Ogilvy South Africa voted the Most Effective Agency of 2022

“As the impact agency, we believe in the power of creating work that works and creating ideas that help change categories, grow businesses, shape culture and shift societies," comments Pete Case, Ogilvy creative chairman and CEO.

Winning work included campaigns for Carling Black Label, Castle Lite and Cadbury, across the Positive change, Sustained brand success, Snacks & desserts effectiveness and Environmental impact categories.

Neo Makhele, Ogilvy chief strategy officer adds: “These campaigns are proof of our convictions that brands should inspire people to impact the world. There is a huge expectancy on brands by consumers to impact society positively, to fill the gaps that institutions have sometimes failed to deliver on. People expect more from brands than ever before, they expect brands to go beyond their mandate. Ogilvy believes in developing ideas that inspire brands and people to impact the world. We also realise that social and media platforms, in the hands of South Africans, have increasingly become the tools and means to shape culture.”

Case continues: “Our teams and clients have been exceptionally proud and grateful to win recognition earlier this year from various creatively led awards shows such as Cannes, Bookmarks and Loeries. These wins are, however, made even more valuable when the same work wins on the Effective Marketing stage of Effies; showing their true impact and measure of success. Underlining our ‘work that works’ mantra, and the knowledge that the bravery our clients took by backing these ideas and platforms, ultimately created the change and growth that we set out to achieve together.”

Brands impacting society for social good and positive change

Bride Armour for Carling Black Label tackled the difficult reality of the rising levels of intimate partner violence in South Africa. Not only highlighting the issues, but creating measurable impact and change, using the power of social engagement and media innovation, to shine a light on a societal malaise and driving positive action. The campaign engaged both men and women towards changing mindsets and toxic behaviours.

Brands impacting society by championing generosity in literacy

Cadbury created a crowd-sourced library in indigenous South African languages to promote childhood literacy, called #inourownwords. A digitally enabled campaign, which uniquely unlocked the generosity of South African society, to help increase low literacy levels in our country.

Brands impacting business growth by driving sustained product success

Carling Black Label, SA’s definitive masculine brand, bravely confronted the shadow side of its product and the image of the traditional ‘Champion Man’ it had shaped for the past 56 years, and successfully rebuilt the brand for growth. CBL did not look away from the delicate issue of gender-based violence, it stepped right towards it, at great risk of alienating its older market base, and redefined masculine strength in a credible way, which attracted the younger consumers driving massive sales volumes and making Carling Black Label South Africa’s most loved beer brand.

Brands impacting the environment by brewing beer with alternative energy

The final winner for Ogilvy was Castle Lite, promoting the use of alternative energy in the brewing of their beer. Launched at a time in history where South Africa has been short of vital energy resources and requires behavioural change towards the use of energy.