The Awards, which took place at The Empire in Parktown Johannesburg, also saw Coca-Cola take home the Consumer Green Award and the Consumer Social Investment Award. In the business category, FNB was awarded the Business Green Award and Nedbank the Business Social Investment Award.
Koo’s marketing director, Janet Scott, and marketing manager, Louise Burmeister, are both surprised, but excited by the Award, given how young their team is. “The Koo team is only a year old, so we are thrilled by the Award,” says Burmeister.
She adds that it is about getting people to sit down around a table. “It is about innovation and more innovation as food trends continue to evolve.” Scott adds to this: “Koo is an iconic South African brand that is part of the fabric of our nation.”
Coca-Cola’s two wins are indicative of the focus of the brand. “Coca-Cola is an iconic brand that is loved by consumers and it is very important to us that our consumers tell us that they love us.” She adds that the brand has been very involved in uplifting communities and being green. “These are focus areas for us as a company, and great to have that recognised.”
Winning the Award is big, says Nancy Lockett, FNB’s head of marketing for Business Banking. “There is no other real business award of this type for banking, so this is a big one for us, especially given the tough competition in the business banking sector.” This is the sixth year in a row that the bank has won the Award – the only brand to win it consecutively. “Now we want to try win it for 10 years in row!”
On the consumer side, Faye Mfikwe, FNB’s CMO says the Green Award talks to the most ecologically friendly brand. “From our point of view as FNB we're extremely humbled and grateful for finding ourselves in this position and I think it is on the back of our core brand tenant: 'How can we help you?'”
She adds that this is a demonstration of the market, and the customer the bank serves, recognising them for the work they do. “We are constantly striving to understand the customer and their needs and finding solutions that talk to their needs.”
Discovery’s Anton Ossip, CEO for Discovery Insure, expressed his delight at the performance of the Discovery brands on the evening. “We are a new player on the insure side and it is great that consumers are realising what we stand for, and that the brand is resonating with them.”
Ogilvy walked away with the 2018 Robyn Putter Award, which recognises the contributions made by creative agencies in support of winning brands. Luca Gallarelli, group MD of Ogilvy SA, says to some extent it's an Award that is coming home. “The Award is named after Robyn Putter, who built some iconic brands for Ogilvy South Africa and partnered with many great institutions over the years to produce some amazing legacy brands, some of which we have the privilege to some degree of still servicing, curating and stewarding in the country and beyond its borders. So, it is a massive privilege to win an Award that bears his name.”
Gallarelli adds that Ogilvy prides itself on making brands matter. “We see that as our purpose, so to be acknowledged for an award is again a tremendous privilege.”
He adds that this would also not be possible without the agencies’ amazing clients. “Our clients are really who were chosen on the night and so for us to have the opportunity to work with them and partner with them, and to some extent benefit from their success, is tremendously humbling.”
