AdFocus finalists announced

The AdFocus Awards 2022 shortlist has been determined. Commenting on this year’s judging process, Faheem Chaudhry, partner and MD of M&C Saatchi Abel and this year’s AdFocus Awards chair, says: “The final round of judging was a day of robust debate, discussion and analysis. Despite global macro challenges, local economic challenges and a fair number of industry challenges, the top agencies demonstrated how they were able to imagine, innovate and ultimately grow their businesses and those of their clients dramatically.”

The finalists for the 2022 AdFocus Awards are:

Small Agency of the Year

Duke

Rapt Creative

Think Creative

Medium Agency of the Year

No finalists are announced for this category as there was a clear winner significantly ahead that will be announced on the night.

Large Agency of the Year

Grey

Joe Public United

M&C Saatchi Abel

TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris

VMLY&R

Public Relations Agency of the Year

Eclipse Communications

Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants

Razor PR — an M&C Saatchi company

Specialist Agency of the Year

Levergy — M&C Saatchi Sports & Entertainment

Mscsports

Group of the Year

M&C Saatchi Abel Group

TBWA Group

Partnership of the Year

Joe Public United & Nedbank

TBWA\SA & MTN

TBWA\SA & Spar

African Impact Award

Grey

TBWA\SA

Adaptability

Grey

Happy Friday

Transformation Award

Nahana Communications Group

Yellowwood

Network Media Agency of the Year

No finalists are announced for this category as there was a clear winner significantly ahead that will be announced on the night.

Digital Agency and Independent Media Agency

There were no category finalists in the Digital Agency of the Year or Independent Media Agency of the Year as the jury felt that no entrants met the minimum threshold. As a result, no awards will be given in these categories this year. 

Chaudhry says: “The rate of growth some agencies enjoyed was exceptional, as was the level of the product being produced by them while their efforts to drive transformation, diversity and inclusion through their organisations was admirable.”

What was also very encouraging, he adds, was the massive increase in entries this year, further proving just how good a year some agencies had, despite challenging conditions.

This year’s AdFocus jury is made up of industry leaders from across through-the-line, digital, tech, media and PR agencies as well as marketing directors and industry consultants.

They are: Faheem Chaudhry, partner and MD of M&C Saatchi Abel; Gillian Rightford, founder of Adtherapy; Lebo Madiba, founder of Powerhouse PR; Luca Gallarelli, group CEO of TBWA\The Disruption Company; Warren Moss, founder and CEO of Demographica; Zanele Zwane, MD of Duke; Firdous Osman, MD of Saatchi & Saatchi; Nimay Parekh, chief digital officer of King James, part of Accenture Song; Merissa Himraj, CEO of Wavemaker; Wandile Collins, founder and chief strategic officer, Black Swan; Sharon Keith, marketing director of Heineken; Ana Carrapichano, founder and owner of Mediology.

The winners of the 2022 AdFocus Awards will be announced on November 30 2022. For more information on the awards visit www.adfocus.co.za

For advertising and sponsorship opportunities in the 2022 FM AdFocus publication, contact Cortney Hoyland (hoylandc@arena.africa) or Kay Naidoo (naidooka@arena.africa).

The big take-out: There was a massive increase in entries this year, proving just how good a year some agencies had.