Ogilvy wins global and local Social Media awards including Smarties Agency of the Year 2026

The team was named Agency of the Year, while their client KFC was crowned Brand of the Year. A testament to a partnership built on shared ambition and cultural relevance. Audi took home the highest honours of the night, with the Best in Show award for its TikTok Test Drive challenge.

KFC outshone all the brands on the night with 13 awards, in gold and silvers, across Data Insights, AI-Driven Creative Excellence, Brand Experience, Cross Digital Media Advertising, Small Budget Big Impact and Innovative Use of AI in Advertising. Alongside the Best in Show, Audi earned four more trophies across Customer Growth & Conversion Strategy, Social Media Marketing, Design/UX and Brand Experience.

Ogilvy additionally won golds for their collaboration and content series for Volkswagen, plus a gold and silver with PEP for Small Budget, Big Impact and the New Product Relaunch category. Finally, Vodacom secured silver and bronze for Cross Digital Marketing and Purpose led marketing, whilst Energade earned a bronze for their AI-Powered Insights and Contextual Social Marketing.

Reflecting on the wins, Pete Case, CEO of Ogilvy South Africa, said: ‘What an incredible night for our teams and client partners. Taking home Agency of the Year, alongside Brand of the Year and Best in Show, was a proud moment for everyone involved. Seeing so many of our clients recognised across the evening’s awards was equally special and speaks to the strength of the amazing client partnerships behind our work. These wins celebrate the power of culture-led creativity and what’s possible when ambitious brands and teams come together to create work that breaks categories and norms.”

Curt Atlee, social media manager, KFC Africa added: "Ogilvy’s partnership is about shared vision and bravery. Together, we’ve built ideas that connect deeply with South Africans and drive real results.”

Hloni Mohope, chief marketing officer, KFC Africa, added: "Winning Brand of the Year is a testament to collaboration and relentless focus on cultural relevance. Ogilvy has helped us shape the future of our brand.”

Tashta Bhana, brand communications manager, Audi South Africa, said: "Audi’s TikTok journey with Ogilvy has been about pushing boundaries and connecting with a new generation. These wins show what’s possible when you trust the process and the partnership.”

In the same week, Ogilvy’s partnership with Ogilvy Singapore, created even more global headlines for social media excellence at the Clios, D&AD and The One Show. #VaselineVerified for Unilever was recognised on the world stage, winning three Grand Clios, four Best of Discipline honours at The One Show, and a remarkable five Yellow Pencils and four Graphite Pencils at D&AD. All testament to the power of collaboration, borderless creativity and shared ambition.

Case concludes: "These awards are more than trophies, they’re evidence of true partnerships and collaboration, whilst striving to create culturally relevant work that moves markets and consumers hearts. Our teams have shown the power of creativity rooted in real human insight, amplified by technology and delivered in the right medium.”