The Odd Number and Previdar celebrate 4 Bookmark Award wins

Previdar is a South African digital magazine that celebrates queer African identity. When the Ghanaian government proposed a “Family Values Bill” that would criminalise queer relationships, the brand refused to stay silent.

During Pride Month, Previdar partnered with The Odd Number to launch #ShowGhanaLove. The campaign followed a popular queer South African couple, Lue and Rue, as they took their love to Ghana.

The couple visited some of Ghana’s most iconic and heavily monitored landmarks of freedom and independence. They posted their journey on Instagram and TikTok, showing their queer love in a country where LGBTQ+ rights remain heavily contested.

With less than $15,000 in PR spend, the campaign generated $1m in earned media and quickly went viral across all social media platforms.

A few weeks after Lue and Rue showed Ghana love, the Ghanaian government abstained from a UN vote to renew the mandate reaffirming global commitments to protecting people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Other countries voted against the motion, but Ghana chose to abstain. For queer Ghanaians, this offered a hopeful sign that change could be on the horizon.

#ShowGhanaLove earned Special Honours with a Black Pixel, Gold in Connect and Publish for Social Media Campaign, and Bronze in Impact for Breakthrough on a Budget at the 2026 IAB South Africa Bookmark Awards.

These awards reflect the depth and passion found at the heart of the vision to transform hardened political opinions towards the queer community in Ghana.

It's important for my art director, Sibuyiselwe Nhlangwini, and I to create work that we genuinely believe in. Work that challenges how people think and feel about socio-political issues. #ShowGhanaLove was exactly that. We're grateful to the IAB South Africa Bookmark Awards for recognising the work for its creative excellence.

Credits:

Account management: Masibulele Hlwatika
Agency managing directors: Taryn Coetzee, Sinqobile Mjali
Agency producer: Leigh Visser
Animator: Tertio Esterhuysen
Editor: Tertio Esterhuysen
Photographer: Sibuyiselwe Nhlangwini
Brand – marketing director: Sheila Afari
Chief creative officer: Sibusiso Sitole
Executive creative director: Terry McKenna
Creative director: Neema Nouse
Strategist: Mbali Mchunu
Head of strategy: Ray Mehtar
Sound designer: Lovemore Nkuna
PR: Simbongile Ndlangisa
Art director: Sibuyiselwe Nhlangwini
Copywriter: Tebogo Kgapola