iPendoring Awards 2025 finalists announced

The finalists for the iPendoring Awards 2025 have officially been announced (Image supplied)

This year saw another record-breaking 11.6% increase in submissions across categories, reflecting the growing momentum behind multilingual expression in the local creative industry.

Established in 1995, the iPendoring Awards celebrate excellence in creative communication across South Africa’s indigenous languages.

Looking ahead to the award ceremony, highlights of the evening will include the announcement of the Prestigious Umpetha Award winner, who also secures a single entry into the international One Show Awards, as well as the Overall Student Winner, who will receive R10,000.

The awards will take place on 4 December, at UJ Arts Centre, Johannesburg

Taal Never Die. We Multiply

iPendoring 2025 carries the bold theme, Taal Never Die. We Multiply., and is a celebration of how South Africans live, remix and reimagine language in daily life.

Led by jury president Jabulani Sigege, group executive creative director at Machine Agency, the judges were inspired by the calibre of entries and faced the difficult task of selecting this year’s finalists from an exceptional pool of work.

“Looking at the submissions this year, work in indigenous languages is not diminishing nor going anywhere. It’s clear that being able to create in their mother tongues allows creatives to flex and find freedom, which leads to relevant and resonant work,” says Sigege.

That freedom and resonance came through in a range of standout entries. TBWA\Hunt Lascaris’s NapBot for Sloom used blended playful creativity with a local-language twist to help South Africa’s sleep-deprived workforce steal back rest time.

Machine_’s Khuphuka Nathi campaign for Spotify Africa turned isiZulu proverbs into lyrical copy, pairing them with captivating visuals that paid tribute to the province’s musical legacy while inviting new listeners to embrace it.

Chilliengine’s Niggies launch for kykNET was both sobering and powerful, rooted in Afrikaans to honour the story’s emotional gravity and to speak directly to the community that shaped it.

The student category showcased work that was both exceptional and inventive.

IIE-Vega’s YohLingo parodied Duolingo with an unapologetically local slang app, part protest, part celebration.

Cape Town Creative Academy’s Chrono Roots calendar reimagined Setswana timekeeping through Khoi-San storytelling and Afrofuturist design.

The University of Johannesburg’s Mother Tongue cookbook series collected recipes and memories in multiple languages, linking food, heritage and identity across cultures.

All the finalists

Endorsed by Unesco, iPendoring continues to champion creative excellence and celebrate South Africa’s indigenous languages, ensuring their power and beauty resonate for generations to come.

Established in 1995, the iPendoring Awards celebrate excellence in creative communication across South Africa’s indigenous languages. By promoting multilingualism, the awards play a vital role in fostering the growth of the country’s diverse cultural and linguistic heritage.