media update’s Adam Wakefield spoke to Loeries chairperson Suhana Gordhan about these tweaks, the role the Loeries plays in driving transformation and the looming entries deadline in May.

The Loeries continues to evolve to meet the demands of its stakeholders

The Loeries has always been more than an awards show and changes made ahead of Creative Week 2018 seek to affirm the Loeries' role as an inspiration to creativity and pushing the standard of creative work in South Africa, Africa and,  most recently, the Middle East. It also needs to be accessible to as many stakeholders as possible.

The award nights, previously on the Saturday and Sunday, have now been moved to Friday and Saturday. The popular DStv Seminar of Creativity will still take place on Friday. Gordhan says previous editions of the Loeries saw many ad professionals either unable to attend or be back at work on Monday due to the late finish in previous years.  

“Time is money. We want to make Creative Week more efficient. It gives people time on Sunday to celebrate, lick their wounds, then go back for Monday. We all know we’re in the changing economic climate and it is a commitment for agencies to send their people to Loeries,” Gordhan says.

It is this thinking that will also see Finalists now receive points that count towards the annual Rankings. Previously, only award winners from Bronze upwards received ranking points.

“The reason to do this was to encourage smaller agencies and smaller countries to start entering and improving their creative output. Points to Finalists is a nod to them and encourages more entries from agencies of all shapes and sizes." 

Gordhan, quoting Loeries CEO Andrew Human, says that over 20 countries enter the Loeries with a broad spectrum of work, and these changes will help “distinguish between regions, countries and agencies to Finalists, while, on the upper end, the Grand Prixs and the Golds will make the difference”.

The time for Loeries entries is closing

With the extended entries deadline of Wednesday, 30 May looming, Gordhan encourages those who haven't entered or who have not finalised their Loeries entries to do so.

“The Loeries measures the level of creative excellence on this continent and in the Middle East, so it’s really important that we measure our creative work alongside our peers. If you don’t have skin in the game, how do you know how good you really are?” Gordhan asks.

“It isn’t a great feeling to lose but it also highly motivating to sit in the audience and look at the work that is winning. It is inspiring, a motivator, and not just from a creative point of view. It’s also healthy that clients become aware and are excited about the work you produce for them.”

Young Creatives and transformation key parts of the Loeries

As the Loeries has evolved, the awards recognises the importance of transformation and up-and-coming professionals in the advertising industry. This recognition is why Gordhan is heavily committed in helping the Loeries achieve these goals, given how key they are for both the industry and the country as a whole.

“The Loeries’ focus and investment in young creatives has always been there. That is something we’ve needed for a long time in this industry and I think, just in terms of the macro picture in South Africa, we have to focus on the youth,” Gordhan says.

“It’s not just in terms of, ‘Our industry loves young people because they are fresh and exciting’. We are talking about the future of the country and it makes sense for our economy, which is why young creatives and transformation are so important.”

The South African advertising industry has come a long way in addressing transformation but there is still much work to do, and according to Gordhan, the best way to do that is to look at younger advertising professionals. They must be encouraged and have accessible opportunities and stepping stones into and through the industry.

“The Young Creative awards in itself is a fantastic award, and I know because I’ve judged it for a few years in a row. It is such a refreshing reward to judge because it is a young person, 27 or younger, and their body of work they have created, which is recognised,” the Loeries chairperson says.

“It’s one of their creative directors that writes the letter of recommendation and I always find it really encouraging because it is always of a high standard. We always battle to pick two winners because there are so many talented people within that experience level in the industry.”

Gordhan says those currently in the industry are not going to be around forever. Fresh energy is needed, in particular young black women and men.

“That’s where it starts.”

For more information, visit loeries.com. You can also follow the Loeries on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.
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