Finalists announced for 2023 IMM Marketing Excellence Awards

The IMM Institute South Africa (IMM) is pleased to announce the finalists of this year’s IMM Marketing Excellence Awards. The Awards recognise and honour those individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to the marketing industry.

This year’s finalists:

Marketer of the Year

Sponsored by IMM Graduate School: Celebrating the individual marketer who has demonstrated excellence in their field.

Alistair Mokoena – Country Director for Google Africa
Chantal Sombonos – van Tonder – CEO of Chicken Licken
Andisa Ntsubane – Managing Executive: Brand, Marketing and Communications Africa for Vodacom Group

Emerging Marketer of the Year

Sponsored by BrandX: Recognising the rising star in marketing who
has shown exceptional promise and potential.

Charles Poulter – Account Director for SWM Communications
Tanya James – Business Owner at The MarketHear
Pat Mahlangu – CEO of 3 organisations: Lerato Agency; Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards; Pat On Brands

Marketing Student of the Year

Sponsored by UXi Private Education: Acknowledging the outstanding achievements of marketing students who are the future of our industry.

Dhashika Ramgolam – An Honours student at the IMM Graduate School
Justin Beswick – An Honours student at Vega School
Nico v d Westhuizen – 1st Year student at the IMM Graduate School

Corporate Marketing Team of the Year

Sponsored by BrandSA: Honouring the collaborative efforts of a high-performing marketing team within a corporation.

Old Mutual Insure
Deloitte Africa Consulting
Tiger Brands

Lifetime Achievement

Sponsored by SAB (ABINBEV): Celebrating a seasoned professional’s lifelong contribution to the field.

This winner will be announced at the Awards Gala Evening.

Irene Gregory, CEO of the IMM Institute and organiser of the event, congratulated all the finalists. “The
finalists have received the endorsement of their peers, who have not only acknowledged their
outstanding work but also their inspiration to others in the industry to strive for excellence.”

Through the Marketing Excellence Awards, the IMM seeks to recognise contributions to the industry by bold brands and marketers who display thought leadership and commitment to excellence in the art of
marketing. A committee of South Africa’s top business and marketing executives, as well as marketing education specialists, will identify individuals, brands and businesses that will be honoured at the Marketing Excellence Awards gala dinner to be held at The Venue in Melrose Arch on the evening of 8 November 2023.

Angela Bruwer, Academic Head of IMM Graduate School and also a judge, says: “Classic marketing strategies are no longer enough to move businesses forward, and today’s marketers must hone their technology skills to drive their own competitiveness and that of their clients.”

To this end, the 2023 IMM Marketing Conference is this year venturing into the realm of AI and exploring its potential in marketing. Gregory adds: “The evolving landscape of influencer marketing will also be explored, and we will redefine its impact. In addition, delegates will learn how to navigate the intricacies of user-generated content. Striking a balance between its vibrant energy and potential risks
is critical.”

Attendees will enjoy an array of practical case studies, panel sessions, and insights from international and local industry giants as they share what it means to be a marketer in 2023.

The 2023 IMM Conference takes place at the IMM Graduate School in Parktown Johannesburg on 8
and 9 November 2023.

A highlight of the conference will be the first day’s Brand SA session looking at ways to position the South African brand. It commences with the keynote presentation, Creating a Compelling Brand Story for South Africa: Unleashing its Global Appeal, followed by a review of global trends and innovations in
destination marketing, and a panel discussion.

Brand Equity: What is it really?

Comprehending and crafting brand equity is vital for every business intending to make it big and expand. This blog will define brand equity, the parts that make it up, and its important role in any branding project. As a strategic branding coach or simply a branding aficionado looking to learn more about the subject, the online short course on Strategic Brand Management by the IMM Institute is one of the best and explains how making brand equity take centre stage in your brand strategy can result in business success.

Brands Who Cheated the Fundamentals: Biggest Brand Fails of 2024

In the year 2024, many big and popular brands have come under fire owing to expensive blunders that they committed themselves to. Insensitive messaging and disregard for privacy highlighted a failure to follow basic marketing principles. These mistakes served as a clear warning of the serious damage that can occur to a brand’s reputation when it strays from fundamental values. Today, where consumer trust is fragile and digital backlash swift, these brand failures offer valuable insights into the importance of consistency, transparency, and customer-centricity.

Facts and Myths about SEO and Why Copywriting is Essential to the process

Digital marketing has changed quite a lot over the past few years, giving rise to the role of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) as an integral part of any business aiming to enhance its online profile. Still, given the changes in search engine algorithms and the endless theories out there, one would find it rather difficult to separate SEO myths from SEO truths. In this blog, we will be looking at different realities and beliefs about SEO and give reasons why one cannot avoid using copywriting principles when writing for search engines. We refer to this practice as SEO copywriting. If you are looking to develop SEO writing skills, you should sign up for the SEO Copywriting course offered by IMM Institute.

The Ethics of AI in Marketing: Where Is the Line?

The emergence of artificial intelligence in marketing lays both opportunities and challenges. Although AI extends our ability to deliver personalised content and accurate forecasts, it also elicits moral dilemmas that are proving hard to overlook. As marketers, where do we need to curb our enthusiasm in the use of AI? In this blog, we’ll discuss the most important ethical issues in AI in marketing, the attitudes toward its advancement, and how to keep up with the changes in this subject.

Advertising on TikTok: Three Popular Marketing Gurus to Follow

The phenomenon of TikTok cannot be overlooked. The incorporation of this platform, whose active users exceed one billion in the world, has changed the modus operandi of addressing market audiences especially the young audiences. The short and entertaining focus by TikTok has got brands thinking of new ways to build up themselves through authenticity, creativity, originality and reach. For marketers, one has to understand the current trends and ad tactics of TikTok to keep up with the competition.

Online Customer Relationships: 10 Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Did you know that 37% of customers say they won’t support a business due to a lack of a personalised experienced and poor customer relationship management? As online interactions become more central to the digital customer experience, nurturing strong, respectful relationships is crucial for building loyalty and long-term success. However, the digital realm and digital marketing also brings unique challenges, and even well-meaning professionals often make common mistakes in their approach.