Saf Sindhi, creative partner at Ogilvy Johannesburg

How do you feel about judging at this year’s Loeries?

I felt like Randall Abrahams.

Tell us more about yourself and why you believe you were selected – your judging experience and so on.

I think this may be my fourth or fifth year in a row judging now and I still feel honoured every time that email from Pale pops up in my inbox. It just a little sign that lets me know that I’m still doing something right in amongst all the fried chicken slingin’.

Safaraaz Sindhi appointed creative partner at Ogilvy Johannesburg

27 Aug 2021

When you heard about being selected as a judge, how did you celebrate the news?

With a 6-hour long pre-prod.

What does this mean to you, personally?

It just a little sign that lets me know that I’m still doing something right in amongst all the fried chicken slingin’.

Which category will you be judging?

Live, PR and OOH.

What do you expect to experience as a judge?

I’ve never judged PR before and I was really excited to do so, especially this year because I thought the work would be standout given the context of the world right now and all the problems that need solving. I wasn’t wrong, there were some really interesting and purposeful pieces of work in there.

What specific criteria will you be looking for when judging?

Eduardo, our jury president was great this year. He embodied everything a seasoned creative with an eye for good work does, and I believe that it will reflect in the results. Juries were tough on the work this year and that’s important. Originality and cultural relevance are two very, very important factors behind any of the pieces that were awarded.

#Loeries2021: Eduardo Marques: Live, PR & Out of Home and Integrated jury president

Evan-Lee Courie  28 Sep 2021

You have some major experience in the creative industry. Could you comment on the impact of Covid-19 on the industry?

Okay, so Covid came and it enforced behavioural changes all across the world and in multiple facets of our everyday lives. The way we worked, socialized, dressed, spent and consumed all changed and very quickly. And then it stayed that way for what’s been around 18 months now but what that’s done is, it's given us a flurry of brand new, original insights to work with. And it’s evident in the work we’re starting to see.

Creatives are capitalizing on an opportunity to connect with their audiences in fresher and more innovative ways than ever.

Ah, the Loeries is such a good time, there are so many to choose from. I’ll never forget when Xolisa Dyeshana broke into song, “duuumb ways to die, so many dumb ways to die” and the entire audience joined in with him or when we sang Happy Birthday to ex Loeries Chair, Tseliso Rangaka! And then of course there are the wins; the golds, the Grand Prix and winning the Loerie’s Young Creative award is just one of a few memories I’ll never forget.

Any predictions of trends that are likely to stand out at Loeries 2021?

Purpose over persuasion seems to be the order of the day. And the world needs it. But I’m still a sucker for a funny insight that simply sells a benefit, so I’m hoping to see some work that doesn’t take itself too seriously get awarded.

What does #FightTheGoodFight mean to you?

There’s a piece of art hanging on the wall in my office which reads, “unfuck the world”. And that - is The ultimate good fight, right? To make the world better.

So, no matter what it is you do, whether you’re a lawyer or an accountant, a designer or an analtherapist, if you’re using your talent, your skills, your passions to help make the world a better place, you’re fighting the good fight.