AdFocus Awards 2016 finalists announced

Jury chairman Craig Page-Lee says: “This year’s judging was filled with great experiences, ranging from incredibly robust debate to mild states of hysteria. It has been a privilege to share time with such outstanding people and to see the improving quality and competitiveness of entries across all categories."

Finalists:

LARGE ADVERTISING AGENCY

• FCB Johannesburg
  
• Joe Public
  
• M&C Saatchi Abel
  
• Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town

MEDIUM ADVERTISING AGENCY

• Avatar
  
• Havas Worldwide
  
• Net#work BBDO
  
• Ofyt
  
• The Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town

SMALL ADVERTISING AGENCY

• FoxP2 Cape Town
  
• House of Brave
  
• Openco
  
• Riverbed

MEDIA AGENCY

• Alphabet Soup
  
• Initiative Media
  
• Mediology
  
• PHD
  
• The MediaShop

SPECIALIST AGENCY

• Actuate
  
• Demographica
  
• Grid
  
• Playmakers

PUBLIC RELATIONS

• Burson-Marsteller
  
• Joe Public Engage
  
• Ogilvy PR

DIGITAL

• Hellocomputer
  
• Native VML

PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR

• FCB Johannesburg & Toyota
  
• King James & Santam
  
• M&C Saatchi Abel & Heineken
  
• The Hardy Boys & SA Home Loans

STUDENT OF THE YEAR

• Carina Bonse, Red & Yellow School
  
• Carel Pretorius, Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography
  
• Michelle van Sittert, Stellenbosch Academy of Design & Photography

Changes in 2016

There is a new AdFocus agency category this year, for Public Relations. This replaces Branding & Design, whose agencies now compete for the Specialist award.

The overall AdFocus Agency of the Year Award, drawn from all categories, has been decided exclusively by the awards jury, with no weighted input from agencies.

Winners of the Partnership of the Year award will receive R100,000 of client-agency performance measurement consultancy by new sponsor The Observatory International. If they already have a consultancy, they may nominate an alternative client-agency partnership to receive the prize.

The AdFocus jury has also cast its votes for Lifetime Achievement, Industry Leader of the Year and New Broom.

Most places are by invitation but a limited number of tickets will be for sale, at R795 plus VAT. Please contact Marcia Minnaar at az.oc.aidemsemit@mraannim.