M&C Saatchi Abel enjoys stellar night at 2019 FM AdFocus awards

Multiple-award winning creative agency M&C Saatchi Abel enjoyed a stellar performance at the 2019 Financial Mail AdFocus Awards, walking away with three accolades including Large Agency of the Year, Partnership of the Year for its work with Nando’s and Industry Leader for its chief creative officer Neo Mashigo. In 2015 M&C Saatchi Abel was awarded the AdFocus Agency of the Year accolade.

The awards top off a phenomenal period of growth and success for M&C Saatchi Abel which is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2020. Entering this landmark year on the back of this recognition is a doff of the hat to the vision of the agency’s founders, partners and staff across the Johannesburg and Cape Town agencies.

The AdFocus awards have evolved into a leading platform for agencies and individuals in the marketing and communications landscape to be recognised in their respective fields, not only for their creative skills, but also their business acumen.

M&C Saatchi Abel co-founder and chief executive Mike Abel says the agency is ecstatic and that the awards top off a period of immense growth underpinned by the agency’s core philosophy of Brutal Simplicity of Thought.

“Our unrelenting orientation as an agency has always been to add real, measurable value to our clients’ businesses, from their top line, to market share and brand equity. I am very proud that under a very capable team of leaders we have taken these awards ahead of our 10th birthday in a few months,” said Abel.

“Mashigo’s Industry Leader award is validation of the immense impact he has had on M&C Saatchi Abel, its clients and the industry as a whole. While Partnership of the Year with Nando’s proves that strategically marrying the best creative talent with the DNA of the client, pays off handsomely” said Abel.

“We are overjoyed that the significant contribution Neo has made to our agency, advertising and creativity in this country as a whole has been recognised. Neo is a dear friend, valued business partner, and creative force in our country,” says Abel.

Having receiving his award, Mashigo said: “I fervently believe creative solutions not only benefit the businesses of our clients, but form the backbone of all interventions aimed at making South Africa a better, more inclusive and competitive country,” says Mashigo.

Abel added that the agency’s partnership with Nando’s resonates with South Africans because the relationship is built on authenticity and trust, which allows creativity to flourish and innovative and compelling solutions to emerge. The latest fruits of this relationship are evident in the recently released Nando’s Mzansipoli advert, which has captured the hearts and laughs of the public.

“The Nando’s partnership has struck a chord with the public. The key ingredients being innate trust, brutal simplicity of thought, brave risk taking socially and politically and mixing it with a whole lot of fun. Then providing the space for the best people to produce the best results,” he concluded.