Hollard Sport Industry Awards 2022 winners recognised

Photographs courtesy of Ashlee Abdul. Levergy was named the Ageny of the Year at the Hollard Sport Industry Awards 2022

Along with prominent personalities from the world of sport, high-profile industry stakeholders gathered at 1 Fox in Johannesburg to recognise and award the effort, innovation, creativity, and talent behind sports campaigns, events, and sponsorships over the last year.

Agency of the Year

Agency of the Year, sponsored by Gallo Images, went to Levergy, the sport and entertainment arm of M&C Saatchi. Levergy's work in the South African sport industry spans every major rights holder, broadcaster, and sporting code. The agency, which pioneered the local sports marketing industry, is also the most awarded sport, entertainment, and lifestyle marketing and sponsorship agency in Africa.

Brand/Sponsor of the Year

Brand or Sponsor of the Year, went to MTN for its support of both the Springboks and MTN8, using the excitement of supporters being back in stadiums to drive engagement and position their brand amongst both rugby and soccer fans.

Event of the Year

Winning the TicketPro Event of the Year accolade this year was the Global Team Horse Racing Live Series, a radical reinvention of the age-old sport of horse racing.

Campaign of the Year

Campaign of the Year went to Octagon and Castle Lite for their #LITESIDEOF7S campaign during the Rugby World Cup Sevens played in Cape Town in September.

Communications Award of the Year

Last year’s Agency of the Year winner, Mscsports together with Retroviral, and their client Klipdrift took home this award for ‘Go For Gold’. This campaign saw Klipdrift reuniting with rugby as the proud official sponsor of the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022.

African Excellence Award (Crossborder)

For the second consecutive year, The Basketball Africa League won the African Excellence Award (Crossborder), sponsored by MTN. A partnership between the International Basketball Federation and the NBA, the Basketball Africa League features 12 club teams and focuses on growing the next generation of basketball stars in Africa.

Active and Wellbeing Award

Winning this Award for the second year in a row was the SPAR Women’s Virtual Challenge 2022.

Social & Environmental Impact Award

Another notable winner was the Sail Africa Youth Development Foundation which, through its “Equity, Education, Environment” programme , has shown that sailing is for everyone. This initiative, to encourage equity and gender empowerment within the sport of sailing, won it this Award.

2022 Hollard Sport Industry Awards Sport Lifetime Achievement Award

The recipient of the 2022 Hollard Sport Industry Awards Sport Lifetime Achievement Award went to Netball South Africa chief executive, Blanche de la Guerre. This accolade celebrates an individual whose leadership has contributed to capacity building, empowerment and transformation within South African sport.

2022 Hollard Sport Industry Awards Sport Lifetime Community Award

This was presented to former Banyana Banyana star, Portia Modise. This award is presented to an individual whose selflessness and dedication through sport has supported sustainability, empowerment and inclusivity within communities in South Africa.

2022 Hollard Sport Industry Awards Leadership in Sport Business Award

At only be 32 years of age, Tlhopane Motsepe was presented with the 2022 Hollard Sport Industry Awards Leadership in Sport Business Award. As Chairman of Mamelodi Sundowns, Motsepe heads up one of the biggest football clubs in Africa, having been thrust into the position of Chairman last year.

Hollard Sport Industry Awards Sport Personality of the Year, sponsored by ESPN

With one of the best cover-drives in world cricket, Momentum Proteas cricketer, Laura Wolvaardt, is already a global star and played an enormous role in thrusting women’s cricket into the spotlight and enhancing its image and standing.

Fan Engagement Award (Sponsored by Betway)

PlanetSport - Boksquad

Young Agency of the Year

ProAthlete Management Agency

Social & Environmental Impact Award

Sail Africa Youth Development Foundation – Their EEE “Equity, Education, Environment” programme

Event or Competition Sponsorship Award (Sponsored by Worldwide Sports)

Playmakers Sponsorship and Marketing - DSTV Compact Cup

Audio Visual Content of the Year (Short Form)

Ona and Grace - Play with Power (short form)

Audio Visual Content of the Year (Long Form)

Retroviral - Map1mp1

Marketing: bringing sport alive

“We recognise the power of marketing to bring sport alive and the determination, passion and diligence of the people within this sector,” says Heidi Brauer, chief marketing officer at Hollard

The work that you do is instrumental in ensuring that sports, brands, and campaigns continue to live, inspire and entertain, creating better futures for those that make, those that market and those that consume this content,” she continues.

“We appreciate you and we celebrate with you. To each and every entrant, nominee, finalist and winner, thank you for helping to make sport possible,” she adds.

See all the winners here