Grid wins AdFocus Medium Agency Award for 2023

Grid Worldwide Branding & Design impressed the AdFocus judges with its continued determination to evolve its product outside of brands and design and with its focus on how consumers engage with brands at every touchpoint. Its insatiable thirst to push forward constantly is also what makes Grid stand out in the medium-sized agency category.

Grid was up against stiff competition: finalists Rapt Creative and Two Tone Global were also strong entries this year, said the judges. Rapt has catapulted itself out of the Small Agency category and has shown tremendous growth. Two Tone Global, on the other hand, has a fantastic story to tell about how it has redefined its offering post-pandemic.

Grid increased revenue by 27% in the AdFocus reporting period and also ranked as the most awarded agency in the medium-sized category. This was a year, said the judges, that it all came together for Grid.

Its largest clients are also its longest-lasting ones. For example, FNB, a client for the past 14 years, tasked Grid with refreshing its brand. This led to FNB being voted the Strongest Banking Brand in the World by the “Brand Finance Banking 500 2023” report, with a brand strength index score of 93 (out of 100), and increasing its brand value by 30% to $3.5bn (about R64bn).

Grid’s work with MTN had similar results; the telecom giant was named the country’s most valuable brand by the Brand Finance report, with a 24% increase in brand value to R74.3bn.

Grid’s creative work for Inverroche gin is getting global recognition. Inverroche Bee&Bee, an innovative packaging solution that doubles as a hotel for solitary bees, is reimagining packaging in an entirely new, sustainable way. It has become one of Grid’s most awarded pieces, including at the ADC Awards, Cannes, The One Show and Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards. Pernod Ricard Global will be using Bee&Bee as a benchmark for sustainable and conscious packaging across its global portfolio.

South African Tourism is another long-standing client; Grid developed “The Best of Us” campaign for it. Grid worked on Spur’s brand evolution and continued its partnership with MTN on the launch of MoMo. The agency’s relationship with Marble has also garnered accolades: in its latest endeavour Pantry by Marble and Sasol created an upscale fuel station experience that redefines convenience. It was named Best Forecourt Store in the 2022 Best of Joburg Readers’ Choice Awards.

Grid was originally established to create meaning for brands. The agency says it builds brands to help give them this meaning in a time and place that is dynamic, chaotic and ever-changing, playing in culture, and being at one with the people they serve and the world in which they operate.

On a constant trajectory to change based on market needs, its concept of “Investment Creative” builds brands and takes them to places they need to be to grow. A unique understanding of brand strategy, communication, experience and human-centred design allows the agency to redefine the rules by which brands interact with customers in all spaces, allowing it to build valuable brand equity.

The agency says it is all too aware of the X-factor that occurs when you get all the elements just right. It’s not magic, but rather a careful blending of elements that Grid has been nurturing for years.

Read the full 2023 FM AdFocus here.

The big take-out: The agency says it builds brands to help give them meaning in a time and place that is dynamic, chaotic and ever-changing, playing in culture and being at one with the people they serve and the world in which they operate.