The theme for this year's awards was "The work that worked", with the awards demanding advertising that was not only beautifully crafted, but also an exceptional sales tool. 

Two entries received two awards each this year, both focused on public health. The first was 'Brothers for Life Medical Male Circumcision Drive', for the Centre for Communication Impact. The agencies behind the work were Joe Public and Mediology. The campaign was awarded a Special Award for "The most successful submission for non-profit or charity organisation or cause" and a Bronze in the SABC Sustain category, for campaigns that benefited a business by maintaining or strengthening a brand over a long period, being 36 months.

The other campaign to pick up two awards was 'The Better Gift Challenge' for the South African National Blood Service by DDB SA. It won a Special Award for the entry that demonstrated the most ingenious response to limited advertising or research funds and a Bronze in the Change category, for new campaigns from previously advertised brands that resulted in significant short-term effects on sales and/or behaviour, with short term being 18 months.

The other category was the Launch category, for brands or services that are less than 12 months old with no significant history of advertising. One gong was awarded in this category, a Silver, for the 'one-up!ping competition' campaign for Volkswagen South Africa by Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town.

The other award winners were as follows:

 CATEGORY AWARD SUBMISSION CLIENT AGENCY
 Sustain  Silver Nedbank Savvy Nedbank Joe Public
 Change Bronze Savanna Premium Cider  Redefining Normal Distell Group Limited FCB Cape Town
 Change Bronze 1818: Lighting Up  Moments to Ignite Sales Brandhouse Beverages  (Pty) Ltd J Walter Thompson Cape Town
 Change Silver "Africa is Absolut" Pernod Ricard South  Africa NATIVE VML
 Change Silver iliadin "Man Flu"  Merck (Pty) Ltd South  Africa  Joe Public Ignite

Beyond the awards, the eight recipients of the 2016 Apex bursaries were announced, and earlier in the day the first Association for Communication and Advertising SA (ACA), which hosted the awards, held the first ever Next Level of Thinking Master Class, where six industry and thought leaders spoke about issues pertaining to the industry at large. The end of the first Master Class was a surprise for all.

The awards' key partner was the SABC, who were joined by sponsors Alexander Forbes, Millward Brown and Unilever.

For more information, visit www.acasa.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Twitter.