The Assegai Integrated Marketing Awards in conjunction with the IAS introduced a new award category into the 2016 awards programme – the IAS Agency Credentials Award.  The award received some interest with entries in 2016 and the first winner announced that year, being Promise agency. The IAS then relaunched the award in 2020 in conjunction with the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA) who host the Assegai Awards.

Once again, the aim of the award is to recognise an agency’s credentials set – written credentials document as well as the agency culture reel - within the various agency discipline types e.g. creative, digital, PR, media and design in South Africa. According to Johanna McDowell, the CEO of IAS, “This award will only be judged by marketers and not other agencies or journalists.  We want to put agency credentials in front of as many marketers as we can in order to create opportunities for those agencies.”  The IAS will also ensure that at least two international intermediaries as well as the IAS directors are part of the judging panel for this award. In addition, this year, entries will be encouraged from agencies in the rest of Africa and the Middle East.

“We look forward to working with the Assegai’s as their sphere of influence increases into the African continent. This coincides perfectly with the IAS’s expansion into other parts of Africa,” concludes McDowell.

Closing date for entries is 27 August. The IAS Agency Credentials Award falls into Section F. All details can be found on the Assegai Awards website:  https://www.assegaiawards.co.za/award-categories/The Assegai Awards are hosted in association with the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA).

A DMASA Assegai Award is a mark of victory in Direct Marketing excellence.  Johanna McDowell will also be a judge at this year’s awards acknowledging entries that deliver exceptional results. Since their inception, the Assegai Awards have striven to benchmark the South African Direct Marketing industry, to highlight best-in-class examples and encourage all players in the industry to work towards achieving greatness in their campaigns.

The ultimate goal remains to keep raising the bar for the whole industry. Comments David Dickens, CEO of the DMASA, “It was a natural fit that we should include a Credentials Award into our categories of awards for agencies in the Assegai programme in 2016.  We are very pleased that the IAS is once again partnering with us for this important award.” 

About the IAS
The IAS (Independent Agency Search and Selection Company) in association with the AAR Group (UK) was founded in South Africa in 2006. IAS specializes in client/agency relationship management and helping clients find agencies .International associate company AAR Group was founded more than 40 years ago in the UK and has associates and branches throughout the world.The Independent Agency Search & Selection Company is committed to the international and local pitch guidelines as defined by both the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising UK) and the ACA (The Association of Communications Agencies SA).
www.agencyselection.co.za