Commenting straight after the agency win, Pete Case says, “Winning agency of the year is an amazing honour for us and our clients for work that truly works – work rooted in culture and leveraging digital to move the industry and our brands forward.

“Special shout out to KFC for winning brand of the year – a fantastic result after their huge ongoing commitment in creativity and digital.”

The agency secured multiple gold accolades for campaigns including KFC South Africa’s KFC Sauce Code, KFC Block Booked, Your Ma Se KFC, and Cadbury Presents Real Mzansi Names.

Media24, Joe Public, TBWA\ Hunt Lascaris, Rogerwilco, and Juno Media all won gold across various categories.

TBWA\ Hunt Lascaris won for and City Lodge Hotels Save Our Stay (SOS)

Juno Media for Chicken Licken – It’s the little things that satisfy us most

Rogerwilco for Stellenbosch University – The S.E.O in G.E.O

Joe Public for Nedbank – Bank Your Time

Media24: Daily Sun for A Re Buwe, 2024 May Elections Coverage and Video News Reporting.

“The awards showcase the incredible talent and impact driving South Africa’s digital landscape,” says Chris Borain, executive director at IAB, South Africa.

“Our winners are setting universal benchmarks, proving that digital marketing is not only growing in scale and skill, but creating work that competes on a global stage. This is the kind of innovation and impact that inspires the next generation to aim even higher.”

Outstanding Individual Impact in Digital Award

This year, the Awards introduced the Outstanding Individual Impact in Digital Award, which was awarded to Jarred Coinman of VML.

The Award honours an individual whose vision and leadership have tangibly advanced South Africa’s digital industry, the award sets a new standard for recognising personal achievement in the sector.

A pioneer since the 1990s, Cinman co-founded one of the country’s earliest digital agencies and has been instrumental in shaping both the IAB and the Bookmarks Awards themselves.

His influence spans measurable business results, industry best practice, and online culture. At the same time, his commitment to mentorship, ethical leadership, and knowledge-sharing has helped nurture the next generation of digital talent.

Rankings

The Bookmarks Digital Rankings will be announced later this year, recognising the agencies and brands that have consistently delivered award-winning digital work.

In the meantime, winners are encouraged to log into the Bookmarks entry portal to update their credits, ensuring every contributor is recognised for their role in these achievements.