Presented in partnership with Mamba Online and The Other Foundation, the awards say it was spearheaded by WPP Unite, the company's global LGBTQIA+ community, championing inclusion and belonging across the network and beyond.

Beyond celebrating creative excellence, the awards provided valuable insights into the current landscape of LGBTQIA+ representation in advertising and communications in South Africa, says WPP.

Unveiling Opportunities for Deeper LGBTQIA+ Inclusion

With entries judged on relevance, authenticity, empowerment and effectiveness in breaking stereotypes, a key takeaway was the need for greater volume and depth of inclusion, says the awards.

"The limited number of LGBTQIA+ focussed campaigns submitted underscores the need for agencies and clients to do more," says Dono White, strategy director at VML South Africa and WPP Unite member. "We must challenge ourselves to embed authentic representation into our creative work consistently, not just during dedicated periods."

According to WPP, the judging panel, comprising industry leaders and LGBTQIA+ advocates, identified key areas for improvement, including greater diversity at the client level and shifting perspectives to ensure LGBTQIA+ narratives are told from within the community.

Reinforcing the importance of community voice, over 5 000 members of the LGBTQIA+ community participated in judging through Mamba Online, providing direct feedback on the campaign, says the WPP Unite South Africa Awards.

Highlighting the business case for authentic inclusion, Tebogo Skwambane, country manager of WPP in South Africa, says, "WPP's own research shows that diverse and inclusive marketing resonates more powerfully with audiences. The Unite South Africa Awards demonstrate WPP's commitment to not only reflecting the diversity found within the country but also driving business results for our clients."

"We believe that authentic LGBTQIA+ representation is not just a social imperative, but also a strategic commercial advantage in today's marketplace for brands that want to cut through and reach traditionally under-served audiences," adds Skwambane. 

Driving Meaningful Change

To guide future efforts, WPP Unite SA says that it unveiled the 'Do More' strategy at the award ceremony, a 10-point guide for creating impactful LGBTQIA+ affirming work. The strategy emphasises authentic representation, deeper storytelling, community involvement and bold, disruptive content.

White concludes, "The 'Do More' strategy is a call to action for our industry. By embracing these principles, we can move beyond tokenistic gestures and create meaningful change, building a more inclusive and representative creative landscape in South Africa."

The WPP Unite South Africa Awards recognised work across various categories, including:

  • Unity in Craft — Mindshare for Avon: Hydramatic Matte Lipstick
  • Unity in Digital — VML for Vuse x Drag Queens: Be Every You
  • Unity in Film — VML for BMW #GenerationJoy
  • Unity in Campaign — Grey for Savanna: Legend of Chakalaka Norris
  • Unity in Culture — VML for Vodacom #SafeSpaces
  • Spaces for Unity — VML for Vodacom #SafeSpaces
  • Unity through Impact — Kantar for Diva Mag: The Diva Report, and
  • Unity for South Africa — Kantar for Diva Mag: The Diva Report. 


For more information, visit www.WPP.com. You can also follow WPP on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or on Instagram.  

*Image courtesy of contributor