VML South Africa Named Agency OF The Year At 2025 Smarties Awards

VML South Africa had plenty to celebrate last Thursday after taking home an impressive 17 awards at the Smarties Awards 2025, including six gold awards, five silver awards and six bronze awards, and the coveted title of Agency of the Year for South Africa.

Big ideas, real impact

The Smarties Awards, hosted by MMA Global, and locally by MMA South Africa, recognise marketing campaigns that drive real business results through innovation and effectiveness. This year’s awards were especially notable, having been formally recognised by both WARC (World Advertising Research Centre) Rankings and RECMA (Research Company Evaluating the Media Agency Industry) making a win more prestigious, and more competitive, than ever.

Reflecting the evolution of modern marketing, the 2025 Smarties placed stronger emphasis on creative uses of AI and data, rewarding campaigns that blended emotional intelligence with technological fluency.

Keeping it simple, making it exceptional

For Fran Luckin, chief creative officer at VML South Africa, the recognition is about more than metal. “We’re incredibly proud of our teams – not just for the wins, but for the kind of work they’re creating,” says Luckin. “At VML, we don’t believe in overcomplicating things. We believe in simple, clear ideas – but we do obsess about how we bring them to life. We put real care into the craft because that’s what makes a piece of work not just clever, but memorable. We want to make work that surprises people, and most importantly, makes them feel something.”

She also notes the importance of strong client-agency partnerships in bringing bold ideas to life. “We’re grateful to work with brave, collaborative clients who trust us enough to be a little audacious. These wins are a testament to what’s possible when that kind of partnership exists.”

Full list of VML Smarties wins 2025

Agency of the Year: VML South Africa

Standard Bank SA: Fraud Is No Fairytale

• Bronze – Impact Media/Cross Digital Media Marketing
• Bronze – Ecommerce/CX, UX & Design
• Bronze – Purpose Driven Marketing/Brand Purpose

Standard Bank sub-Saharan Africa: Beat the Scam

• Silver – Purpose Driven Marketing/Social Impact Marketing
• Bronze – Impact Media/Social Media Marketing

Looksee by Standard Bank: Flip the Switch

• Gold – Impact Media/Real Time Marketing
• Silver – Impact Media/Omnichannel Marketing

Instant Money Mondays

• Silver – Impact Media/Gaming, Gamification & E-Sports
• Bronze – Impact Media/Small Budget, Big Impact

Savings Month

• Bronze – Impact Media/Social Media Marketing

Unilever Dove: Real Beauty Generation

• Gold – Purpose Driven Marketing/Brand Purpose
• Gold – Diversity and Inclusion
• Silver – Innovative Use of AI in Advertising

Nando’s: Push Notification Strategy

• Silver – Customer Journey Marketing/Lead Generation & CRM

Mondelez Lunch Bar: Lunch Bar, UFOs & The Biggest Chocolate Cover-Up

• Gold – Brand Experience

Nasa Won’t Confirm It, But TikTok Will

• Gold – Social Media Marketing

How a UFO Cover-Up Sold Millions of Lunch Bars

• Gold – Creator/Influencer/Celebrity Marketing