Bookmarks 2015: record entries, digital power players dominate shortlist

IAB South Africa has announced the shortlist for its revamped Bookmarks Awards. The awards, which traditionally take place toward the end of the year, didn’t take place in 2014. Instead they were moved out to February this year as the IAB — previously known as the Digital Media Marketing Association (DMMA) — looked to tie the awards to digital summit taking place on the same day.

Both the awards show and the summit will take place in Johannesburg’s Newtown precinct, having previously been held in Cape Town.

According to the IAB, a record number of entries were received this year. That’s reflected in a pretty large shortlisting pool, but also suggests that the credibility of the awards may have increased over the years.

Given the positions they’ve managed to build for themselves, it’s perhaps unsurprising that largest number of shortlistings, especially in the advertising categories, have been awarded to South Africa’s digital agency giants.

Read more: Honey badgers, empty categories and Gareth Cliff’s tweets: Bookmarks 2013

HelloComputer for instance has 16 shortlisted entries, Quirk 14, Native VML 26, Liquorice 26 and Gloo 21. At least one traditional agency, in the shape of King James, has a strong presence too. The multi-tiered agency has 19 entries shortlisted.

On the publishing front, smaller sites such as the Daily Maverick, Between 10 and 5 and (of course) Burn Media, will be going up against big players such as eNCA, Media 24 and Primedia Broadcasting.

“The reimagined IAB Bookmark Awards are one of the many initiatives planned by the IAB to grow, support and sustain a vibrant digital industry. We say congratulations to all our finalists. We look forward to awarding Pixels to the worthy winners on the night.”

Read more: BBC.com comes onboard as IAB Digital Summit sponsor

Here’s the full list of shortlisted finalists:

CORE AWARDS: Websites / Microsites / Mobisites

Brand, Commercial & Retail Websites

• Capitec Bank Website – Quirk
• Real Meal Revolution Website Revamp & Online Course – Lima Bean
• Chas Everitt Website – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize
• Lexus.co.za – Hellocomputer
• FCB Global Website – Hellocomputer

Microsites

• The Penguin Run – Utopia
• Meet Your Match: Whisky Profiler – Punk / King James Group
• An ordinarily extraordinary South African Adventure Microsite – Fogg Experiential Design & Ireland Davenport Joint Entry
• Smuggle the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow. – DDB South Africa
• C-Class – No Alternative – iProspect South Africa
• The Journal – Hellocomputer
• Ride Epic – Injozi
• Samsung GALAXY S5 Be the First – Etiket
• SARIE Voorbladgesig van die Jaar 2014 in samewerking met Revlon – Media24/ SARIE Magazine
• New Golf R – OgilvyOne South Africa
• Food Lover’s Market LOVETHEBIKE Challenge – Voice Factory
• HerdTracker – The world’s first app to track Africa’s great migration – Discover Africa
• For the BOLD – Mortimer Harvey
• Olmeca Switch On The Night – Hellocomputer
• GLA – #GLAadventure – iProspect

Public Service sites

• The Penguin Run – Utopia
• Bookly – NATIVE VML
• Social Feed – Hellocomputer

Publisher sites (mass appeal)

• EYEWITNESS NEWS – Primedia Broadcasting
• www.etv.co.za – Creative Spark
• DRUM – Media24 (Pty) Ltd.
• News24 Live – 24.com
• DStv Portal – DStv Digital Media
• Sowetan LIVE – Times Media Live

Specialist Publisher sites (smaller, niche audiences)

• Between 10and5 / www.10and5.com – Between 10 and 5
• ZANEWS – Both Worlds
• What’sForDinner? – Liquorice & Mindshare
• Eatout.co.za relaunch – OnNet
• TheJuice – TheJuice
• The Journal – Hellocomputer
• Gearburn.com – Burn Media
• Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Website – Flow Communications
• DestinyConnect (www.destinyconnect.com) – Creative Spark

CORE AWARDS: Advertising & Search

Branded Content

• One Rand Man – King James Group / Society / Atmosphere
• Smuggle the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow. – DDB South Africa
• Through the Eyes of a Child (“What do our children really learn from us?”) – Society / Punk / Atmosphere / King James Group
• Kreepy Krauly Wrangler – Retroviral
• Indie Channel – NATIVE VML
• Life Surprises – Society / King James Group
• Robertsons Masterclass – Liquorice
• Johnnie Walker/ Kings of Flavour/ Branded Content – MECGroup
• Sunlight #ShareTheHappy – Liquorice
• New Golf R – OgilvyOne South Africa
• Castle Lager BraaiPhone – Retroviral

Display advertising

• The Unskippable Skip Ad – Ireland / Davenport
• FNB League of Innovators – Gloo
• Supersport We Are Brazil World Cup – Neo@Ogilvy

Media Plan

• Vodacom 20 Years – Lighthouse Digital
• Flora It Takes A Village – Liquorice
• BMW 2 Series – Are you 2 Enough? – Gloo & Vizeum
• Capitec | Join Us & Oscar Sponsorship – PHD Media South Africa
• Sage – Always On Media Plan – Neo@Ogilvy
• Project Trapped – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize
• Whatsfordinner – Liquorice & Mindshare

Native Advertising

• Comedy Central “Own a piece of South Park” – OgilvyOne South Africa
• Castle Lite Cold Room – Liquorice
• Smirnoff Ice Double Black With Guarana – Explore The Night – MECGroup & AdVine

Search Marketing

• Woolworths: Always On Media Campaign 2014 – Quirk
• Chas Everitt Search Campaign – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize
• RE/MAX: Website Migration Recovery – R.O.I. Digital
• Capitec | Credit Acquisition Campaign – PHD Media South Africa
• Sun International SEO Campaign – Quirk
• FIFA World Cup 2014: Increasing Leads While Maintaining a Low CPA – The-Media-Image
• Direct Axis Illumination Campaign – Rogerwilco
• Dealfinder.co.za SEO / Organic Campaign – Clicks2Customers
• Paid Search Driving Kalahari’s Year On Year Growth – The-Media-Image
• The Last Word: PPC – World Wide Creative
• Varsity College Search Optimisation – THB Click
• Genesis Medical Scheme David vs Goliath SEO Campaign – Rogerwilco

Publisher Trade Marketing Campaign

• Sony E3 Experience powered by Sony Experia Z2 – Burn Media

CORE AWARDS: Email Marketing

Email Campaign

• What’sForDinner Wigwam – Liquorice

Email Publication

• Spree.co.za Newsletters – Spree.co.za
• First Thing & Weekend Thing Newsletter – Daily Maverick

CORE AWARDS: Social, Community & PR

Social Media Campaigns

• One Rand Man – King James Group / Society / Atmosphere
• FNB Ideas Can Help – Gloo
• The Penguin Run – Utopia
• PoloTag – OgilvyOne South Africa
• Get me to 21 – Lowe and Partners Cape Town
• Smuggle the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow. – DDB South Africa
• Design Indaba, ABSA Sponsorship – Make Think Become Did – BNRY & Jupiter Drawing Room Johannesburg
• Unite Joburg – Publicis Machine
• The Street Store – M&C Saatchi Abel
• Dinnercam – Society / Atmosphere / King James Group
• MWEB TweetSeat – Society / Atmosphere / King James Group
• Magnum Pink & Black Twitter Auction – Liquorice
• Savanna Serenades – Quirk
• FNB Adventures of RB – Lighthouse and Gloo
• Whopper Your Selfie – King James Group / Punk / Society / Atmosphere
• Chicken Licken’s ‘Secret Menu’ – Net#work BBDO
• C-Class – No Alternative – iProspect South Africa
• 60 days to #LIVEWITHHEART – Hellocomputer
• Absa April Fools’ – Base2
• Choma – NATIVE VML
• Sunlight – Liquorice
• South African Tourism #MeetSouthAfrica – Flow Communications
• Design Indaba Newsroom – Publicis Machine
• Sowetan Live – NATIVE VML
• The Mirage Fuel Challenge – Gullan&Gullan Digital
• SuperSport World Cup Live – Levergy
• Social Feed – Hellocomputer

Social Media Properties

• FNB Ideas Can Help – Gloo
• Savanna Cider on Social – Quirk
• Chamber of Mines South Africa: What’s yours is mined – Quirk
• SuperSport social media – DStv Digital Media
• Robertsons Herbs and Spices – Liquorice
• Varsity College Digital Eco-System – THB Click
• Magnum – Liquorice
• Sunlight – Liquorice
• Three Ships Gets Social – Quirk

Use of User Generated Content

• Bookly – NATIVE VML
• FNB Ideas Can Help – Gloo
• Whopper Your Selfie – King James Group / Punk / Society / Atmosphere
• Design Indaba, ABSA Sponsorship – Make Think Become Did – BNRY & Jupiter Drawing Room Johannesburg
• American Swiss Billboard Campaign – World Wide Creative
• 60 days to #LIVEWITHHEART – Hellocomputer
• Project Trapped – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize
• The Street Store – M&C Saatchi Abel
• #ShareTheHappy Mxit – Liquorice
• #EdgarsJika – M&C Saatchi Abel
• #Kulula13 – NATIVE VML

CORE AWARDS: Application & Tools

Browser-based Software

• News24 Elections Maps – 24.com
• WeChatBuilder – Swipe Interactive
• OMO Fast Kids – Liquorice
• Vaseline Skin Analysis In 60 Seconds – Liquorice
• Vicinity Adserver Platform – Vicinity
• Meet Your Match – Punk / King James Group
• Brandtribe – Techsys Digital
• Capitec Bank CMS platform – Quirk

Games and gamification

• BMW 2 series – Gloo
• PoloTag – OgilvyOne South Africa
• Smuggle the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow. – DDB South Africa
• Ride Epic – Injozi
• C-Class – No Alternative – iProspect South Africa
• What’sForDinner Trolley Dash – Liquorice & Mindshare
• MINILECTRIX – Gloo
• Design Indaba, ABSA Sponsorship – Make Think Become Did – BNRY & Jupiter Drawing Room Johannesburg
• Citroen DS3 Cabrio Launch – iLogic

CORE AWARDS: Integrated/ Mixed Media

Data Inspired Creative

• News24 Elections Maps – News24
• #DSTVGuideme – NATIVE VML & DStv Digital Media
• Discovery Healthy Company – BNRY
• Sowetan Live – NATIVE VML

Digital Instillations and activations

• Design Indaba, ABSA Sponsorship – Make Think Become Did – BNRY & Jupiter Drawing Room Johannesburg
• The Penguin Run – Utopia
• Magnum Pink & Black Twitter Auction – Liquorice
• Chocnology – NATIVE VML
• PoloTag – OgilvyOne South Africa
• Unite Joburg – Publicis Machine
• Whisky Profiler: Sensorium – King James Group / Society/ Punk
• Dinnercam – Society / Atmosphere / King James Group
• Crime Scene – Cinema Activation – Ireland / Davenport
• MINILECTRIX – Gloo
• Blok – an innovative off plan property sales kiosk and app – Formula D interactive
• MWEB TweetSeat – Society / Atmosphere / King James Group
• The Walking Dead iPad Activation – Ireland / Davenport
• Citroen DS3 Cabrio Launch – iLogic
• Wi-Fi Hotspot – Ireland / Davenport
• Twerk Activated Beer Machine – Liquorice
• Robertson’s #Skydine – Liquorice

Integrated Multi-platform campaign

• Chocnology – NATIVE VML
• Bookly – NATIVE VML
• Comedy Central “Own a Piece of South Park.” – OgilvyOne Cape Town
• One Rand Man – King James Group / Society / Atmosphere
• Explore The Night – Isobar Cape Town
• Project Trapped – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize
• FNB League of Innovators – Gloo
• Whopper Your Selfie – King James Group / Punk / Society / Atmosphere
• Design Indaba, ABSA Sponsorship – Make Think Become Did – BNRY & Jupiter Drawing Room Johannesburg
• Lucky Pet – It’s Fish They’re After – The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town)
• Meet Your Match – King James Group / Punk / Society / Atmosphere
• BMW 2 series – Gloo & Vizeum
• Castle Lager “Braai App” – Gloo
• Smuggle the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow. – DDB South Africa
• Big Brother Africa – DStv Digital Media
• RAB “ON THE SPOT” CAMPAIGN – Quirk
• Smirnoff 1818 ClubHouse Driver – Integrated Mixed Media – MECGroup
• Choma – NATIVE VML
• Made of Black – Isobar Cape Town
• J&B – Shazam Integrated Multi-platform – MECGroup & AdVine
• Hungry Lion – Lucky Bucket Integrated Campaign – Quirk
• #OSCAREXTRA POP-UP RADIO STATION – Primedia Broadcasting
• Gumtree Extreme ReFresh – Ogilvy Public Relations Cape Town
• Indie Channel – NATIVE VML
• AXECESS launch campaign – Gorilla
• Johnnie Walker – Kings Of Flavour – Integrated Mixed Media – MECGroup
• Chase the Yaris – Hellocomputer

Integrated Mobile campaign

• BMW 2 series – Gloo & Vizeum
• Bookly – NATIVE VML
• VODACOM SOCCER – V-Live & USSD Portals – MobiMedia
• Amarula 25th Birthday – Liquorice
• PoloTag – OgilvyOne South Africa
• Castle Lite Extra Cold Music – Liquorice
• Social Feed – Hellocomputer
• #allinPirates – 140 BBDO
• Choma – NATIVE VML

CORE AWARDS: Ecommerce

Ecommerce-Site

• Spree.co.za – Spree.co.za
• Vodacom online contract and upgrade applications – Vodacom
• Unilever Deals – Thumbtribe

CORE AWARDS: Mobile

Mobile Application/ Tool

• Bookly – NATIVE VML
• News24 Elections – 24.com
• BMW 2 series – Gloo
• Vodacom “Java App” – Lighthouse and Gloo
• Castle Lager “Braai App” – Gloo
• Vicinity Adserver Platform – Vicinity
• Design Indaba, ABSA Sponsorship – Make Think Become DidBNRY – & Jupiter Drawing Room Johannesburg

Mobile Publication

• Castle Lite Extra Cold Mobile Music – Liquorice
• Huisgenoot Resepte & YOU Recipes – Media24

Mobile Site

• News24 Elections Mobile Site – 24.com
• Bookly – NATIVE VML
• Soccer Laduma – Swipe Interactive
• www.gometro.co.za – Go Metro Pty Ltd

Rich Media Advertising for Mobile Devices

• New Spin On Things – TBWA\Tequila\Johannesburg
• Johnson’s Baby-Triple Baby Protection Rich Media – Mark 1 Media

CRAFT AWARDS

Editorial (media – news, magazines, radio, and TV stations/networks)

• mg.co.za – M&G
• Cerebra Editorial – Cerebra
• Anglo American: 2014 Mining Indaba – Ogilvy PR and Social@Ogilvy
• 947 – Primedia Broadcasting
• Love Your Home digital magazine – Cerebra
• KFM – Primedia Broadcasting
• BBC.com Africa – BBC.com Africa

UX Design

• Capitec Bank Website – Quirk
• Smuggle the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow. – DDB South Africa
• PGP Capture – New Media Labs
• Join Our Table – Injozi
• New Golf R – OgilvyOne South Africa
• Mobi Real Estate Website – Prop Data

Graphic Design

• Meet Your Match – Punk / King James Group
• PoloTag – OgilvyOne South Africa
• Capitec Bank Website – Quirk
• Join Our Table – Injozi
• FNB League of Innovators – Gloo
• Explore The Night – Isobar Cape Town
• BMW 2 series – Gloo
• The Journal – Hellocomputer
• Olmeca Switch On The Night – Hellocomputer

Tech. Innovation

• Chocnology – NATIVE VML
• Bookly – NATIVE VML
• Amarula 25th Birthday – Liquorice
• Ride Epic – Injozi
• SnappBox – Snapplify
• PUMA “Visar” – Gloo
• Blok app – a new tool for off plan property sales – Formula D interactive
• Webfluential – Webfluential
• FNB Joburg Art Fair – Gloo
• Smuggle the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow. – DDB South Africa
• ZoomPress 2.0 – Kazazoom
• Anglo American Mining Indaba Interactive Projection Table – HKLM and The Kinetic

Copywriting

• The Penguin Run – Utopia
• Comedy Central “Own a Piece of South Park.” – OgilvyOne Cape Town
• Med-Lemon Sick Tweets – 140 BBDO
• FNB League of Innovators – Gloo
• One Rand Man – Society / King James Group

Use of online video, audio and music

• Smuggle the Rainbow. Taste the Rainbow. – DDB South Africa
• #RoadToRancho – MotionCityFilms
• The Walking Dead iPad Activation – Ireland / Davenport
• Meet Your Match – Punk / King James Group
• Indie Channel – NATIVE VML

Newswire

• TEAMtalk Media Newswire – TEAMtalk Media
• APO (African Press Organization) – APO
• Direct Axis Illumination Campaign – Rogerwilco

Research and Insights Projects

• Vaseline Skin Analysis In 60 Seconds – Liquorice
• Understanding Financial Literacy & Debt in Low LSM Youth – NATIVE VML
• Nedbank – DigitLab

INDIVIDUAL & TEAM AWARDS

Best Editorial Team

• ZANEWS – Both Worlds
• Daily Maverick – Daily Maverick
• Burn Media – Burn Media
• Between 10and5 – Between 10 and 5
• Huisgenoot, YOU and DRUM editorial team – Media24 (Pty) Ltd.
• South African Tourism – Flow Communications
• Soccer Laduma Editorial Team – Soccer Laduma
• Social@Ogilvy Editorial Team – Social@Ogilvy

  Best Digital/ Media Strategist

• Klaus Germann – Hellocomputer
• Mike Jones – NATIVE VML
• Sarietha Engelbrecht – Media24 Magazines
• Jessica van der Westhuyzen – NATIVE VML
• Catherine Murray – Creative Spark

Best Creative/ Designer/ Copywriter/ Content Writer

• Ryan McManus – NATIVE VML
• Emma Carpenter – Quirk
• Emile Rohlandt – Hellocomputer

Best Young Gun

• Christopher Cannoo – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize
• Joe Crann – Soccerladuma
• Myka Hecht-Wendt – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize
• Victoria Smith – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize
• Sam Wells – Hellocomputer
• Matthew Crisp – Liquorice
• David Tshabalala – SoulProviders

Best Community Manager/ Social Media Marketer

• Donovan White – NATIVE VML
• Keenan Harduth – Cerebra
• Wilmer Müller – Huisgenoot

Best Account/ Client Service Manager

• Chantal Brunette – NATIVE VML
• Estelle Visser – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize

Best Search Marketer

• Brett Pringle – Rogerwilco
• Andre Wilkinson – Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize
• Graeme Stiles – Quirk

Best Journalist

• Richard Poplak – Daily Maverick
• Ranjeni Munusamy – Daily Maverick
• Thomas Holder – Primedia Broadcasting
• Angus Powers – Union Sports Mag
• Aletta Gardner – Primedia Broadcasting
• Stuart Thomas – Burn Media

Best Editor

• Branko Brkic – Daily Maverick
• Alix-Rose Cowie – Between 10 and 5
• Wilmer Muller – Huisgenoot
• Adrian Ephraim – M&G
• Izak Minnaar – SABC Digital News
• Amanda Moore – EYEWITNESS NEWS – Primedia Broadcasting
• Michelle Atagana – Burn Media
• Stuart Thomas – Burn Media

Best Blogger

• Diary of a zulu girl – Diary of a zulu girl

Best Ad-Ops Team

• MECGroup Ad Ops – MECGroup
• Sizmek – Sizmek
• Mark 1 Ad Ops Team – Mark 1 Media