Yum! was named Brand of the Year, while Ogilvy was named Agency of the Year, and its campaign, Audi TikTok Test Drive, was awarded Best in Show.
Another standout winner was Turning SEO into GEO, created by Rogerwilco for Stellenbosch Business School. The campaign won four top awards and was recognised for its innovative use of Generative Engine Optimisation, helping the brand move from traditional SEO visibility to AI citation leadership.
The Smarties celebrate the brands, agencies and campaigns setting the standard for marketing effectiveness.
This year’s entries reflected the strength of South Africa’s marketing industry, with judges recognising outstanding work across creativity, innovation, data, technology and measurable impact. The jury was particularly impressed by the quality of the submissions and the ambitious thinking behind many of the campaigns.
“The 2026 Smarties South Africa winners show how fast marketing is evolving,” said Luisa Mazinter, Smarties 2026 jury chair.
“The judges saw work that was bold, effective and genuinely innovative, with campaigns that demonstrate the impact marketing can have on business growth.”
“Smarties celebrates marketing that moves the needle,” said Melis Ertem, MMA MEA & Dach CEO. “South Africa continues to deliver work that effectively integrates creativity, commercial discipline and global relevance.”
| BRAND EXPERIENCE | ||
| Gold | Ogilvy | Audi TikTok Test Drive |
| Gold | Unilever, Simunye Media | Vaseline Cera-Glow Leading SA’s Beauty Revolution |
| Gold | Yum!, Ogilvy | KFC BloemfonTaste |
| Gold | RAINBOW, Point Iconic | Gogo Vs Gogo |
| Silver | Unilever; Oliver | DOVE X STARBUCKS |
| Bronze | Nedbank; Joe Public | Nedbank #GetMoneyFit Brand Campaign |
| Bronze | Tiger Brands; Whatif_Creative | Albany 'Freshe' |
| CUSTOMER GROWTH & CONVERSION STRATEGY | ||
| Gold | STADIO Holdings; 365 Digital | Stadio: 60% More Students. 27% More Profit |
| Silver | Ogilvy | Audi TikTok Test Drive |
| Silver | PEP; Promise | There’s a PEP for that and that |
| Bronze | Procter & Gamble; WPP Media | H&S: Mzansi’s Drama Fuels Record Growth |
| NEW PRODUCT AND / OR SERVICE LAUNCH / RE-LAUNCH | ||
| Gold | PEP; Ogilvy | Finds and PEP Home Finds |
| Gold | PepsiCo; Accenture Song | Cheetos. Can't Hide The Fun Campaign |
| Silver | Unilever; Simunye Media | Vaseline Cera-Glow Leading SA’s Beauty Revolution |
| Silver | The Shoprite Group; 99c | Shoprite Promise: R5 Toiletries |
| Bronze | Tiger Brands; Whatif_Creative | Albany 'Freshe' |
| Bronze | Ackermans; 99c | 2-Pack Value-Deal for Summer 2025 |
| INSTANT IMPACT / PROMOTION | ||
| Gold | The Shoprite Group; 99c | Shoprite Promise: R5 Toiletries |
| Gold | Astron Energy; Up and Up Connect | Astron: Fueling Dreams Powering Action |
| Silver | Heineken; Dentsu Redstar | Heineken UCL - Driving impact through sponsorship |
| Bronze | Ackermans ; 99c | 2-Pack Value-Deal for Summer 2025 |
| Bronze | Diageo South Africa; Rainmaker | Johnnie Walker Blonde re-launch takes BTL to ATL |
| AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EXCELLENCE USING AI | ||
| Gold | Telkom; Mscsports | Possibility in Play |
| Gold | Stellenbosch University; Rogerwilco | Turning SEO into GEO |
| Silver | Land Rover; Omnicom | Land Rover - From Signal to Showroom |
| Bronze | Vodacom; Carbon1 | Extra Your Summer |
| SOCIAL IMPACT MARKETING | ||
| Gold | Yum! Brands; KA Muses | KFC Biggest Hunger Hack |
| Silver | Nedbank; Joe Public | Money Warnings |
| Silver | DKMS Africa | Be the Match: World Blood Cancer Campaign 2025 |
| Silver | PepsiCo; Mullen Lowe | Siyasizana Play Better |
| Bronze | Standard Bank; Carat SA | Digital Security - Business and Commercial Banking |
| Bronze | Unilever; VML | Real Beauty Generation 2.0 |
| OMNICHANNEL MARKETING | ||
| Gold | Yum!; Ogilvy | KFC x Nasty C — The Sauciest Signing of the Summer |
| Silver | The Shoprite Group; 99c | Shoprite Promise: R5 Toiletries |
| Silver | Tiger Brands; Whatif_Creative | Albany 'Freshe' |
| Bronze | AB InBev / Flying Fish; IProspect - Dentsu SA | Flying Fish Billboard in Your Backyard |
| Bronze | RCL Foods | BE NUMBER 1 ART CHALLENGE |
| CROSS DIGITAL MEDIA MARKETING | ||
| Gold | Kwikot; Dialogue Communications | KwikTok: Making Geyser Education Entertaining |
| Silver | Vodacom ; Ogilvy | Breaking News Building Love: How Vodacom's Parody |
| Silver | iProspect – Dentsu SA | Castle Lite Cold Compass |
| Bronze | Absa; OnPoint PR & Lifestyle Management | Rewards / Absa Travel Launch |
| DIVERSITY & INCLUSION | ||
| Gold | DKMS Africa | Be the Match: World Blood Cancer Campaign 2025 |
| Silver | South African Rugby Union (SARU); Dialogue Communications | Springbok Women #PlusOne |
| INNOVATIVE USE OF AI IN ADVERTISING | ||
| Gold | Stellenbosch University; Rogerwilco | Turning SEO into GEO |
| Bronze | PepsiCo; Accenture Song South Africa | NaksLevel |
| Bronze | Agile Alternative Business Solutions; Adclick Africa | Doctor B - AI Influencer Experience |
| SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING | ||
| Gold | Yum!;Ogilvy | KeDeSHAREmber |
| Gold | Ackermans; 99c | Bokkies |
| Silver | Cape Union Mart;365 Digital | Old Khaki sees Unrestricted Growth with15.61x ROAS |
| Silver | PEP; Trendfarm | PEP HOME Pinterest |
| Silver | Yum!; Ogilvy | KFC BloemfonTaste |
| Bronze | Ogilvy | Audi TikTok Test Drive |
| Bronze | Reckitt; Futuretech Media and Motsepe Advertising | Durex - Beyond The Sheet |
| AI-DRIVEN CREATIVE EXCELLENCE | ||
| Silver | Agile Alternative Business Solutions; Adclick Africa | Doctor B - AI Influencer Experience |
| Bronze | Danny's Automotive; Lumico | From Breakdown to Breakthrough with AI |
| SHORT OR LONG FORM VIDEO | ||
| Gold | Yum!; Ogilvy | KFC x Nasty C — The Sauciest Signing of the Summer |
| Silver | Ackermans; 99c | Bokkies |
| Silver | Yum!; Ogilvy | KeDeSHAREmber |
| Bronze | Unilever; Defined PR | Umcimbi Wakho |
| Bronze | Tiger Brands; Hellosquare | Jungle Big Snack Energy |
| Bronze | Standard Bank; MC Saatchi Abel | Standard Bank Private - Live Wealthier Campaign |
| D2C / E-COMMERCE MARKETING EXCELLENCE | ||
| Silver | Heineken; Dentsu Redstar and Honest Marketing | Windhoek x Food Commerce |
| Silver | Heineken; Dentsu Redstar and Honest Marketing | Heineken UCL E-commerce Engine |
| PARTNERSHIP PR & BRANDED CONTENT EXCELLENCE | ||
| Gold | Yum!;Ogilvy | KeDeSHAREmber |
| Silver | Ackermans; 99c | Ackermans X Spur |
| Silver | Coca-Cola South Africa; Offlimit Communications | FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola |
| Bronze | Suzuki South Africa;Penquin | Orlando Pirates Announcement - Bucs Queen Case Study |
| Bronze | Unilever; Oliver | DOVE X STARBUCKS |
| ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES MARKETING | ||
| Gold | AB InBev South Africa; iProspect - Dentsu | Castle Milk Stout: Songs to Savour |
| Silver | Stellenbosch University; Rogerwilco | Turning SEO into GEO |
| REAL TIME MARKETING | ||
| Gold | Heineken; Dentsu Redstar and Honest Marketing | Heineken UCL |
| Silver | Ackermans; 99c | Bokkies |
| Silver | Vicinity Media; TBWA | SPAR Omnichannel Analytics Reinvents Measurement |
| Bronze | Haleon; Publicis Groupe Africa | Med-Lemon: Weather-Responsive Commerce |
| DESIGN / CUSTOMER / USER EXPERIENCE | ||
| Gold | PEP a division of PEPkor Retail; Trendfarm | PEP HOME Pinterest |
| Silver | Ogilvy | Audi TikTok Test Drive |
| Bronze | Heineken; Dentsu Redstar and Honest Marketing | Windhoek x Food Commerce |
| AI POWERED DATA INSIGHTS / CONTEXTUAL MARKETING | ||
| Gold | Stellenbosch University; Rogerwilco | Turning SEO into GEO |
| Silver | Nestlé; Rainmaker Media | KitKat Novelty Movel |
| Silver | Omnicom /Carbon1 | Land Rover - From Signal to Showroom |
| Silver | STADIO Holdings; 365 Digital | Stadio: AI Cuts Cost 50% Doubles Applications |
| Bronze | Red Star (Dentsu) | Heineken: Winning F1 Attention with Contextual AI |
| Bronze | Tiger Brands; Ogilvy | How Energade connected meaning across channels |
| CREATOR / INFLUENCER / CELEBRITY MARKETING | ||
| Gold | Ackermans; 99c | Acapella Winter 2025 Collaboration |
| Gold | The Shoprite Group; 99c | Shoprite Promise: R5 Toiletries |
| Silver | PepsiCo; Accenture Song South Africa | NaksLevel |
| Silver | Yum!; Ogilvy | KFC x Nasty C — The Sauciest Signing of the Summer |
| Silver | Shoprite Group; 99c | Shoprite x Youngsta CPT: Cheaper than Last Year |
| Bronze | Reckitt; Futuretech media | Durex - Beyond The Sheet |
| Bronze | Procter & Gamble; WPP Media | H&S: Mzansi's Drama Fuels Record Growth |
| Bronze | RCL Foods; Lumico | The Science of Love Proven by Life |
| Bronze | Absa; OnPoint PR & Lifestyle Management | Absa Cape Epic |
| PERSONALIZATION | ||
| Silver | Standard Bank; M&C Saatchi | Standard Bank Money Reels |
| RETAIL MEDIA / O2O EXCELLENCE | ||
| Gold | Kellanova; Rainmaker Media | Kellogg's Breakfast Better |
| Gold | Pepsico; Rainmaker Media | Lays UEFA Championship |
| Silver | Heineken; Dentsu Redstar and Honest Marketing | Heineken UCL E-commerce Engine |
| Silver | Beiersdorf; Rainmaker Media | Nivea Back to School |
| Bronze | Heineken; Dentsu Redstar and Honest Marketing | Windhoek x Food Commerce |
| Bronze | RGBC (in partnership with Flow & Woolworths) | Festive champagne growth with Woolworths |
| BRAND PURPOSE / ACTIVISM | ||
| Gold | Yum! Brands; KA Muses | KFC Biggest Hunger Hack |
| Silver | Discovery Insure; Freshhive digital | Discovery Insure's #DriveNowTextLater Campaign |
| Bronze | Vodacom;Ogilvy | How Vodacom Hacked Cultural Moments to Drive Adoption |
| Bronze | P&G South Africa; WPP Media | Vicks: Relief is in Our Roots |
| SMALL BUDGET BIG IMPACT | ||
| Gold | DKMS Africa; DKMS Africa | From Patient Appeal to Transplant: Saving Baby Leo |
| Gold | Stellenbosch University; Rogerwilco | Turning SEO into GEO |
| Silver | PEP; Ogilvy | PEP Finds and PEP Home Finds |
| Silver | Clicks Group; Brand Influence Agency | #BigClubCardEnergy With Clicks |
| Silver | Absa; Lumico | Credibility Over Scale: A Small Budget Platform |
MMA extends its thanks to all Smarties South Africa 2026 judges for their time, expertise and commitment to recognising the work shaping the future of marketing in South Africa.
Special thanks to the 2026 Grand Jury entrusted with selecting the industry’s highest accolades at this year’s Smarties Awards:
Bronwyn Pretorius, chief marketing officer, Ackermans; Karla Levick, chief marketing officer, Takealot; Dudu Mokholo, chief marketing officer, Pernod Ricard; Beyers van der Merwe, chief marketing officer, Pep; John Bradshaw, chief marketing officer, Spar; Vilosha Soni, chief marketing officer, PepsiCo; Diana Springer, head of group brand and marketing, Standard Bank; and jury chair Luisa Mazinter, chief growth officer, MeshTrade.
