Photo by Roy Esterhuysen / 2018 Loerie Awards / Gallo Images

The campaign itself received a Campaign Gold in both the Design Mixed-Media Campaign and PR & Media Communication Campaign categories, and a Campaign Silver in the Digital Integrated Campaign category, contributing to a total of 12 Loerie awards this year.

I interviewed founding partner and ECD Gordon Ray to find out what makes this particular campaign stand out and what the win means to them…

Why are you proud to have won a Grand Prix for Nando’s ‘#rightmyname’ in the print communication category?

A Grand Prix is always exciting to win, it’s the big one – the best of the best in its category – so yes, we’re super excited to have won it. We are proud to have won in this category because the execution was so stand-out. Having the nation’s largest newspaper underline names in their editorial in order to bring your idea to life, was quite a thing. A media first I think.

What does this win mean to you and for the agency?

It’s our first, so that makes it extra special – and it’s for Nando’s, a great client, so that means a lot to us too.

Why do you think this campaign was deserving of such a win?

The campaign resonated with people. It addressed something that affects millions of people every day. We spotted the red line and decided to do something about it. Our solution was simple but imaginative – that always connects with people. Simple, powerful ideas that people can get behind and feel part of.

Tell us a bit about the thinking behind the idea?

Spellcheck’s red line appears under any name that isn’t a traditional English name. That means that every day, millions of South Africans are made to feel like their names are a mistake. That’s just not fair. How in 2018 can our software still be discriminatory against people with non-English names?

So Nando’s decided to challenge the status quo, as they always do, and fix this for South Africans. We asked people to submit their names to a database, which was then made available to the public on Human Right’s day for download. By simply updating your computer’s dictionary, typical South African names no longer get the red line in all Word documents. Much cooler.

Which Loeries win(s) did you personally feel to be most deserving, and why?

I loved the Sanlam ‘2-Minute Shower Songs’ campaign. I thought it was a fun way to tackle quite a serious issue. It was also executed beautifully.

Looking beyond the two award nights, share your Loeries Creative Week experience with us.

Loeries is a great weekend of reconnecting with people you’ve worked with, bonding with your colleagues and spending time with your clients outside the demands of live campaigns.

What was your main takeout from Loeries 2018?

Big ideas beautifully executed always win, and that’s how it should be. I think the judges got it right this year.

Comment on the current creative landscape in South Africa and how this compares globally?

South African work has always stood tall globally. We have always punched far beyond our weight, and that continues to be the case. I’m excited to see ideas that have true local flavour and relevance being recognised on the international stage.

What’s next?

Loeries 2019 starts now. I’m hoping to take our wins and use it as the rocket fuel to power the next round of work that makes our clients’ brands famous.

Go to rightmyname.com, Nandos.co.za, MCSaatchiAbel.co.za and follow @mcsaatchiabel on Twitter and Facebook for updates.