To be awarded a
Yellow Pencil is an honour for both MK and Ogilvy, as it is recognised the world over as a symbol of the very highest creative achievement. MK was in the running for two awards under the TV and cinema communications section, and took home an award for each - the first in the channel and branding identity category, and the second in the multi platforms branding and promotion category.
This year marked the 50
th anniversary of the
D&AD Awards (established in the UK, but recognised throughout the world), started to acknowledge brilliant commercial creativity and celebrate and nurture outstanding work in design and advertising across the globe. A jury of 25 specialists meant that the top people in each specific field judged and awarded work according to
D&AD’s set criteria.
MK as a brand has established itself as one that pushes boundaries both visually and creatively (with a prestigious
World Promax Gold Award for its channel imaging in 2011, as well as a South African
Promax Brand of The Year Award in 2011, to name but a few awards under their belt), and teaming up with Ogilvy Johannesburg for the ‘MK is’ campaign seemed like a natural progression to push those boundaries even further. MK’s content executive, Stephan Potgieter was ecstatic with the win: “Simply being nominated was reason enough for us to be excited because it meant that we had beaten thousands of other entrants, internationally, to make it into the two categories we were nominated in. But to have actually won a Yellow Pencil in both categories definitely calls for major celebrations!”
To have been recognised and awarded on an international scale opens up many doors for creatives and creative agencies coming out of South Africa. Mariana O’Kelly, creative director at Ogilvy Johannesburg, is thrilled with the achievement: “What’s amazing for me is that we were up against Sky and Channel 4 who spend more money on one on-air piece than what we do in a year. It’s so awesome for a South African channel to beat the international ones.”
Work that is outstanding, rather than merely brilliant, won a
Yellow Pencil, and this award sets the absolute reference standard for creative excellence. A South African agency has only ever won one
Yellow Pencil once before, so for MK and Ogilvy to have been awarded two in one night is a great achievement for South Africa.
If you'd like more info on MK or the ‘MK is’ campaign, contact
[email protected]. Alternatively, check out
www.mktv.co.za and
www.mkis.co.za.