I was invited to join the Loeries team of long-time CEO Andrew Human, and team newbies Silondile Jali (or 'Slo', to those in the know) and sunny Ilsa Sonneman, both of whom joined this year and comprise half of the Loeries' permanent office staff based in Johannesburg (you'd never guess from their already-great camaraderie) as an embedded journalist on their recent Durban visit and Town Hall presentation.

© Image courtesy of Thuli Dlamini

The Town Hall meeting, held at the Tsogo Sun Elangeni-Maharani, was attended by roughly 80 stakeholders and had a real sense of excitement in the air. I even noticed a short-lived Mexican wave that started across the front row.

Human welcomed all and explained the Town Hall meeting as an opportunity to introduce the stakeholders to the Loeries' plans and to give Durban what to expect, based on what has happened in past years in different venues.

How many 'No's can you take?

He started on this year's campaign theme of "How many NOs does it take to get a Loerie?", which I wrote about in January, saying the theme really resonates as it shows how any industry has its challenges, and usually everyone tells you why you can't do something based either on the lack of research or an increased risk.

As the campaign plays out, we'll hear the various answers to how many times you hear 'No' before you hear a 'Yes' in advertising. One permutation of this is that of the roughly 3,000 Loeries entries, just 0.1% will go on to get a Grand Prix.

In a brief intro on the Loeries, Human explained that the awards recognise excellence in brand communication across Africa and the Middle East. He said many ask whether advertising isn't already dead. The response is 'No', because in reality, advertising is bigger than it's ever been, it's just evolved into something different. "Now, advertising is all about internet, mobile, events, design, branded content and service design as the point where brand interacts with consumer," he explained. And sure, it's both good and bad, but we need to celebrate the good in order to point out just how important that brand-customer touch point is.

Human also spoke of the creative economy and the importance of fitting it into our value chain, mentioning that the highest-paid executive in the UK last year is in the brand communication industry. So, while creative occupations tend to be seen in a negative light, it's actually possible to not only earn a living from it but also be a financial success.

The numbers explained

The South African ad industry alone is valued at around R40bn. To show the value of creativity, Human asked the Town Hall audience how much they would pay for a blank canvas. Unpainted, they retail for R50, but the sky's the limit when it comes to one that's been painted, simply because an idea is taken and executed. That's the essence of creativity - it's about having an idea, acting on it and creating a final product.

Durban's true identity can grow from the initial three-year cycle, as the intention is for the Loeries to become a world-leading creative event. Human explained that the Loeries making their home in Durban will add to the international recognition that Durban is already getting as a leading business and tourism destination.

© Image courtesy of Tsogo Sun

Before opening the floor to questions, Human said: "We're in Durban for a rolling three-year period, so get ready for it. Durbanites know what makes Durban special; soon the rest of the country will see it, too."

All in all, the evening ended on a high note. Additionally, the Loeries launched its bespoke booking engine while we were in Durban - click here for more, as this is the only way attendees can book accommodation at Southern Sun Elangeni for Creative Week™.

Watch this space for more of what you can expect from Creative Week™ 2015, which is hitting the Durban beachfront a bit earlier this year - it's in August, not September, because of the weather. We'll also be looking at why the Loeries chose Durban in the first place, bring you fascinating information about the technology behind the judging process, and explain the service design category to you, as it's open to any industry. And, don't forget the entry deadline: 15 May.

Major Partners of the Loeries 2015

Tourism KwaZulu-Natal (TKZN), the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, KwaZulu-Natal Province (EDTEA), Ethekwini Municipality, DStv Media Sales, and Gearhouse South Africa

Category Partners

Adams & Adams, ADreach, Commercial Producers Association, Continental Outdoor Media, Google, Independent News, Standard Bank, The Times, Unilever South Africa, Woolworths, and YFM

Additional Partners and Official Suppliers

Antalis South Africa, Aon South Africa, Backsberg, Bioscope Films, BEE Online, Clive Stewart Photography, Egg Films, First Source, Funk Productions, Gallo Images, Graphica, Grid Worldwide, Hertz, Hetzner, King James II, Media Film Service, Multiprint Litho, Newsclip, Paygate, Rocketseed, South African Airways, Tiekie Barnard Consultancy, Tsogo Sun.

Official Media Partners

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