WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2023 IMM MARKETING EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Johannesburg 9 November 2023 | The IMM Institute South Africa (IMM) is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s IMM Marketing Excellence Awards. The winners received their awards at a gala dinner held at The Venue in Melrose Arch last night, 8 Nov 2023 as part of the 2023 IMM Marketing Conference.

The Awards recognise and honour those individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to the marketing industry.

Marketer of the year: Chantal Sombonos – Van Tonder
Sombonos is the CEO of Chicken Licken, under whose tenure the brand has garnered numerous accolades, including 133 Loeries and seven consecutive ‘Brand of the Year’ awards, alongside eight D&AD Pencils and a Bronze Cannes Lion. In 2020, Sombonos won the prestigious Loeries Marketing Leadership and Innovation award.

Emerging Marketer of the Year: Pat Mahlangu
Mahlangu is a marketing media entrepreneur with over 12 years of experience. In 2020, he launched Lerato Agency, serving both local and international brands. His commitment to inspiring young people led to the creation of the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards,
celebrating youth excellence in brand building. Also in 2023 he was recognised as one of the Top 200 Young South Africans by Mail and Guardian and became a Play Your Part Ambassador for Brand South Africa.

Marketing Student of the Year: Dhashika Ramgolam
Ramgolam is a digital marketing manager with 15 years’ experience; she is an academic achiever who consistently excels, currently pursuing her honours degree while managing a full-time role as a digital marketing manager.

Corporate Marketing Team of the Year: Tiger Brands’ Albany Brand Team

The Albany Brand Team is the driving force behind one of Tiger Brands’ most cherished brands. Albany is a bread brand woven into the fabric of South African culture. The Albany Brand Team is passionate about preserving this legacy while meeting the evolving needs and preferences of South African consumers.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Brand Pretorius

Toyota South Africa’s Pretorius has been selected as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding and unparalleled contributions to the field of
marketing. With a career that spans decades, he played a pivotal role in making Toyota a market leader in both sales and customer satisfaction. His impressive track record
continued as he took the helm at McCarthy Motor Holdings, skillfully rescuing the company from financial distress and saving thousands of jobs. His journey has been characterised by unwavering integrity and a commitment to literacy through initiatives like the Rally to Read.

Angela Bruwer, Academic Head of IMM Graduate School and a judge, congratulated each of the deserved winners, noting the decisions had been tough choices. She observed that classic marketing strategies are no longer enough to move businesses forward, which was the theme of the conference.

The 2023 IMM Marketing Conference, held at the IMM Graduate School in Parktown Johannesburg on 8/9 November 2023, this year ventured into the realm of AI, exploring its potential in marketing. It also delved into the evolving landscape of influencer marketing, redefining its impact. Delegates were given hands-on tips on how to navigate the intricacies of user-generated content – striking a balance between its vibrant energy and potential risks.

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

A highlight of the conference was a Brand SA session looking at ways to position the South African brand. It commenced 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.

About the IMM
The Institute of Marketing Management South Africa (IMM) has been the pre-eminent marketing institute in Southern Africa for decades. It brings together like-minded individuals to share thoughts and experiences within the rapidly changing marketing environment.

The Institute of Marketing Management South Africa offers a wide range of value-added products and services for marketing professionals who are Associates in either an individual or corporate capacity.

www.imminstitute.co.za

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF IMM
For more information contact:
Lunice Johnston Communications
Lunice Johnston
Mobile: +27 82 824 6384

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.