The Smarties Awards' winners were announced last night, 11 April at an event in Johannesburg, hosted by the MMA SA and sponsored by MTN, MultiChoice, Standard Bank, and the Takealot Group Advertising.
The MMA SA Smarties Awards emphasise results over creativity, strategy, and execution, with a focus on business outcomes.
The awards were judged by a panel of senior marketers led by Luisa Mazinter, the jury chair, alongside international luminaries Charl Bassil, Suhayl Limbada, and Ben Schoderer.
Commenting on the winners, the jury praised the ingenuity and heart behind the campaigns, emphasising how they showcased how groundbreaking ideas can emanate from any corner of the industry.
Pep, chosen from a field of 87 entries and Yonder impressed the jury with their marketing prowess and impactful campaigns that yielded remarkable business results.
“These two recipients demonstrated exceptional prowess in Purpose Driven Marketing, Marketing Impact, and Experience Technology. While their creative executions were stellar, it's their tangible business outcomes that truly set them apart,” says Sarah Utermark, country director of the MMA SA.
She also reflected on the exceptional calibre of entries.
“This year’s submissions showcased the industry’s relentless pursuit of leveraging the latest marketing technologies to drive tangible business results. We applaud the creativity, innovation, and dedication demonstrated by all participants.”
The diversity of categories, spanning from Marketing Impact to Purpose Driven Marketing and Experience Technology, underscored the evolving landscape of marketing innovation.
Celebrating its 11th year, the Smarties Awards have evolved to embrace the latest trends in marketing, shifting its focus from mobile innovation to cutting-edge technologies like AI, CX, and Purpose-driven Marketing.
See all the winners here.
| Experience Technology | ||
| Real Time Marketing | ||
| Gold | Flow Communications and Clifford Regenbaum (CarSpa owner) | CarSpa TriggerMessage AI Loyalty Campaign |
| Bronze | Vicinity Media and KFC | KFC HACK THE STREETS WITH VICINITY'S INTERACTIVE MAP (BURGER FINDER EDITION) |
| Bronze | Machine_ and Prime Video South Africa | The Classified Drop |
| Blockchain & NFT ( Non Fungible Token ) | ||
| Silver | Grey Advertising Africa and Savanna Premium Dry Cider | Dry Goods |
| Silver | YONDER / VML and Vodacom World | Vodacom World of Collectibles |
| Bronze | YONDER and Fanta (Coca-Cola) | What the Fanta 2.0 – The Fabulous Flavour NFT Hunt |
| Experimental, Innovative Technology and Devices | ||
| Gold | YONDER / VML and Vodacom World | Vodacom World of Collectibles |
| Silver | Yonder Media and Checkers Sixty60 | Checkers Sixty60 RUGBY WORLD CUP SCRATCH & WIN COMPETITION |
| Silver | Simunye Media and LUX | LUX Botanicals: LUX's Geodesic Dome Revolution at Hey Neighbour Festival |
| Bronze | Hearts & Science FZ LLC and KFC PTY Ltd | KFC Uncle Waffles Burger |
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Gold | SilverstoneCIS and SPAR | SPAR Shopper Panel, Consumer Choice Index and Brand Power Score |
| Bronze | Moonsport and MTN | 1 Team, 60 Million Voices |
| Contextual Targeting | ||
| Gold | Flow Communications and Clifford Regenbaum (CarSpa owner) | CarSpa TriggerMessage AI Loyalty Campaign |
| Bronze | Vicinity Media and KFC | KFC HACK THE STREETS WITH VICINITY'S INTERACTIVE MAP (BURGER FINDER EDITION) |
| Bronze | Digitas Liquorice and Santam | Santam Most Loved Local |
| Spatial Technology, Metaverse & AR/VR | ||
| Gold | YONDER / VML and Vodacom World | Vodacom World of Collectibles |
| Silver | YONDER and Fanta (Coca-Cola) | What the Fanta 2.0 – The Fabulous Flavour NFT Hunt |
| Silver | YONDER / GREY ADVERTISING AFRICA / SONNIX STUDIOS and Anglo American in partnership with Sasol and BMW South Africa | PlatAfrica Metaverse Experience by Anglo American |
| Programmatic | ||
| Gold | Rookdigital and FORD | A NEW APPROACH TO LEAD GENERATION |
| Silver | Dentsu and Dentsu | NightVision AdTech |
| Bronze | Massmart and Massmart - Makro & Builders | Massmart Programmatic |
| Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) | ||
| Silver | Hivestack and RE/MAX | RE/MAX SA - The World & Industry's First Programmatic 3D Anamorphic Video Campaign on DOOH |
| Bronze | The Digital Plug (PTY) Ltd and The Digital Plug x Spotify | Spotify Wrapped — Kenya |
| Impact Media | ||
| Cross Platform Digital Only | ||
| Gold | Grey Advertising Africa and Savanna Premium Dry Cider | Dry Goods |
| Bronze | iProspect South Africa and Grid WorldWide and DStv Stream | From R19.95 With Love |
| Bronze | Hellosquare and Tinkies | Tinkies Made With You |
| Social Messaging / Chat Apps / Text Messaging | ||
| Gold | Flow Communications and Clifford Regenbaum (CarSpa owner) | CarSpa TriggerMessage AI Loyalty Campaign |
| Gold | Yonder Media and Checkers Sixty60 | Checkers Sixty60 RUGBY WORLD CUP SCRATCH & WIN COMPETITION |
| Silver | Helm and Capitec | Slam the Scam (MoneyUp Chat by Capitec) |
| Omnichannel Integration | ||
| Gold | Mindshare South Africa and KFC | KFC Chicken for Breakfast |
| Bronze | Freshive Digital and Tiger Brands Fatti's & Moni's | Omnichannel Fatti's & Moni's Always Eat'alian |
| Bronze | Unilever and Shield, Unilever | Shield and Banyana Are Not Done Yet |
| Social Media Marketing | ||
| Gold | PEP and PEP | #PEPFinds |
| Bronze | Hellosquare and Tinkies | Tinkies Made With You |
| Creator / Influencer Marketing | ||
| Gold | VML South Africa and Nestlé KitKat | How Do You Eat a KitKat? |
| Silver | Shoprite Group and Checkers South Africa | Checkers brings you: PRIME Hydration |
| Silver | VMLY&R and Nando's South Africa | Nando's X Voice of the Creator: What Saucery, Hot Plots, Oversharing & Pull the stick out |
| Creator Economy | ||
| Gold | PEP and PEP | #PEPFinds |
| Silver | VMLY&R and Nando's South Africa | Nando's X Voice of the Creator: What Saucery, Hot Plots, Oversharing & Pull the stick out |
| Bronze | Hellosquare and Tinkies | Tinkies Made With You |
| Gaming, Gamification & E-Sports | ||
| Bronze | Oliver Marketing (Ustudio) and Lifebuoy | H FOR HANDWASHING: Reimagine Hygiene through the Power of Play |
| Purpose Driven Marketing | ||
| Social Impact Marketing | ||
| Gold | iProspect - Dentsu and ABInBev – Castle Lager | Turning Waste into Nourishment - Brewing hope, unity, and sustenance for a nation in need |
| Silver | PEP and PEP | PEP Changing Stations |
| Silver | Triple Eight and Cadbury Dairy Milk | Cadbury Narrates the Next Chapter in Literacy Education |
| Multilingual Marketing Efficiency Award | ||
| Gold | Triple Eight and Cadbury Dairy Milk | Cadbury Narrates the Next Chapter in Literacy Education |
| Brand Purpose / Activism | ||
| Gold | Shoprite Group and Shoprite South Africa | Shoprite: Homegrown — More than a jar of Atchar |
| Gold | iProspect - Dentsu and ABInBev – Castle Lager | Turning Waste into Nourishment - Brewing hope, unity, and sustenance for a nation in need |
| Silver | PEP and PEP | PEP Changing Stations |
| Bronze | Yonder Media and Colgate | Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Future |
| Diversity & Inclusion | ||
| Gold | PEP and PEP | PEP mini Netball |
| Marketing Impact | ||
| Data Insights Marketing | ||
| Gold | 8909 and 8909 | The Monitisation Project |
| Silver | Dentsu and Dentsu | NightVision AdTech |
| Bronze | Hearts & Science FZ LLC and KFC PTY Ltd | KFC Uncle Waffles Burger |
| Promotional Instant Impact | ||
| Gold | Yonder Media and Checkers Sixty60 | Checkers Sixty60 RUGBY WORLD CUP SCRATCH & WIN COMPETITION |
| Silver | iProspect - Dentsu and ABInBev – Castle Lager | Turning Waste into Nourishment - Brewing hope, unity, and sustenance for a nation in need |
| Silver | Mindshare South Africa and KFC | KFC Kentucky Town Pretoria |
| Bronze | Rainmaker Media and Rainmaker Media / SAB / Castle Lite | Castle Lite Tips for Taps |
| Product / Service Launch | ||
| Gold | Shoprite Group and Shoprite South Africa | Shoprite: Homegrown - More than a jar of Atchar |
| Silver | Mindshare South Africa and KFC | KFC Chicken for Breakfast |
| Silver | ShopriteX and Xtra Savings Plus | Unlimited Xtra Savings with SA's 1st grocery monthly subscription! |
| Bronze | Shoprite Group and Checkers South Africa | Checkers brings you: PRIME Hydration |
| Bronze | Hellosquare and Tinkies | Tinkies Made With You |
| Brand Experience | ||
| Gold | ShopriteX, Shoprite Group of Companies and Checkers Sixty60 | Bring it Home |
| Silver | Freshive Digital and Tiger Brands Fattis & Monis | Brand Experience F&M Always Eat'alian |
| Bronze | Triple Eight and Cadbury Dairy Milk | Cadbury Narrates the Next Chapter in Literacy Education |
| Community Building | ||
| Gold | PEP and PEP | PEP mini Netball |
| Silver | PEP and PEP | PEP Changing Stations |
| Small Budget / Big Impact | ||
| Gold | PEP and PEP | #PEPFinds |
| Silver | Point Iconic and Ultra Liquors | Black Friday Like Never Before |
| Silver | Flow Communications and Clifford Regenbaum (CarSpa owner) | CarSpa TriggerMessage AI Loyalty Campaign |
| Lead Generation | ||
| Gold | Point Iconic and Ultra Liquors | Black Friday Like Never Before |
| Silver | Grid Worldwide and DStv Stream | From R19.95 With Love |
| Silver | YONDER and Absa | Absa Card Quest |
| Bronze | Helm and DStv | DStv Intelligent Sales Assistant |
| Customer Journey Marketing | ||
| Gold | Point Iconic and Ultra Liquors | Black Friday Like Never Before |
| Bronze | Helm and Capitec | MoneyUp Chat by Capitec |
| Co-branded Marketing | ||
| Silver | VMLY&R Johannesburg and Vodacom | Vodacom Hearing Challenge |
| Bronze | Unilever and Unilever/Robertsons/Knorr/Aromat/Rainmaker | Unilever lights up the braai in partnership with Rainmaker |
| Creative | ||
| Personalisation | ||
| Gold | ShopriteX and Checkers Xtra Savings | Checkers Hyper Personalisation Engine |
| Bronze | Flow Communications and Clifford Regenbaum (CarSpa owner) | CarSpa TriggerMessage AI Loyalty Campaign |
| Bronze | Helm and DStv | DStv Intelligent Sales Assistant |
| Short or Long Form Video | ||
| Gold | 8909 and 8909 | The Monitisation Project |
| Gold | Hellosquare and Reboost Energy | Wake Up Call |
| Silver | Multichoice Group and Mzansi Magic | I Blew It' skits |
| Silver | Multichoice Group and kykNET | KassieKuiers met Renaldo Schwarp |
| E-commerce marketing | ||
| Social / Influencer Commerce | ||
| Silver | VMLY&R and Nando's South Africa | Nando's X Voice of the Creator: What Saucery, Hot Plots, Oversharing & Pull the stick out |
| Bronze | Mindshare South Africa and KFC | KFC Chicken for Breakfast |
| Integrated Ecommerce Innovation | ||
| Gold | ShopriteX and Checkers Xtra Savings + Sixty60 | Checkers Xtra Savings Integration with Sixty60 |
| Silver | Futuretech Media and Futuretech / Dentsu / Corona | Corona Sunsets World Tour |
| Bronze | iProspect - Dentsu and ABInBev – Castle Lite | Turning Workers Day into a day of appreciation |
| Industry Awards | ||
| Brand of the year | ||
| PEP | . | |
| Agency of the year | ||
| YONDER | . | |
| Best in Show | ||
| Flow Communications and Clifford Regenbaum (CarSpa owner) | CarSpa TriggerMessage AI Loyalty Campaign | |
