Woolworths Taste triumphs in New York

The premium food brand, published by Media24 Advertising and Content Marketing for Woolworths, received the Special Recognition award for Overall Digital Excellence (across all consumer and customer entries), Gold for Social Media Engagement (consumer category), and Gold for Food Director Abigail Donnelly in the Series of Articles (custom/content marketing category).

Taste’s recognition for overall digital excellence was for its transformative digital strategy, which has driven 82% year-on-year audience growth, a 273% increase in reach and a 296% rise in engagements. The Gold for Social Media Engagement highlights Taste’s innovative use of culturally inclusive content, diverse food experts and community-driven campaigns that achieved unprecedented engagement. Meanwhile, Donnelly earned her third consecutive Gold for her work, recognising her exceptional vision and reinforcing her position as SA’s most accomplished food creative.

These wins follow Taste’s three trophies at the International Content Marketing Awards in London in January and a TikTok Glow Up Award for South African publishers in July.

Kelly Cloete, head of the Woolworths account at Media24 Advertising and Content Marketing, says: “What sets the team apart is our ability to excel in both creative storytelling and data-driven digital strategy. They not only create beautiful content, but also understand audience behaviour, platform dynamics and how to optimise every piece for engagement and reach. Seeing editorial excellence recognised alongside digital innovation proves that we’ve built a team that can deliver all fronts.”

Taste now reaches up to 15 million people per month across all its channels, demonstrating how traditional publishing can evolve and thrive in the digital age while maintaining editorial integrity and brand authority.

“We are incredibly proud of these achievements, which reflect the strength of our partnership with Media24 Advertising and Content Marketing,” says Elizka Ferreira, head of foods marketing at Woolworths. “These awards validate our investment in digital innovation and content excellence and show we’re meeting our customers where they are. Taste has evolved into a dynamic, multi-platform brand, engaging with millions of South Africans with authenticity – and continues to strengthen Woolworths’ position as South Africa’s leading food authority.”

Nerisa Coetzee, chief revenue officer of Media24 Advertising and Content Marketing, adds: “Taste’s success highlights our ability to merge editorial excellence with strategic marketing. This international recognition validates our approach and reinforces our position as leaders in creating culturally relevant content that resonates with South African audiences. We’re proud of our partnership with Woolworths and grateful for their trust in our team.”