The Outstanding Shopper Marketing Awards are the symbol of creativity, innovation and best practice that provides the benchmark for success and the catalyst for continuous improvement, according to Shop! South Africa. 

The 2024 judging panel consists of a line-up of industry leaders and influencers, say the awards. 

The judging panel comprises: 

Judging facilitator, Phil Day is the managing director of POPAI in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the leading global association for the marketing and retail industry. He has over 18 years of experience in retail marketing and in-store advertising solutions. Day has run the POPAI Awards in the United Kingdom since 2007.

Joanne Gould is the CEO of Smollan South Africa with extensive experience in strategic leadership roles. Gould has served on several boards, including the Marketing Association of SA and was the deputy chair of the Advertising Standards Authority.

Candice Schooling is the head of sales at Rainmaker Media, with over 15 years of experience in shopper marketing and FMCG sales strategies. She has built a reputation as a trusted advisor in the FMCG market and continues to make significant contributions to the sector.

Craig Small is the customer marketing executive at Clicks Group, excelling in executive managerial roles within the pharmacy retail field. He is known for his strong leadership skills and innovative mindset.

Tshiamo Tladi is the strategic director at Accenture Song, with over 15 years of experience in brand and retail strategy across multiple sectors. He specialises in integrating MarTech solutions for retail clients.

Wendy van Zyl is the Libstar executive for category and customer. She is a seasoned FMCG professional with over 25 years of experience. She pursues excellence across sales, marketing, shopper marketing, trade marketing and trade category management.

Craig Doré is a seasoned marketer with extensive experience in brand management and strategic innovation in the FMCG and luxury brand sectors. He is currently on sabbatical, writing a book on luxury brand marketing principles.

Francois Jurgens is the director of category planning and activation at Mondelez International, with over 15 years of experience in sales and marketing for global enterprises. He has worked for several global blue-chip companies, including:
  • GSK
  • Kellogg Company
  • Reckitt Benckiser and
  • Revlon Execution.
Siobhan O'Sullivan is the managing executive for HPC, group strategy and marketing at Premier FMCG. She has more than 30 years of experience in leading marketing and strategy execution and business management in a variety of sectors.

These include:
  • the beverage packaging industry
  • poultry
  • OTC pharmaceuticals
  • packaged foods, and
  • personal care.

Katleho Mahloane is the commercial marketing executive at FNB. He is a marketing leader with over 20 years of experience holding significant roles at SABMiller, Nestle SA, The Coca-Cola Company and Vodacom. Mahloane was instrumental in positioning FNB as a trusted partner for SMEs, the public sector and large enterprises in South Africa.

"Our judging panel represents the pinnacle of industry expertise and innovation," says Di Wilson, MD of Shop! SA. "Each judge brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of excellence, ensuring that our awards will highlight the very best in shopper marketing and retail execution."

The Campaign categories for 2024's Outstanding Shopper Marketing Awards are:

  • integrated / omnichannel campaigns
  • shopper marketing campaigns
  • trader campaigns
  • social and e-commerce campaigns
  • interactive activations
  • purpose-driven campaigns, and
  • pack design. 

The Technical Design categories for this year's awards are:

  • temporary — less than 12 weeks in store — on-shelf
  • temporary off-shelf
  • temporary gondola ends
  • temporary scale displays
  • permanent — normally more than one year in store — on-shelf
  • permanent off-shelf / freestanding, and 
  • permanent gondola ends. 

Shop! South Africa's global membership includes:

  • major retailers
  • agencies with shopper and digital offerings
  • production houses
  • POS manufacturers, and
  • brands.

The awards say that the final deadline for entries is Wednesday, 31 July with judging to commence in August. Nominations will be announced in September, with the gala dinner will take place in November.

Individuals are encouraged to enter the Shop! Awards here.

For more information, visit www.shopassociation.africa. You can follow Shop! South Africa on Facebook, LinkedIn, or on Instagram. 

*Image courtesy of Facebook