new doors for our people and partners,’ said Campbell.

Outgoing Senior Vice President, Jonty Fisher, welcomed the appointment. He commented:
‘Campbell is a force of nature. She is sharp, empathetic, and relentlessly focused on driving creative excellence that makes a measurable impact. Her leadership is defined by a rare ability to unite creativity and business impact while putting people at the centre. I couldn’t think of a better person to take the reins.’

PUBLICIS GROUPE AFRICA
https://publicisgroupeafrica.com/

Creating A Space That Captures Attention At An Exhibition Is An Art

Creating A Space That Captures Attention At An Exhibition Is An Art

Three to five seconds. That’s how long a person looks at a booth before deciding whether or not they will step inside. Colour, lighting, layout, branding and signage are critical to capturing attention, and the psychology of aesthetics and visual cohesion are critical to keeping it. This is according to SMARTBUILD.

In the busy and loud exhibition environment, where information is at overload and senses are saturated, the margin for being remembered and overlooked comes down to one simple thing: your stand.

Building a stand is easy, but creating a space that captures and holds attention at an exhibition is an art. It is important to create a booth in a way that’s ideally suited to your target market, maximises your participation, helps you achieve measurable return on your investment, and connects with your potential customers.

The value of a well-designed booth comes down to its function. From understanding traffic flow and floor dynamics to designing private spaces and managing complex exhibitor rosters, stands must be designed to optimise every aspect of the space. It is essential that your business objectives are heard and actioned in every part of the build. There is no one-size-fits-all, every industry and company is different and your booth must reflect this.

It comes down to collaboration and co-creation, understanding the needs of the client and the limitations of the exhibition space. And using every corner and square metre to build something that transforms that space into something memorable.

A close co-creation approach is an important quality. Across all sectors, client expectations are changing as exhibitors want more value, more impact and proven results.

Brands are facing tightening marketing budgets amidst global economic friction and geopolitical instability. Exhibitions have to work harder to justify their value which means overheads need to come down or visibility needs to go up. Experience-led stands are becoming increasingly popular, as are spaced built with psychology and visual aesthetics in mind. You need unique offerings that will hook visitors and engaging environments that will keep them interested and connected. You also need a partner that will not only step in and create these extraordinary spaces, but who can be trusted to work with you no matter where you are in Africa.

SMARTBUILD
smartbuildexhibitions.com

Flume Announces Specialised Innovation Division

Flume Announces Specialised Innovation Division

Flume has officially launched its Innovation Department, a specialised division designed to ensure clients stay ahead in the rapidly transforming digital space. The Innovation Department underscores the agency’s belief that strategic foresight, relentless curiosity, and a personal touch are essential to staying relevant and resonant in digital marketing.

‘At Flume, innovation isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a commitment,’ said Jacques du Bruyn, Co-CEO of Flume. ‘We’ve given this team a mandate to innovate, meaning they operate outside the normal tramlines of day-to-day projects and retainers. Their role is to challenge convention, scan the horizon for opportunities, and give our clients that crucial competitive edge.’

Unlike traditional client service teams, the Innovation Department operates independently from daily project execution, allowing them to focus entirely on fresh, forward-thinking strategies. Their work spans:

– Proactive idea generation for both new and existing client campaigns.
– Identifying and analysing emerging trends across digital platforms.
– Spotting untapped opportunities in markets, platforms, and technologies.
– Research and development with a key focus on technology, be it best leveraging existing technology or building new technology.
– Distilling research into actionable insights via Flume’s quarterly Digital Diaries tailored playbooks that translate trend analysis into practical, results-driven strategies.

The department’s approach is as much about connection as it is about creativity. One of its flagship initiatives is the Midweek Mingle — a quarterly in-agency event that welcomes clients for a fast-paced, 15-minute talk which showcases new innovations, followed by relaxed networking over drinks. The sessions are designed to inspire, inform, and strengthen client relationships beyond the inbox.

In a sector where platforms, algorithms, and audience behaviours can shift overnight, this dedicated function ensures clients receive not only world-class execution but also visionary thinking. ‘Our goal is to make sure that Flume’s clients are never just keeping up, but leading the way,’ du Bruyn added.

FLUME DIGITAL MARKETING
www.flume.co.za

AMC Awards Announces Leading Marketing Stars

AMC Awards Announces Leading Marketing Stars

Winners of the prestigious African Marketing Confederation (AMC) Awards were unveiled at a glittering banquet dinner on the last night of an in-depth conference. This year’s AMC Conference Awards, presented during a dinner at the tranquil Labadi Beach Hotel in Ghana, were selected from more than 60 nominations.

Helen McIntee-Carlisle, AMC President and Co-Founder, said the judges were impressed by the scale and calibre of the entries. ‘With nominations from all over the continent, the judges faced a tough task in selecting the final winners,’ she said.

‘We are pleased to have identified the leading marketing stars from throughout the continent,’ McIntee added.

The conference celebrated winners representing multiple countries, including Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, and Tanzania. In keeping with the theme of the conference, ‘Thriving in Africa’s Evolving Markets: Trust, Trends, and Technology,’ the winners demonstrated that they were at the nexus of all of these aspects of marketing.

Each category had several stringent requirements for nominations to be considered, which included which excellence in marketing, innovation, and impact across Africa.

‘I want to extend my warmest congratulations to all the winners, as well as everyone who was nominated. It’s inspiring to see such a dynamic marketing sector across Africa,’ said McIntee-Carlisle.

The AMC Awards are about more than recognising individual achievement. ‘They highlight Africa’s creativity and commitment to diversity with every nomination and award,’ said McIntee-Carlisle.

‘By taking part, nominees gain a stage to showcase their work, expand professional connections, and amplify their impact, unlocking possibilities for collaboration, investment, and international acclaim,’ added McIntee.

The 2025 AMC Awards Winners In The Respective Categories:

Best Cause-Related Campaign Of The Year:

– Gold: Mastercard – ‘Sails of Change’.
– Silver: EABL (East African Breweries Limited) – ‘Project Rudisha’.
– Bronze: Stanbic Bank – ‘Battle of champions’.

Best Social Media Campaign Of The Year:

– Gold: Uganda Waragi – ‘Arresting Attention’.
– Silver: Johnnie Walker – ‘Bringing the Striding Man to Life’.
– Bronze: Stanbic Bank – ‘Cash Back’.

Best Not-For-Profit/Public Sector Campaign:

– Gold: Malaria No More – ‘Change the Story’.
– Silver: World Vision – ‘End Child Marriage and All Forms of Abuse’.
– Bronze: The Ethiopian Ministry of Health and Blood Bank – ‘The Incredible Generation’.

Best Tourism And Destination Marketing Campaign:

– Gold: Zambia Tourism Agency – ‘Visit Zambia’.
– Silver: Old Mutual – ‘Green Frames’.
– Bronze: Sunseekers Tours – ‘Cruise Tourism Development for Ghana’.

AMC Awards Announces Leading Marketing Stars

Best Use Of Local Insights Campaign:

– Gold: Cadbury’s – ‘Give A Generous Voice to Storytime’.
– Silver: Tusker Lager – ‘Stitched with Cheer’.
– Bronze: Captain Morgan – ‘Captain Morgan – Bring Out Your Spice’.

Most Effective Campaign:

– Gold: Uganda Waragi – ‘From Limited Edition to Limitless Icon’.
– Silver: Safaricom Ethiopia – ‘One Move Away Campaign – Road To 10 million Subscribers’.
– Bronze: Manyatta Cider – ‘A New Kind of Homecoming’.

Campaign Of The Year:

Winner: Cadbury’s – ‘Give A Generous Voice to Storytime’.

AMC Awards Announces Leading Marketing Stars

Brand Of The Year:

Winner: Uganda Waragi.

McIntee-Carlisle said the nominations and excellence of the winners highlight the abundance of top talent and companies across Africa. ‘We hope that each winner or their organisation inspires the next generation as we embrace an exciting era of the nexus of technology and marketing,’ she added.

AFRICAN MARKETING CONFEDERATION
www.africanmarketingconfederation.org

Capitec Launches Brand Positioning Campaign

Capitec Launches Brand Positioning Campaign

Capitec announced the launch of its new ‘Bank on better’ brand positioning campaign in partnership with its creative advertising agency, Promise. This human-centred storytelling platform brings to life the meaningful difference the bank continues to make in the lives of millions of South Africans.

Shot in a raw and authentic interview style, the commercial features real Capitec clients, not actors, sharing heartfelt reflections on the questions: Who do you bank on, and who banks on you?

‘Bank on Better isn’t just a campaign. It’s our truth,’ said Asha Patel, Head of Brand and Communications at Capitec. ‘Capitec was built by being present in the moments that matter – whether that’s helping parents fund their children’s education, buying their first home, starting a business, travelling overseas or simply getting through the month. This work reflects the trust and deep relationship that we have with our clients – and the responsibility that comes with that trust.’

‘Trust is built when you show up consistently, with honesty and empathy. We are not perfect, but we try really hard. And that’s what clients remember. Like the story of Vhulahani, a 51-year-old gogo, who tells the story of being greeted with a warm kindness that makes her feel seen when she walks into our branch,’ said Patel.

Inspired by its clients’ diverse backgrounds, the campaign brings their stories to life through vibrant storytelling, inviting us to reflect on the different paths we all take to realise our dreams.

There are stories of entrepreneurs like Mthokozisi, an engineer, inspired to work hard through his childhood memories of repairing irons, TVs and microwaves with his grandfather. With ambitions of growing a single carwash into a thriving franchise, he dreams of creating jobs and contributing to his community. 24-year-old Mykayla, who has banked with Capitec since she was 15, is the first in her family to graduate and is now pursuing her Master’s degree despite facing adversity. Through it all, she never stopped believing in her dreams and banking on herself.

CAPITEC
www.capitecbank.co.za

Modern Marketing Expo Offering Product Showcases, Workshops, Networking And More

Modern Marketing Expo Offering Product Showcases, Workshops, Networking And More

The Modern Marketing Johannesburg Expo is your opportunity to see the future of marketing and branding. Join us from 9–11 September 2025 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg.

Why You Should Attend

Free Modern Marketing Power Hour: Industry leaders will share their expertise and insights to help you supercharge your marketing. Book here.

AI Workshop: A must-attend for designers, creatives, and innovators eager to harness the power of AI in their workflow. Book here.

Change 1 Woman networking event: This is your platform to connect with women in branding, print and signage. Be prepared to be uplifted, guided and inspired. The first 150 ladies to RSVP will get their own C1W badge and shopper bag. Book your spot: info@c1w.co.za

Roland Speedwrap Challenge: Test your skills and win cash prizes! Or watch the pros wrap with precision and speed. Click here for more info.

World Wrap Record: Watch the pros wrap with precision and speed in their attempt to set the world wrapping record. Click here for more info.

Network with leading suppliers: Interact with a wide range of exhibitors representing hundreds of leading brands.

Stay ahead of industry trends: The modern industry is evolving fast. Discover the latest technologies and techniques to keep your competitive edge.

Please register online for free attendance to the Modern Marketing Expo, taking place 9-11 September 2025, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, at Gallagher Convention Centre.

MODERN MARKETING EXPO
+27 11 568 1894
https://modernmarketingexpo.co.za

This is Modern Marketing