Enter the 2023 FM AdFocus Awards now

The Financial Mail is delighted to announce that entries for the 2023 FM AdFocus Awards are open. 

Launched in 1990, these prestigious annual awards have become a landmark event in the South African marketing and communications landscape. But just as that landscape has changed, so has AdFocus, to reflect the priorities of the industry.

Today these awards are unique in that they recognise agencies and individuals, not just for their creative and marketing skills, but for their all-round business acumen. Industry peers make up the jury and the judging process and results are audited by Deloitte. 

From the theme and award categories to new jury members and entry details, here's everything you need to know about the 2023 edition of the AdFocus Awards:

'The alchemy of AI, data and DNA'

With the rise of machines, ones and zeros and AI, is the advertising industry really needed and what is its role? The theme of this year’s AdFocus Awards, “The alchemy of AI, data and DNA”, probes this question. 

“The advertising and communications industry was once all about the space between observed facts and human intuition; it had a mystery and an allure associated to it. Then it became all about science, moving away from the magic. Its current challenge, and greatest opportunity, is how it redefines the role of the human element amid all this radical change,” explains FM AdFocus Awards chair Luca Gallarelli, group CEO of TBWA\SA.

“The 2023 FM AdFocus Awards celebrate the melding of the human element and science to fortify the advertising industry’s place in the client’s world,” he says. 

Award categories

Agency award categories include:

• Group Agency of the Year
• Partnership of the Year
• African Impact Award
• Transformation Award
• Adaptability Award

Advertising award categories include:

• Large Advertising Agency of the Year
• Medium Advertising Agency of the Year
• Small Advertising Agency of the Year
• Media Agency of the Year
• Specialist Agency of the Year
• Public Relations Agency of the Year

Nominated individual award categories include:

• Lifetime Achievement Award
• Industry Leader of the Year
• Shapeshifter Award
• Student of the Year

The jury

As is tradition with the FM AdFocus Awards, a number of new jurors join second-term jury members this year as they determine 2023's winners. 

“It's my intention to ensure that we continue to elevate the stature of the jury and, by virtue of that, the awards itself,” says Gallarelli.

“With this in mind, I've reached out to new jurors who I believe will do just that. Jurors that stand out as some of our industry's most senior and respected individuals and who I know will add richness and diversity to the conversation. Jurors who represent the industry across agency size, discipline and client ecosystem.” 

The new jury members include: 

• Pepe Marais, co-founder and group chief creative officer of Joe Public;
• Thabang Skwambane, group CEO of the Nahana Group;
• Dean Oelshig, MD and founder of Halo;
• Vicki Buys, MD of Ogilvy CT; and
• Sadika Fakir, integrated media and digital director.

They join second-term jury members: 

• Firdous Osman, MD of Saatchi & Saatchi CT;              
• Wandile Collis, founder of Black Swan;
• Ana Carrapichano, founder and CEO of Mediology;
• Merissa Himraj, CEO of Wavemaker SA & SSA;
• Nimay Parekh, director of Accenture Song; and
• Zanele Zwane, MD of Duke.

How to enter

To enter the 2023 FM AdFocus Awards, you’ll need to complete an online questionnaire and submit supporting documents via the FM AdFocus Awards website.

Here’s how to do so, step-by-step:

1. Click here to register an account on the AdFocus Awards website^*.
2. You’ll be sent a confirmation email to verify your account.
3. Log in to the AdFocus Awards website.
4. Fill in the questionnaire for the award category you'd like to enter: 
• Select “Agency Awards” for agency award questionnaires.
• Select “Nominations” for individual award questionnaires.
• For advertising awards, first select “Agency Details” and ensure that the type of agency reflected in the drop-down menu (that is Large, Medium and so on) corresponds with the award category you'd like to enter, then click “Save”. Next select “Entry Details” for the questionnaire. 
5. Once you've completed the relevant questionnaire click the “Submit” button. 
6. You’ll note that each questionnaire requires supporting documents (such as a case study or BEE certificate) to be uploaded. To upload these documents, simply click on the "Upload Files" button at the bottom of the page. Once uploaded, the filenames of these documents will appear in a list below the button, which will serve as confirmation of your upload.

Entries close at midnight on September 1 2023.

^*Please note: If you entered the AdFocus Awards in 2022, your login details will no longer be valid. Please register a new account on the FM AdFocus Awards website to enter this year’s awards.

Advertising and sponsorship opportunities

As always, the results of this year's awards will form the basis of the annual FM AdFocus Awards supplement published by the Financial Mail.

For advertising and sponsorship opportunities, email Kay Naidoo or Debbie Montanari.