The only non-digital specialist agency to play a prominent role at the awards, the recognition is a tribute to the agency’s ability to excel at digital as well as deliver a fully integrated service.

In total, the agency’s digital team, Ogilvy Interactive, collected three Gold, two Silver and three Bronze awards across three key campaigns: the Carling Black Label 'Be the Coach' campaign for South African Breweries (SAB) and the 'Golf R Reflex Test' and 'Polo GTI Date Drive' campaigns for Volkswagen South Africa (VW SA) – both long standing clients of the Ogilvy group.

“Moving from a traditional marketing space to a digital realm with two of the agency’s longest standing clients is proof of our ability to use digital channels to deliver results. None of this would have been possible without the trust and support of these clients,” comments Nic Wittenberg, creative director for Ogilvy Interactive. Wittenberg was also selected to judge on local panel this year.

“Two years ago we set about building our digital skill, competency and reputation,” explains Gavin Levinsohn, managing director of Ogilvy Cape Town. “Last night is evidence of the substantial shift we’ve made towards becoming a digitally integrated agency – arguably the most digital full service agency in the country."

Having steadily increased its digital expertise and focus through a number of initiatives including the start up of a digital media business unit, Neo@Ogilvy; the up-skilling of all staff through an interactive training programme, the Ogilvy Digital Marketing Academy (ODMA), led by digital educationalist Dave Duarte as well as reinvigorating Ogilvy Interactive by carefully placing the right leadership at its head – Nic Wittenberg as creative director and Adrian Varkel as business head; Ogilvy Cape Town is reaping its rewards.

With two of its three Gold awards placed in the coveted Integrated Campaign category, the awards are testament to the evolution of the agency: “When Ogilvy Interactive’s digital expertise combines with the increasingly digital skills of our central studio, it produces breakthrough digitally integrated campaigns,” concludes Levinsohn.