Ogilvy takes top honours at 2025 IAS Agency Credentials Award, Offlimit Communication claims runner-up, with Roger Wilco following as a close third.
Three agencies rise above the pack in credentials that truly speak for themselves.
The Independent Agency Search & Selection Company (IAS), in partnership with the Assegai Integrated Marketing Awards, announces Ogilvy as the top performer, for the third consecutive year, with Offlimit Communication as runner-up and Roger Wilco in third place in this year's IAS Agency Credentials Award. Both submissions delivered credentials that didn't just showcase their work - they revealed their DNA.
The 2025 competition attracted entries from creative, digital and media agencies nationwide. The judging panel comprised leading South African marketers alongside international expertise from Cesar Vacchiano, President and Global CEO of Scopen International, and global marketing procurement specialist Tina Fegent.
"What struck me about the winning entries was their refusal to hide behind industry jargon and award logos," said one marketer judge. "These agencies understood that we're not just buying their work - we're buying them. Their credentials showed who they really are."
The IAS Agency Credentials Award, relaunched in 2021 as part of IAS's partnership with Dmasa, has become the industry benchmark for credentials that deliver tangible results. Unlike typical industry recognition, this award places agency submissions directly in front of the people who matter most: marketers making procurement decisions.
Johanna McDowell, Founder and CEO of IAS, believes this year's winners exemplify what credentials should achieve: "Don't treat credentials as an afterthought. They speak for the agency when it's not there to speak for itself. Ogilvy, Offlimit Communication and Roger Wilco understood this completely - their submissions told compelling stories that went far beyond case studies and buzzwords."
The award evaluates both written credentials and agency culture presentations, recognising that today's marketing landscape demands authenticity over artifice. Agencies that win understand credentials aren't just about what they've achieved - they're about who they are.
The award's partnership with the Assegai Awards - now backed by international recognition through the Echo Awards - continues to place South African agency excellence on the global stage.
"What set the winners apart? Clarity," said Fegent. "They knew their positioning, showed their culture and delivered ROI. Simple as that."
In a marketplace where sameness is the enemy, Ogilvy, Offlimit Communication and Roger Wilco have proven that authentic differentiation isn't just possible—it's powerful. Agencies that dare to be genuinely themselves will always rise above the noise.
