Pete Case applies his award-winning eye to the Bookmarks

1 Mar 2016

Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy&Mather South Africa and Chairman of Gloo@Ogilvy, Pete Case, may be forgiven for not having extra time on his hands. Still, the industry heavyweight has committed to judging the 2016 Bookmarks, citing it as the premium digital showcase in the country.

Pete Case

Pete has been involved in the South African digital industry since founding SA's most awarded Digital Agency, Gloo, in 1999. He says, “We need platforms like this to showcase the best work out there. The Bookmarks is seen as the premium digitally focused showcase of its kind - and its success directly helps the acceptance and growth of the local digital industry. The awards also allow a wide audience to see and celebrate both the creativity and effectiveness of digital work, encouraging more brands to embrace the medium, as well as more agencies to invest and grow in this space.”

In November 2014, advertising giant O&M South Africa merged with Gloo to create Gloo@Ogilvy. Central to this merger has been the underlying philosophy that success comes from the creation of collaborative and integrated agency work. He adds, “In the increasingly complex marketing space it’s simply not possible for one agency to be master of all. Collaboration is a necessary path to success. The IAB SA, as a collective of organisations that aims to grow the voice of digital, is fast becoming the place brands can connect with, in order to find out about the different companies in the digital space. In doing so, connecting brands with agencies and the work of our wider industry."

Pete describes winning his first Emmy as his single best moment from an awards perspective. He has two Emmys to his name, one for creative work on the Winter Olympics for CBS Sports, and the other for work on the Wimbledon event for HBO Sports. As one of the true pioneers of the South African digital industry he encourages all aspiring digital marketers to not be afraid to fail. “It is always OK to experiment and to fail. But fail fast and move forward swiftly. Only sell what you truly believe in. The creative world is full of more “No’s” than “Yes’s”, so don’t take it too personally and remember that a healthy dose of tenacity will get you there in the end."

When Pete is not judging awards, shaping brands and driving the creative culture at O&M South Africa he likes to spend every spare moment staying as fit and as close to his family as he can. “I find that one of the best ways to stay balanced is to switch off the tech at home and get my hands dirty making physical things. The craft of making is incredibly rewarding and therapeutic! P.S.: I like the smell of petrol."

Editor notes

Pete Case is the Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy & Mather South Africa and Chairman of Gloo@Ogilvy. He has a 25 year career in design and advertising, creating interactive experiences for many global brands. Case started directing interactive films, television idents and television commercials, whilst based in London and formed his first business in 1990. Then in 1999 he moved to South Africa and subsequently founded Gloo. The company has gone on to be SA's most awarded Digital Agency, as well as Digital Agency Of The Year in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015. Most recently merging with O&M South Africa last year. Personal awards credits for creativity and effectiveness include multiple recognition at; Cannes, The Emmy's, Promax, D&AD, CLIOs, The New York Advertising Festival, The Echo Awards, The Design Indaba Awards, Assegai, Caples, The Webbys and The Bookmarks. These include 11 awards at The Webbys, Africa's first Gold at the ECHOs and 2 Grand Prix, plus 93 statues at The Loeries.

About IAB South Africa

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) South Africa is an independent, voluntary, non-profit association focused on growing and sustaining a vibrant and profitable digital industry in South Africa. The IAB South Africa represents the digital industry across all sectors including the media, the marketing community, government and the public, and also acts as the channel through which international bodies can enter the South African digital market. The IAB South Africa currently represents over 200 members including online publishers, creative, media and digital agencies, brands and educators between them accounting for more than 36 million local unique browsers and almost 1 billion page impressions. The IAB South Africa strives to provide members with a platform through which they can engage, interact and address digital issues of common interest, thereby stimulating learning and commerce within the South African digital space. To find out more about the IAB South Africa, visit its website (www.iabsa.net), like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/iab.southafrica and follow @iab_sa on Twitter.