The 7th annual New Generation Social & Digital Media Awards took place at Montecasino on 4 October 2019. This year, close to 400 entries from across 43 categories were received.

‘The industry is booming, and has never been better, with some truly amazing innovative campaigns put forward,’ said Stephen Paxton, awards MD and founder. Entries were judged by 18 esteemed judges over a period of three weeks, with each judge marking around 120 entries, and each entry marked by a minimum of 3-4 judges.

The 2019 awards were sponsored by Futuretech Media – Gold sponsors, JUSTPALM.com, Wunderman Thompson and Old Mutual South Africa – Bronze Sponsors, YOUKNOW+Brandwatch and Arc Interactive – Category Sponsors, RESONATE for the digital activations and FRESHLYCUT MEDIA for their digital animation work.

Best Revenue Generating Marketing Campaign or Event

• Gold Winner – Vodacom South Africa – Team Red, Vodacom Video Ticket.
• Gold Winner – Vodacom South Africa – Team Red, Summer Gigs.
• Silver Winner – Suzuki South Africa – Penquin and Spitfire Inbound, #AllTheRightFeels – Suzuki Swift Launch.
• Silver Winner – Weylandts – Digital Optimisation in partnership with M&C Saatchi Connect, Marconi 20 Year Campaign.
• Bronze Winner – Wimpy – Sauce Advertising, Cups for Votes.

Best social media reach from an event

• Silver Winner – Cricket South Africa – Levergy, Mzansi Super League.
• Bronze Winner – Michelin Tyre Co SA – Futuretech Media, Michelin Passion Experience 2019.

Best online competition

• Gold Winner – Vodacom South Africa – Team Red, Vodacom Super Proposal.
• Gold Winner – Avbob Mutual Assurance Society – Brand et al, The Avbob Poetry Project.
• Silver Winner – Manhattan Iced Tea – Joe Public Connect, Shop Manhattan Style.

Best use of technical innovation

• Gold Winner – Anglo American – Joe Public Connect, Instamine.
• Gold Winner – Associated Media Publishing, Ready to Shop.
• Silver Winner – Johnson & Johnson – G&G Digital, Listerine Dental Academy.
• Bronze Winner – Shell South Africa – Futuretech Media & MediaCom, Shell 5in5.

Best low budget campaign

• Gold Winner – Tiger Brands – Hello Square, The Mega Mash-Up – Tinkies.
• Silver Winner – Hill’s Pet Nutrition – Kilmer and Cruise, ‘Just a little extra’ Vest.
• Bronze Winner – New Balance – Levergy, Worn As One.
• Bronze Winner – Voltex South Africa – CBR Marketing Solutions, No Power No Problem.

Mobile marketing excellence

• Gold Winner – Anglo American – Joe Public Connect, Instamine.
• Gold Winner – Mobile Marketing Excellence, Vodacom South Africa – Team Red, Vodacom Summer 2018 – Summer Gigs.
• Gold Winner – Vodacom South Africa – Team Red, Vodacom Super Proposal.

Blogging excellence

• Silver Winner – Elite-CV.
• Silver Winner – Gauteng Tourism Authority – Flow Communications, Gauteng Tourism Authority’s Blog Content.

Most innovative use of social media by a corporate

• Gold Winner – DSTV – Ogilvy South Africa, Africa United.
• Gold Winner – Unilever – Digitas Liquorice, Hellmann’s Delicious Surprise.
• Silver Winner – SuperSport – Levergy, Front Row Football.

Most innovative gamification campaign

• Gold Winner – Unilever – Gorilla Creative Media, Axe Level Up.

Best community engagement award

• Gold Winner – CellC – ARC Interactive, CellCgirl.
• Gold Winner – Old Spice – MediaCom, Inja Ye Game (Top Dog).
• Silver Winner – Mexem – G&G Digital, Mexem #MindYourBusiness.
• Bronze Winner – Femagene – Have You Heard Marketing (Pty) Ltd, Best Community Engagement.

Excellence in content marketing

• Silver Winner – AB inBev South Africa – DNA Brand Architects, iLobola Nge Bhubesi.
• Silver Winner – MINI South Africa – John Brown South Africa, Mini-Clubman.
• Silver Winner – Vodacom South Africa – Cerebra, Datawyze.

Best online PR campaign

• Gold Winner – Sasol – Levergy, #Limitless.
• Silver Winner – Roche South Africa – G&G Digital, Roche Haemophilia Campaign.
• Bronze Winner – The Road Accident Fund – Flow Communications, #AlwaysRemember.

Best integrated marketing campaign by a corporate

• Gold Winner – First National Bank – BrandTruth//DGTL, #BlackFridayMe Campaign.
• Silver Winner – Suzuki South Africa – Penquin and Spitfire Inbound, #AllTheRightFeels – Suzuki Swift Launch.
• Bronze Winner – Mondelez – Wunderman Thompson, Mzansi Love Songs.

Most viral campaign

• Bronze Winner – Old Mutual South Africa, Budget Speech 2019: #ThatsAGreatIdea #BudgetSpeechComp.

Best use of social media to research and evaluate

• Silver Winner – GynaGuard – Joe Public Connect, #12OfficialVaginas.
• Bronze Winner – The Road Accident Fund – Flow Communications, #AlwaysRemember.

Most innovative use of digital media by a corporate

• Gold Winner – South African Breweries – Joe Public Connect, Beer Finder: SA.
• Silver Winner – Weylandts – Digital Optimisation in partnership with M&C Saatchi Connect, Marconi 20 Year Campaign.
• Bronze Winner – ABInBev South Africa – DNA Brand Architects, iLobola Nge Bhubesi.

Best Augmented Reality marketing campaign by an agency

• Silver Winner – bizAR Reality – Burger King SA, BK Gone Wild.

Most innovative app developed by an agency

• Bronze Winner – Arc Interactive – Dis-Chem, Dis-Chem App.
• Bronze Winner – Digitas Liquorice – Unilever, Knorr Takeaway Takeover.

Most viral campaign by an agency

• Silver Winner – MediaCom – Coca-Cola South Africa, #ShareACokeWithMe.
• Silver Winner – The 13th Floor Where Creatives Live – Dunlop South Africa, Dunlop Warrior Women.
• Bronze Winner – Sauce Advertising – Wimpy, Cups for Votes.

Most innovative digital media campaign by a small agency

• Gold Winner – Hello Square – Tiger Brands, The Mega Mash-Up – Tinkies.

Most innovative digital media campaign by a medium-large agency

• Gold Winner – BrandTruth//DGTL – First National Bank, FNB SWITCH WITH A SELFIE.
• Gold Winner – Digitas Liquorice – Unilever, Omo Don’t Fear the Dirt.
• Gold Winner – DNA Brand Architects – ABInBev South Africa, iLobola Nge Bhubesi.
• Gold Winner – G&G Digital – Johnson & Johnson (PTY) Ltd, Listerine Dental Academy.
• Gold Winner – Vizeum SA – IndieFin, Mullets Campaign.
• Silver Winner – Flume Digital Marketing & PR – Love Justice, HT Modelling.

Best influencer marketing campaign by an agency

• Silver Winner – Ogilvy South Africa – DSTV, Africa United.
• Bronze Winner – Eclipse Public Relations and King James Group – Netflix, Netflix Man In A Van.

Best integrated marketing campaign by an agency

• Gold Winner – Arc Interactive – CellC, CellCgirl.
• Gold Winner – MediaCom – Old Spice, Inja Ye Game (Top Dog).
• Silver Winner – Playmakers Sponsorship – Coca-Cola South Africa, #CokeScoreChallenge.
• Bronze Winner – John Brown South Africa – Pick n Pay, Fresh Campaign.

Most innovative social media campaign by a medium-large agency

• Gold Winner – Digitas Liquorice – Unilever, Hellmann’s Delicious Surprise.
• Gold Winner – Penquin – Suzuki South Africa, #AllTheRightFeels – Suzuki Swift Launch.
• Gold Winner – Wunderman Thompson – Mondelez, Mzansi Love Songs.
• Silver Winner – Gorilla Creative Media – Unilever, Axe Level Up.
• Bronze Winner – The Niche Guys – Unilever, The Dodgy Dealer.

Most innovative social media campaign by a small agency

• Silver Winner – Positive Dialogue Communications – Land Rover South Africa, The Land Rover #Exploremore Challenge.
• Bronze Winner – FCB Durban – The Young Independents, TYI Top 100.

Best corporate website

• Gold Winner – Seychelles Tourism Board – Joe Public Connect, Explore Seychelles.
• Silver Winner – Morocco Tourism Board – Joe Public Connect, Moments in Morocco.
• Bronze Winner – Life Healthcare – John Brown South Africa, Life Healthcare Corporate Website.

Best marketing automation campaign

• Gold Winner – The IIE’s Varsity College – Conversation LAB, The IIE’s Varsity College Bots.
• Silver Winner – Suzuki Auto South Africa – Penquin and Spitfire Inbound, Jimny – Born for this.
• Bronze Winner – Johnson & Johnson (PTY) Ltd – G&G Digital, Listerine Dental Academy.

Best online newsletter

• Silver Winner – Pick n Pay – John Brown South Africa, Supper Sorted Mailers.
• Bronze Winner – Godrej Consumer Products – Conversation LAB, Godrej Weekly Snippet.
• Bronze Winner – The Nelson Mandela Foundation – Flow Communications, News from the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Best use of podcast/vlog to promote a brand or event

• Gold Winner – CliffCentral.com, Blind History.
• Silver Winner – Coronation Fund Managers – Vizeum SA, Let’s Be Honest.
• Bronze Winner – Just Property – hoola Modern Agency, #YourStorey.

The new generation top graphic designer award

• Gold Winner – Siyabonga Nhlanhla Ntamela, Conversation LAB.

The new generation best individual influencer marketer award

• Gold Winner – Tara Turkington, Flow Communication.

The new generation small agency of the year award

• Gold Winner – ARC Interactive.

The new generation digital brand of the year award

• Gold Winner – Suzuki South Africa – Suzuki Swift Launch, Penquin and Spitfire Inbound.

The new generation social wiz award

• Gold Winner – Nosipho Maseko, Joe Public Connect.

The new generation medium-large agency of the year award

• Gold Winner – Joe Public Connect

The new generation best agency community engagement manager award

• Gold Winner – Londeka Mkhize, Joe Public Connect.

The new generation overall social and digital corporate of the year award

• Gold Winner – Vodacom South Africa.

The new generation online strategy of the year award

• Gold Winner – ARC South Africa, One Day Only – Always on Media.

The new generation overall student of the year award

• Gold Winner – Aaliyah Tia Singh – University of Johannesburg, Repurposed Inventions.

THE NEW GENERATION AWARDS
newgenawards.co.za

Kwambele Social Marketing hosted an event to celebrate their fifth anniversary, which was amalgamated with a panellist discussion on 3 October 2019 at Liliesleaf.

During this event, the talking points were around promoting social marketing for good, what it means and how corporates and society can come together to effect change and make social causes more meaningful and most importantly, impactful.

Panellists included Owen Manda, Director of Public Affairs at Ipsos South Africa; Themba Rumbu, an online social activist and aspiring social entrepreneur and Kwambele’s CEO Tshidi Modikoane Mbele.

Modikoane Mbele opened up the discussion with her gripping presentation on how the spirit of coming together as nation is evident when it comes to sporting events and yet that same spirit lacks much conviction when it comes to social impact. Although there are examples of this spirit in smaller pockets socially, led by unapologetic youth who want to see change and social justice i.e. the #FeesMustFall movement and the Rhodes #RUreferencelist.

Manda gave insight into how corporates should meaningfully invest in social programmes rather than just making it a box ticking exercise for governance and Rumbu spoke to the importance of driving socially fuelled conversations online with the purpose of drawing insight on how to effect change on the ground.

‘It is clear that the time is now; the climate is right for us to create massive change within our companies, communities and the country at large,’ said Modikoane Mbele.

KWAMBELE SOCIAL MARKETING
+27105920098
info@kwambele.co.za
kwambele.co.za

Andrew MacKenzie, MD of Boomtown, states that there has been a lot of industry talk about the quality and standard of creativity delivered by brands and their creative partners – especially over the last five years. 

The truth is there have been the couple of standout pieces, generally aligned to a hot political story or a cultural nuance, but in general, we have seen a dip in the level of advertising. So what can we attribute it to? The question ‘is social media killing advertising?’ is very valid.

For the previous two months, two different campaigns, from entirely different categories, have been brutally criticised on social media. The first was the Gillette ‘We believe: the best men can be’ campaign. A campaign that challenged men to be better men. It encouraged us to stop being chauvinists, to stop bullying, to forget the macho facades; it challenged gender inequality in the workplace and asked us to hold each other to a higher standard, to be kinder, gentler, more humane. Social media went mad. The backlash was enormous, with men calling for a boycott of the brand. The YouTube video of the advert has had 29.5 million views to date, with more than 420,000 comments. 

The number of likes stands at 777,000 with double the number of dislikes (1.4 million). On Twitter the debate got even more heated, with Piers Morgan, who is never far from controversy, declaring that he would no longer buy Gillette products and calling on society to let ‘boys be boys’. Yes, the advert used generic stereotypes, but how many adverts don’t? In truth, the message was ‘be a better man’. Treat all people with respect and humility, be kind and care, even if it’s just a little. I found the advert powerful, an emotional challenge to be a better man and a better role model for my son.

The second campaign was a bit closer to home. Woolworths’ Valentine’s Day campaign using lighthearted references to the male and female idiosyncrasies. The popular retailer has not been far from controversy over the last few years with product plagiarism claims, but I believe its Valentine’s Day campaign was unfairly crucified on social media. It was criticised to such an extent that it had to pull the campaign to avoid further fallout.

When did we become so sensitive to advertising? Perhaps social media offers a platform for anybody with an opinion to hide behind their black mirror and share it for others to latch onto and spread the poison. The bitterness, hatred and anger that it solicits is honestly nothing short of scary, and even more surprising is the sort of content that is attracting negativity.

The problem is that brands have become too scared to push the boundaries. Creative partners are finding it increasingly difficult to sell ideas that challenge consumers, campaigns that make a stand, campaigns that are different and courageous. Great campaigns that challenge stereotypes, conformity, that are brave, that push us into a slightly uncomfortable place. Ads that are memorable, that stand out. 

Will we see campaigns that achieve this moving forward? Perhaps a better question to ask in the interest of optimism is: will we see brands and marketing managers being brave enough to take a stand for ideas and creativity that will leave a positive legacy?

BOOMTOWN
+27861199494
cayleigh@boomtown.co.za
boomtown.agency