Mugabe and Mandela to compete for top honours at the Bookmarks

The Bookmarks, a digital award showcase which aims to recognise excellence in digital, has announced the finalists for this year’s awards. The awards are an initiative of the Digital Media Marketing Association (DMMA).

The shortlisted entries were selected by a panel of judges that includes top industry players. According to the Bookmarks committee, this year saw a record-breaking number of entries.

“This year has truly reflected the immense popularity and competitive spirit within the digital realm of the industry. The increase in the number of entries is testament to the success and credibility of the Bookmarks Awards and I am blown away by the quality of the entries this year,” says Bookmarks chair Nikki Cockcroft.

This year’s finalists include the internationally successful Mandela Story campaign by Prezence Digital — a project that imagines the life of Nelson Mandela through social media updates.

Another notable finalist is the banned television ad from fast food chain Nando’s that tells the story of a lone dictator (Robert Mugabe) in a world where all his despotic friends are either dead or toppled — The Last Dictator Standing by Retroviral.

Others shortlisted include: Ogilvy Cape Town’s The World’s First Alien Abduction Flavoured Gum, Native’s Close The Tap social change campaign and Both World’s work on satire news network ZANews.

The Bookmarks is now in its fifth year. The award showcase is an initiative launched in 2008 by the DMMA, a non-profit organisation that aims to grow and sustain a vibrant and profitable digital industry.

“The Awards are held as an accolade geared towards the strengthening of the profile of online media, rewarding excellence in digital publishing, advertising and marketing, as well as benchmarking local talent against international standards,” say the organisers.

The awards are divided into four clusters:

• The Core Awards
• The Craft Awards
• The Individual and Team Awards
• The Special Honours Awards

A full list of the finalist can be found here.