By Remy Raitt and Daniella Frawley

“For the industry, the AMASA Awards are there to celebrate ‘all-rounder’ media campaigns that are based on sound insights and great ideas, which are executed faultlessly to achieve outstanding and measurable results – all the while celebrating innovation,” said AMASA chairperson Wayne Bischoff. He congratulated all the winners, who celebrated their much-deserved wins well into the night.

The MediaShop walked away with three awards, most notably the Roger Garlick Grand Prix, which they’ve clinched for the second year in a row. The award commemorates those that follow in the legacy of the late Roger Garlick, who strived for media innovation and creative media strategy. The agency was awarded this prestigious piece of silver wear for their Hungry Lion Lucky Bucket campaign, which Fiona Potgieter, the mobile strategist for The MediaShop says “managed to influence the consumer while his wallet was open”.

With close to 100 entries in this year’s AMASA Awards, the judging panel, made up of industry specialists, had a tough job analysing and selecting this year’s candidates. Bischoff said in previous years about 25% of entrants made it into the shortlist, while this year 50% of the entrants made it through. “All the submissions we received are a true testament to the diverse range of creative and strategic minds we possess in the media industry,” said Bischoff.

The complete list of gold winners, who all walked away with slick new trophies designed by Mike Edwards are:

  • Mobitainment’s Red Bull Kas’Lami Festival in the Best Use of Small Budget category;
  • Playmakers’ KFC Mini-Cricket Kids Stretching with the Proteas won in the Best Sponsorship category;
  • NATIVE VML’s Nedbank Ke Yona Team Search got gold for Best Branded Content;
  • Mediamark’s Gumtree Secret Stash won Best Contribution by a Media Owner;
  • On Point PR’s Nedbank Cup, Football Fan Fashion for Best Experiential;
  • Carat's Guinness Made of Black won Best integrated: FMCG;
  • Gloo@Ogilvy’s Polo Tag won Best Integrated: Transport;
  • OMD Fuse’s Standard Bank Business Banking clinched Best Integrated: B2B
  • Liquorice won for OMO Fast Kids in the Best Integrated: Cause Related category;
  • Liquorice’s SA Home Loans #TweetDreams and Native VML and MediaShop’s Nedbank Ke Yona Team Search shared the Best Integrated: Financial Services award;
  • MediaShop’s Hungry Lion Lucky Bucket Campaign also won Best Integrated: Retail;
  • Playmakers’ ABSA #ProudlyAfrican won Best Pro Bono;
  • Liquorice’s Battle of the Spreads was awarded the Best Social Campaign;
  • Gloo@Ogilvy’s The Uber Test Drivewas named Best Mobile Campaign;
  • PHD South Africa’s Checkers Inflation Bulldog scored Best Online; and
  • PHD South Africa’s My World of Tomorrow Conference, Talking Billboard and MediaShop’s Hungry Lion Lucky Bucket Campaign shared the Best Use of Technology gold.

Overall the evening was a great success and Hot 91.9 FM had all the guests on the dance floor celebrating the winners and nominees achievements. 

Newsclip and Media Update would like to extend a hearty congratulations to all the winners and nominees, with a well-deserved shout out to AMASA and Plato Communications for executing an outstanding event. On to the next one.

For more information, visit www.amasa.org.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.