"At Google we are driven by innovation and creativity and the Loeries is one of our favourite events of the year, precisely because of the amazing mix of innovation and creativity on display," explains Elizma Nolte, Country Marketing Manager, Google South Africa. "Digital is of course the new creative canvas and we are increasingly seeing code take its rightful place alongside art and copy when it comes to implementing the iconic campaigns that will define this age. We're very excited about the work we'll be celebrating this year!"

"Make it go viral" is briefed more and more frequently in the brand communication industry, so Google's launch of the Loeries to Loeries YouTube Ads Leaderboard couldn't be better timed. This is a celebration of the most popular ads on YouTube in the period since the last Loeries. The ranking is determined using some of YouTube's strongest measures of viewer choice: not just number of views, but also percentage of organic views versus paid views.

Google will sponsor the Digital and Interactive Communication Category at for the first time this year. The category is chaired by Emmy Award winner, PJ Pereira, the Chief Creative Officer of Pereira & O'Dell in San Francisco. He and his fellow judges will be sure to enjoy another new addition to the Loeries calendar: the Google Pop-up Restaurant, an exclusive event on the Wednesday night of Creative Week for the judging chairs and creative leaders attending the Loeries. Judging all day gives everyone an appetite for creativity and the restaurant will feature fare provided by a top chef.

For the first time, all registered delegates will receive complimentary access to the Loeries Archive for one year. The Loeries Archive is a superb resource for anyone wanting to review the winning campaigns as well as previous winners dating back to the inaugural awards in 1978.

Key dates to remember:

• Loeries Creative Week Cape Town: 15-21 September
  
• DStv Seminar of Creativity 2014: 19 September
  
• The Loerie Awards Ceremonies: 20-21 September
  
• Ticket Sales for Creative Week are open

Official media partners

Adlip.com, Between 10 & 5, Bizcommunity.com, Brandwork Nigeria, Cape Town Tourism, Design Times, Film & Event Media and Ididthatad.com.

Major partners

The major partners of the 2014 Loeries are DStv Media Sales, the City of Cape Town, Western Cape Government and Gearhouse South Africa.

Category partners

Adams & Adams, ADreach, Commercial Producers Association, Continental Outdoor Media, Google, The Times, Unilever South Africa, Woolworths, and YFM.

Additional partners and official suppliers

AAA School of Advertising, Antalis South Africa, Aon South Africa, Art Board, Backsberg, BEE Online, Cape Town Partnership, Cape Town Tourism, Clive Stewart Photography, Egg Films, Facebook , First Source, Funk Productions, Gallo Images, Graphica, Grid Worldwide, Hertz, Hetzner, Ice Models, Lampost, Media Film Service, McCann, Meltwater, Newsclip, Paygate, Positive Dialogue Communications, Rocketseed, Shimmy Beach Club, Sonovision Studios, South African Airways, Tiekie Barnard Consultancy, Tsogo Sun, Twenty Model Management, and Wesgro.