The Assegai Integrated Marketing Awards, in conjunction with the IAS (Independent Agency Search and Selection) is proud to announce that two entrants of the IAS Agency Credentials Award achieved the prestigious gold award, namely Ogilvy, and Saatchi & Saatchi.

Although this award was inaugurated in 2016, IAS recently revitalised their relationship with the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA), organisers of the Assegai Awards, in order to 'relaunch' the IAS Credentials Award in 2021. The award ceremony took place on 9 November 2023 in Melrose, Johannesburg. Entries were received from creative, digital and media agencies.

Judges included several leading South African marketers as well as international judge Cesar Vacchiano who is president and global CEO of SCOPEN International. Johanna McDowell, CEO, Nikki Munsie, business director and Tebatso Masete, project director of the IAS were also part of the judging panel.

According to Vacchiano: “The judges were quite specific about the criteria and the winning entry certainly displayed evidence of an agency that was clear about their focus and positioning. The credentials entries provided the judges with insight into the agency culture and the successes of the work that they are doing for their clients. ROI was clearly evident.”

Johanna McDowell, founder and CEO of the IAS comments: “We are committed to our partnership with DMASA and will continue to offer the Credentials Award. We would like to encourage more agencies to enter this award in the future because it will give them an opportunity to showcase their agency to the significant number of leading marketers on the judging panel,” concludes McDowell.