Ogilvy wins the highest number of awards at Effies 2026

The work recognised spanned partnerships with KFC South Africa, Volkswagen South Africa, Google, Audi South Africa, Vaseline South Africa, and Carling Black Label. From sustained success and youth marketing to social media, brand content, community engagement and marketing disruption, the common thread was a commitment to creating work that delivers measurable business outcomes.

In a year defined by economic pressure, changing consumer behaviour and increasing expectations of marketing accountability, the results reinforce a principle that has guided Ogilvy South Africa for many years: creativity has the power to drive meaningful business impact. “The most rewarding aspect of this year's performance is not just the number of awards, but what sits behind them," says Neo Makhele, chief strategy officer of Ogilvy South Africa.

"Our North Star is impact. Whether we're building long-term brand platforms, launching new products, changing behaviour or creating new forms of engagement, our objective always remains the same: create measurable value for our clients. What makes these results particularly significant is that they reflect effectiveness delivered consistently over time and across a diverse range of brands, categories and business challenges."

The evening also marked another significant milestone, with Makhele announced as deputy chair of the Effie Awards South Africa Committee. "For me, this appointment is ultimately about service to the industry and helping strengthen South Africa's effectiveness culture," says Makhele. "The Effies play an important role in creating evidence of what works. Every strong case contributes to the collective knowledge of our industry and helps marketers, agencies and brands make better decisions. The stronger our effectiveness culture becomes, the stronger our industry becomes."

Pete Case, CEO and creative chairman at Ogilvy South Africa, says: "We are incredibly grateful to the clients who continue to trust us with their brands and business challenges, the real achievement is never the trophy itself. It's the growth behind it, the behaviour changed, the market share gained, the value created and the businesses moved forward. That is what these awards ultimately represent."

Case says the standard of work recognised at this year's Effies demonstrates the continued strength of South African marketing. "The Effies remain one of the most important measures of effectiveness because they reward outcomes rather than intentions. Every year they challenge our industry to raise the bar. The body of work recognised this year is proof that South African agencies and clients continue to produce marketing that competes with the very best in the world."

For Ogilvy, the 2026 results represent another chapter in a long-standing commitment to effectiveness as both a discipline and a business philosophy. Over the past five years, the agency has been awarded more Effies than any other agency in South Africa, reflecting a sustained focus on helping clients build stronger brands, stronger businesses and stronger connections with consumers. As marketers navigate increasingly complex growth challenges, Ogilvy believes the future will belong to agencies that can consistently connect creativity to commercial impact.