Judging for this awards programme, which has been active in South Africa since 2013, was undertaken by 15 Senior Marketers from across various regions, including MTN's Geoff Masuta, Coca-Cola's Bunmi Adeniba, RMB's Linda Kachingwe Sisya and True.IO's Vince Maher, as well as the eight members of the MMA SA's Youth Development Board, says the awards. 

19 Gold, 19 Silver and 13 Bronze awards were announced, with PEP, Standard Bank and The Foschini Group (TFG), among others, taking top honours, receiving a Gold award for their campaigns: TFG's 'Precision Marketing' (Marketing Impact), PEP 'Mini Netball' (Purpose Driven Marketing) and Standard Bank's 'Achieva Exchange' (Purpose Driven Marketing), MMA SMARTIES Awards adds.

Africa has long been the next frontier for innovations in tech, given many of its countries' populations side-stepped desktop and went directly to mobile, meaning their markets are super savvy in this space. Many inventions have come from these regions, as they advance their development and usage of tech such as in the use of cross-border payments and microfinance — and is why the MMA SSA has entered Kenya and Nigeria specifically and initially, the awards adds. 

"Our venture beyond South Africa's borders has been an inspirational one. The rate of AI and other technology's adoption in certain African countries is impressive and there are strong examples of how this has been used effectively in marketing campaigns. AI immersion is happening as fast as it is in South Africa and the African continent, with its 54 countries, is, in pockets, forging ahead with significant developments in the use of tech and other Gen AI innovations," says Sarah Utermark, Country Director for the MMA SSA. 

Utermark says that the 14 judges were looking for innovation, tech adoption and social impact through tech, among others, when adjudicating the entries. 

Fiona Ronnie, Head of Customer and Loyalty from The Foschini Group (TFG) says on its Brand of The Year campaign win, "Our 2023 festive season campaign engaged 30 million customers, in a highly targeted and personal way. We made the customer the centre of the campaign, using new tech like AI and data-led strategies, precision marketing and personalisation to engage with them one-on-one. The purpose was not just to run a campaign, but to create meaningful and long-lasting relationships with our customers. We did this by syncing the physical with the digital and gave customers a chance to win a R100 000 golden NFT to use at any store over the course of 2024. To enter customers had to swipe, play a game and post their experience on social media."

"We are honoured to win the Brand of the Year Award for this work; not only did our team go above and beyond to make it work extremely hard through their passion, creativity and dedication, it was our customers who were the true inspiration behind the work and around which the campaign was built," Ronnie adds.

Utermark concludes, "We are extremely buoyed by the standard of work coming from these regions, across the current marketing landscape. Africa continues to rise, and as the leading marketing industry body that recognises results driven by tech and AI, it is our privilege to honour these winners today."

The full list of winners can be viewed here. 

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*Image courtesy of contributor