MMA International CEO for Türkiye, the Center East and Africa Melis Ertem says this 12 months’s Smarties entries have been a masterclass in mixing creativity, innovation and know-how. “Judging was extremely troublesome — each case introduced daring pondering and actual affect.”
Ertem says the three massive successful campaigns stood out for his or her mix of strategic pondering, cultural resonance and enterprise affect, reflecting the dynamism and creativity of South African customers and the entrepreneurs who join with them.
The 2025 judging panel included senior entrepreneurs and digital leaders from TikTok, Customary Financial institution, MTN, Nestlé, Absa, Takealot and Unilever. The 2025 jury chairs have been chief progress officer at Mesh.commerce Luisa Mazinter, and MMA South Africa chair emeritus, Khensani Nobanda (CM(SA)), who can be Nedbank group govt: advertising & company affairs.
Head of gross sales for Sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok Carl Jordan says the calibre of entries this 12 months was nothing wanting distinctive. “What stood out throughout the board was how manufacturers are embracing information and know-how not simply as enablers, however as core storytelling instruments. We noticed campaigns that moved past surface-level creativity — they have been good, purposeful and designed for real-world affect. Judging the Smarties reaffirmed simply how daring and world-class South African advertising has grow to be.”
See the complete checklist of winners right here: https://www.mmaglobal.com/smarties-2025/finalists/winners/index/area:7
The large take-out: From presenting fascinating model tales to reflecting deep client perception and daring use of know-how, this 12 months’s winners demonstrated the complete potential of recent advertising.
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