Extended entry deadline announced for inaugural Marketing Achievement Awards

“We have been inundated with requests for an extension from various busy marketers – we recognise that sometimes, we just need to be flexible, and so we were happy to grant this extension,” says Anne Kirkpatrick, Director of the Marketing Achievement Awards.

Industry awards play an important role in celebrating excellence and upholding high standards for agencies in the advertising and marketing fraternity. There has, however, been a gap in South Africa in terms of dedicated awards for marketers and brand owners – until now.

The awards recognise and reward innovative marketers whose work demonstrates excellence in marketing strategy, creating and delivering value that satisfies the needs of their customers driving brand sustainability, while simultaneously raising the profile of marketing in South Africa.

It’s time that marketers are recognised for the important role they play in leading organisations and not merely for the role marketing plays in communications.

With this in mind and in the spirit of future-proofing marketing – by creating a benchmark to maintain high standards in the industry – a council of esteemed marketing professionals collaborated to launch the Marketing Achievement Awards this year.

“The Marketing Achievement Awards are about encouraging innovation and creativity within the strategic environment of marketing,” says Yvonne Johnston, owner of Fast Forward Coaching and chair of the Marketing Achievement Awards council.

The Marketing Achievement Awards are being held from 2 to 4 April 2019 at Sun City. There will be an industry golf day, a networking welcome cocktail event, hosted by Nando’s on 2 April and a business forum and summit on 3 April, with the awards ceremony and gala dinner being held in the Superbowl on the evening of the 3rd.

“For the first time our industry is looking at marketing capability as a framework – basically all the skills and competencies required to be a world-class marketer,” says Alistair Mokoena, CEO of Ogilvy South Africa and Marketing Achievement Awards council member.

The categories

The awards are open to all brands, irrespective of size and budget, in the following categories:

• Purpose-led marketing
• Strategic sponsorship marketing
• Brand positioning
• Marketing innovation
• New product or brand launch
• Reputation management (corporate and brand)
• South African resonance marketing
• Excellence in brand marketing B2B
• Integrated marketing
• Limited budget, unlimited idea
• Internal marketing
• Rising Star of the Year (nominated)
• Marketer of the Year (nominated)

“We would like to encourage as many brands and the marketers behind their successes to enter – it is time to shine and showcase the amazing work that you do,” says Kirkpatrick. “In particular, I am looking forward to seeing entries come through in the Brand Positioning and Internal Marketing categories. But go through each category to find which suits your brand and campaign best.”

Geoff Whyte, chief executive officer - Nando's Africa, Middle East, India

Says Geoff Whyte, Nando’s CEO and member of the awards council: “These awards focus on the insight and marketing thought that leads to the great campaigns that everyone sees.”

Endorsed by the Marketing Association of South Africa (Masa) the Marketing Achievement Awards are the new benchmark for marketing excellence in South Africa.

“At last we have awards by marketers, for marketers, celebrating marketers, assessed by marketers, and it’s about time,” says Heidi Brauer, CMO of Hollard Insurance and an awards council member.

The judges

The awards council members, who will be judging the entries, are all seasoned marketers and successful business people who aim to raise the bar for marketers through the Marketing Achievement Awards.

The judges are:

• Alistair Mokoena – CEO of Ogilvy South Africa
• Aisha Mohamed – marketing director of Sony Music Entertainment SA
• Anne Kirkpatrick – director of the Marketing Achievement Awards
• Colleen Larson – CEO of Business Engage
• David Wingfield – head of marketing of Barclays Africa Group: Absa, Barclays
• Doug Place – CMO of Nando’s
• Fahmeeda Cassim-Surtee – CEO of DStv Media Sales
• Geoff Whyte – CEO of Nando’s
• Happy Makhumalo Ngidi – CMO of Proudly SA
• Heidi Brauer – CMO of Hollard Insurance
• Ivan Moroke – CEO of Kantar TNS
• Jeremy Sampson – director at Brand Finance
• Justin Spratt – head of business Africa & Middle East at Uber
• Kheepe Moremi – director of Value Creation Capital
• Leigh-Anne Acquisto – MD of Liquorish Ink Communications
• Mpho Maseko - business manager: rest of Africa and corporate relations at Absa
• Mike Middleton – marketing consultant and futurist
• Nicola Kleyn – dean of Gordon Institute of Business Science
• Nyimpini Mabunda – chief officer: Consumer Business Unit at Vodacom
• Risuna Mayimele – director at Rurban Concepts
• Rob Collins – group chief strategy and operations officer of Sun International
• Rob Fleming – CMO of Blue Label Telecoms
• Simon Camerer – chief customer officer of Multichoice
• Sithembile Ntombela – general manager: marketing at Brand South Africa
• Yvonne Johnston – owner of Fast Forward Coaching and chair of the Marketing Achievement Awards council

How to enter

Entries are easy to prepare and for most categories should be 1,000 words or less. Submissions should be concise and demonstrate how customer needs have been identified and used to focus, align and empower organisations and meet business objectives.

The judges are looking for a clear understanding of strategic intent. Additional collateral to back this up is also required. Entries are strictly confidential.

Marketers can enter more than one category. Click here to enter.