The wins included campaigns for KFC, Volkswagen and Castle Lager, which pushed boundaries and tackled brand, community and environmental challenges.

With a collection of one Gold, one Silver, two Bronze and seven shortlists, Ogilvy says that it flew the South African flag high. The Cannes Lions Awards attract over 40 000 entries from all parts of the world and sets the standard for excellence in creativity and effectiveness for the advertising industry.

On the first day of the festival, Ogilvy's campaign for Castle Lager SA 'Bread of the Nation' earned not only a shortlist for Titanium but converted to a Gold Award. 

Vaughan Croeser, vice president of marketing at the South African Breweries says that these awards vindicate the value inherent in the initiative.

"We are delighted that we won this prestigious international accolade. 'The Bread of the Nation' platform eloquently gives expression to our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) programme, which governs how we are working to fulfill our vision of creating a future with more cheers by integrating sustainability, responsibility and purpose into our business strategy and actions," says Croeser.

"Our commitment to improving the communities we are a part of remains unwavering. We are proud to lead the way to that future and to be a next-generation business today. This accolade assures us that we are on the right path and emboldens us to work even harder and with a renewed determination," Croeser adds.

"This project has shown what true brand/agency partnership is capable of. Working together tirelessly to solve real brand problems is the only way to make real, tangible impact, both for the brand and in society. It took a village, and to all of you involved on this complex and long journey together, cheers," says Ogilvy South Africa's executive creative director Camilla Clerke.

"Castle Lager has committed to help feed our nation for an initial period of three years, and we are busy looking at many ways we can enlarge the impact of this initiative even further beyond that," adds Clerke.

'The Blind Spot' campaign, created for Volkswagen South Africa, earned a Silver and Bronze in the Outdoor and Ambient categories. This campaign aimes to promote safe driving and reduce road fatalities nationally and showcases Volkswagen's IQ.DRIVE — a range of electronic safety features designed to make drivers aware of objects hidden in the blind spot of Volkswagen drivers.

"We're very proud of this work, and I think it's a great example of innovation that pushes the boundaries in marketing," says Ogilvy SA's CEO and creative chairperson Pete Case.

"Our teams managed to deliver high levels of impact in Volkswagen showrooms with the help of deep craft and clever thinking. An activation that delivered a truly surprising experience to consumers as they visited Volkswagen showrooms — while educating them about new product features of the latest vehicles," Case adds.

The week culminated with KFC's 'Anything for the Taste' campaign winning a Bronze for Film. Inspired by an urban legend; the story not only captured the nation's attention but also solidified KFC's place in popular culture and reignited a love for the brand, says the agency.

"Making a great film is not an easy feat. I am immensely proud and applaud this achievement by our talented team behind this remarkable idea and story. It took the strength of our client partnership with KFC and the unwavering spirit of collaboration, together with the production companies. Together, we have crafted something truly special," says chief creative officer of Ogilvy Kabelo Moshapalo.

"It was a proud moment to raise the South African flag high on stage this year at Cannes. Huge congratulations to all of our teams and clients, who continue to believe in the power of creativity to create impact for brands and the society we live in," says Case. 

"It is simply wonderful to have our work recognised on this global stage, and this truly reinforces our mission to keep creating real work for real clients," concludes Case.

For more information, visit www.ogilvy.co.za. You can also follow Ogilvy Africa on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.