Joe Public United’s 2016 Loerie Awards haul back in August was impressive. It encompassed a ‘design crafts: writing’ campaign craft certificate for Nedbank Retail’s Food for thought - 'Big cheese', 'Upper crust' and 'Bring home the bacon', as well as integrated campaign bronze and bronze Loeries for the same client’s Twitter Track campaign in the ‘digital and interactive social media’ and ‘live activations’ categories, another bronze Loerie for Nedbank Insurance’s ‘Family tree’ in the ‘SA non-English print advertising’ category.

Silver Loeries also went to client Clover SA’s fresh milk ‘drought packs’ in the ‘in-store outdoor and out-of-home’ category and client PNet’s ‘Table’ magazine advertising, as well as a campaign craft certificate for their ‘Part of the furniture - Chair, table, coat hanger’ campaign. Then there was PR communication campaign silver for Clover Futurelife’s Smartdrink ‘Drink of the future’; campaign silver in newspaper advertising andcampaign craft gold in the ‘Print crafts – illustration category for client McCain Frozen Vegetables’ ‘Frozen at their best - Rugby player, Lifeguard, Vigilante’ campaign. Another silver Loerie went to Ignite Joe Public for ‘media innovation: Single medium’ for De Beers’ Voerspoed Mine’s ‘Safety’; with an ‘effective creativity’ bronze for Dial Direct Insurance’s ‘Time is precious’; and (finally), craft certificates in ‘TV crafts - production design’ as well as ‘TV crafts – Cinematography’ for South African Breweries’ 18+ Be the Mentor.

The dazzling Joes

Amori Brits, head of design at Shift Joe Public, also took home the accolade as one of this year’s Adams & Adams Young Creative winners over the awards weekend. That’s quite a mouthful, as are Joe Public’s recently revealed Loeries 2016 rankings. They range from ranking third for large-sized (100 or more employees) agencies and ranking sixth overall by agency, both for the South African and regional agency group tables; to Pepe Marais as fourth ranked chief creative officer, Roanna Williams as eighth ranked creative director and Adam Weber as ninth ranked executive creative director.

Some of team Joe at Loeries 2016. (Marais is third).

More of team Joe at Loeries 2016. (Williams is second, Schlumpf third).

Here, Marais, at the agency for 18 years and currently working on three massive projects across their portfolio; Williams, at the agency for 3.5 years and working across Panado, Chicken Licken and Iwyze insurance; and Martin Schlumf, creative director at Ignite Joe Public for 3.5 years who’s working on ‘all the things’; share how they feel about all their wins, plans to extend their winning streak next year and who they admire most in the industry…

1. Share your top three emotions linked to your Loeries wins and 2016 rankings.

Marais: I was truly ecstatic, as we ranked better than I anticipated, as an agency and as a group. I am most happy about the recognition of our other creative leaders as they pour so many hours into the quality of our product as an agency.

Williams: Relief, gratitude and huge pride for my team.

Schlumpf: Gratitude, jubilation and pride.

2. How do you plan on keeping – if not bettering – your rankings next year?

Marais: We have been focusing for the past two years on the daily improvement of our product across our group, in line with our growth purpose and our key values – hence a very consistent performance across a multiple of categories for a second year running. This coming year we are focusing specifically on film across all platforms.

Williams: Working really hard at the work that is worth it.

Schlumpf: Hard work, keep doing what I love and the rest will happen.

3. Where are you displaying your Loeries? How does this year’s flock differ from your haul last year?

Marais: There's a little flock of birds all over Joe. We are, however, more interested in creating a buzz on social platforms through the work we do.

Williams: I am not one for public displays. However, I do use one as a paper weight. There are a couple more who have joined our flock.

Schlumpf: It’s on my desk for now, no one’s come to collect it. I got a couple more birds last year, a silver for TV was the best, but this year’s gold definitely outshines the rest!

4. Tell us who you personally admire in the industry – both an established mentor figure as well as a newcomer making waves.

Marais: I have always admired John Hunt for his wisdom and the calibre agency he and Reg built, and also for the role he plays on a global level. And although he is not a newcomer at all, but the next level creative leadership in our group, I look up to Xolisa Dyeshana. But more than most, I admire those rare clients who are brave enough to allow their agencies to do great, great work that deeply connects with people. In the end, we are in the business of human connection, meaning it will always take two to tango.

Williams: David Droga and Tristan Holmes.

Schlumpf: Pepe Marais is probably the person I admire most. And not because I’m sucking up or anything, but because he’s a great mentor and I truly admire how the team has built an agency from scratch and taken it to the place it is right now. They’ve kept it independent and proudly South African. I’ll always respect that.

As do we. Looking forward to seeing what 2017 holds! Click through to our Loeries' special section for more, here for more from Joe Public United and be sure to follow them on Twitter and Instagram.