"To ensure the relevance of the South African idiom and context, the chairperson of each of the judging panels is South African," says Veejay Archary, Chairman, SA Graphic Design Council - Think. "While final decisions will be made in consultation with international judges, the power base has changed from previous years."
The Loeries recognise exceptional design and creative content, striving to celebrate the best of design South Africa has to offer. "Design leads by setting trends, and South African designers, while being reflective of the country we live in, are also world class. Much of South African design has been taken to the rest of the world, with much work in Africa and Europe receiving recognition.
"But design also has a role to play in terms of investment returns and effectiveness. As part of one of our missions this year, we want to prove how design plays a role in the selling process, is an effective business tool and medium and delivers tangible benefits such as moving product and increasing sales," he says.
This year's Loeries has so far seen a 26% increase in design category entries over previous years, which also reflects well on the performance of new categories in design and promotion like interiors and architecture and writing for design.
"Our ambitions for transformation, effectiveness and improved processes at the Loeries have been well defined and are being delivered on to ensure that the grand tradition of this event is not only preserved for many years to come, but also moves from strength to strength," Archary concludes.
