2023 Effie Awards South Africa Winners Announced

The 2023 Effie Awards South Africa Gala Celebrates a Triumphant Year of Marketing Effectiveness

The 2023 Effie Awards South Africa Gala, held on September 15^th at Urban Brew Studios in Randburg, marked the third year of this esteemed global awards programme on local shores. This year’s event was doubly special, as it not only announced the celebrated winners but also unveiled the finalists for the first time during the gala, creating an atmosphere charged with anticipation and excitement.

The crowning moment of the evening was the unveiling of the Grand Effie Winner, an

exceptional campaign from Ogilvy South Africa and KFC South Africa that emerged as the epitome of marketing effectiveness, setting new standards for the entire industry and showcasing the power of strategic, results-driven marketing.

The full list of the 2023 Effie Awards South Africa winners is as follows:

 

AWARD LEVEL	AGENCY	CAMPAIGN	CLIENT	BRAND	CATEGORY
Grand Effie and Gold	Ogilvy South Africa	How KFC reclaimed its Fame by turning its Taste from sales killer into business driver.	KFC South Africa	KFC South Africa	Restaurants
Gold	Grey Advertising Africa	How Some “Spice” Served Savanna Unprecedented Growth	Distell	Savanna Premium Cider	Beverages – Alcohol
Gold	Ogilvy South Africa	VW Polo Game On	Volkswagen SA	Volkswagen South Africa	Social Media
Gold	Ogilvy South Africa	How KFC sparked a social media frenzy by seeding a taste story	KFC South Africa	KFC SA	Social Media
Silver	Joe Public	Big John Beats Yahunga Forever: hijacking the cultural moment through a blockbuster marketing approach.	Chicken Licken	Chicken Licken	Current Events
Silver	Ogilvy South Africa	VW Polo Game On	Volkswagen SA	Volkswagen South Africa	Automotive – Vehicles
Silver	Joe Public	Big John Beats Yahunga Forever: hijacking the cultural moment through a blockbuster marketing approach.	Chicken Licken	Chicken Licken	Restaurants
Silver	Ogilvy South Africa	VW Polo Game On	Volkswagen SA	Volkswagen South Africa	Experiential Marketing: Live & Digital
Silver	Joe Public	Big John Beats Yahunga Forever: hijacking the cultural moment through a blockbuster marketing approach.	Chicken Licken	Chicken Licken	Multicultural – Products, Services
Silver	Ogilvy South Africa	Where There’s a Bucket, There’s a Family	KFC	KFC South Africa	Seasonal Marketing – Products, Services
Silver	Ogilvy South Africa	Where there’s a bucket, There’s a Family	KFC	KFC South Africa	Youth Marketing
Silver	VMLY&R South Africa	Nando’s Bright Sides Campaign	Nando’s South Africa	Nando’s South Africa	Current Events
Silver	Joe Public	The Real Maternity Issue	Amnesty International	Amnesty International	Small Budgets – Non-Profit, Products, Services
Silver	VMLY&R South Africa	Nando’s Bright Sides Campaign	Nando’s South Africa	Nando’s South Africa	Timely Opportunity
Bronze	Joe Public	The Real Maternity Issue	Amnesty International	Amnesty International	Disease Awareness & Education: Non-Profit
Bronze	Joe Public	Newbank: How Nedbank launched a fake new bank to accelerate brand reappraisal and digital usage	Nedbank	Nedbank	Finance
Bronze	Joe Public	Democratising The Difference	Woolworths South Africa	Woolworths	Multi-Brand Shopper Solution / Commerce & Shopper Effies
Bronze	Joe Public	Black Conversations: A branded platform savouring blackness	ABInbev	Castle Milk Stout	Brand Content & Entertainment

The full list of the 2023 Effie Awards South Africa finalists is available here

Effie Worldwide COO, Allison Knapp Womack, graced the occasion with her presence, emphasizing the global significance of the Effie Awards South Africa in recognizing marketing excellence.

Allison Knapp Womack commented on the remarkable winning campaigns, saying, “The winning campaigns showcased tonight demonstrate the vibrancy and health of the marketing sector in South Africa. They rightfully claim their place on the global stage by contributing to the Effie Index, solidifying South Africa’s presence in the global context of marketing effectiveness.”

In addition to her attendance at the Gala, Allison hosted a breakfast at Google Johannesburg, leading a panel discussion that shed light on the brilliant minds behind past Grand Effie-winning campaigns. The breakfast provided a unique opportunity to delve into the insights that drive marketing effectiveness.

Mathe Okaba, ACA CEO for Effie Awards South Africa, expressed her enthusiasm for this year’s programme, saying, “The success of any awards programme can, in many ways, be measured by the quality and quantity of entries it receives. The entries and winners in this year’s programme have more than reinforced the fact that our sector exhibits world-class levels of creative effectiveness. More importantly, the work entered is underpinned by a clear and strategic understanding of the importance of effectiveness in relation to marketing and business objectives.”

Co-Jury Chairs Mpume Ngobese and Pete Case lauded the incredible results and the rigorous judging process, emphasizing the exceptional quality of entries. Mpume Ngobese said, “Winning an Effie is ‘next level tough.’ The magic continues to lie in balancing the narrative when talking about the effectiveness story: the context, the brand challenge, the campaign objectives, the [growth] insight, the work, and the results.”

Pete Case added, “The entries and winners in this year’s programme have demonstrated the exceptional creativity and effectiveness that our industry is known for. The rigorous judging process ensured that only the most deserving campaigns received recognition.”

Effie Awards South Africa proudly acknowledges the invaluable support of its sponsors for the 2023 programme, including Primedia, Nedbank, Kaya FM, Mediamark, SAB, GIB Insurance, Net#work BBDO, Unilever, Google, Aon, Investec, Pride Wealth and Brand South Africa.

The Effie Awards South Africa – the world’s preeminent marketing effectiveness award, and the Nedbank IMC Conference – Africa’s leading marketing conference, partnered in 2023 for the benefit of the marketing industry at large. The merging of the two industry events meant that on Friday, September 15, 2023, attendees were treated to one hard-hitting day of 15-minute relevant insights into marketing and advertising during the Nedbank IMC, followed by the showcasing and recognition of the most effective campaigns of 2023 at the Effie gala.

Mathe Okaba concluded by congratulating all the winners and expressing anticipation for the next programme, saying, “The work our sector produces and that has been presented during this year’s programme reinforces and consistently ensures that we remain relevant where it truly matters – as valuable partners in the pursuit of business success.”

Join the conversation using the hashtags #EffieAwardsSA, #MarketingUpClose, and #NedbankIMC2023. For more information on the 2023 Effie Awards, visit www.effieawards.co.za.