48 finalists in One Show for South Africa led by Ogilvy and Accenture Song

In a massive improvement on 2025, led by Ogilvy and Accenture Song, South Africa has 48 finalists out of 1,345 finalists from 51 countries and regions named in The One Show by The One Club for Creativity. Last year, the country had 18 finalists.

17 Apr 2026

The One Club for Creativity has announced its finalists for The One Show 2026, including 80 from the Middle East & Africa (Image supplied)

Together with the Middle East, the region has 80 finalists, including 18 from the UAE, seven from Saudi Arabia, four each for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and Turkey with three.

Ogilvy South Africa Cape Town leads the region with 15 finalists, including 13 for its work on Vaseline Verified for Vaseline.

Accenture Song South Africa Cape Town has 13 finalists, all for The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix on behalf of The Philipstown WireCar Foundation.

Giant Films Cape Town has seven finalists, including five also for its work on The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix.

Three agencies have six One Show 2026 finalists:

Impact BBDO Dubai, including three for AnNahar Newspaper The Untaught History Edition
Joe Public Sandton, including two for Breast Cancer UK Street Nipples
Promise Johannesburg, all for AfriSam Unwanted Sites

Mermac Ogilvy UAE Dubai has five finalists, all for IKEA Affordable Masterpieces on behalf of Al-Futtaim IKEA.

With four One Show 2026 finalists each are GForce Grey Almaty, Synthesis Agency Tashkent, and VML Riyadh.

CarrefourSA Istanbul has three, and two finalists each went to Leo UAE Dubai, Saatchi & Saatchi UAE Dubai, and TBWA\ Hunt Lascaris Johannesburg.

Six agencies have one finalist each:

Edelman Johannesburg
Horizon FCB Dubai
Landor Dubai
M+C Saatchi Abel Johannesburg
The Odd Number Johannesburg
VML South Africa Johannesburg

X3M Ideas created a Nollywood series called Don’t Burn Their Future. Source: X3M Ideas.

X3M Ideas leads Africa as a top force in sustainable creative campaigns

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Globally, Rethink Toronto has the most finalists in the world with 47. Uncommon Creative Studio London has 34 finalists, followed by Apple Cupertino, FCB Chicago and VML New York with 26 each, Courage Inc. Toronto with 23, Area 23 with 21, and LePub Mexico with 20.

All finalists will win Gold, Silver, or Bronze Pencils or Merits, to be announced during Creative Week 2026 on 14 May, and celebrated at The One Show 2026 awards ceremony on 15 May at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.