Ogilvy & Mather Africa scooped 20 prizes in the Advertising Practitioners Awards 2016, including two of the top Grand Prix prizes, stamping its position as the best and most creative integrated agency in Africa.

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The firm, Africa’s premier communications agency with operations in 27 countries across the continent, was recognised at the awards gala at the weekend in every key category – Television, Print, Radio, Digital, Interactive and Media Innovation.

The firm’s Churchill Oele and Patrick Biwott, were also awarded the Young Creatives Awards, which comes with an opportunity to attend Cannes International Festival 2017 in June next year.

The CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Africa, Nadja Bellan-White said: “We are delighted by this recognition. As an agency, we believe our work is about finding ideas across different mediums. This demonstrates the depth and breadth of our creativity as we help our clients to solve their business challenges through integrated communications campaigns”.

Speaking at the awards gala, the Regional Managing Director of Ogilvy & Mather Africa, Mathieu Plassard said: “Growing and training young Kenyan talent is one of our key objectives as a group. The recognition of our talent in the Young Creatives category highlights our efforts. Ultimately, in the words of our founder, David Ogilvy, who said that advertising agencies have to be like teaching hospitals. This is the reason we have strategic partnerships with different institutions to grow talent within the group.”

The awards, which returned this year after a 12-year hiatus, celebrate creative ingenuity in the Kenyan advertising industry. 

A total of 66 awards were won in 15 creative categories from TV, Radio & Print commercials, Integrated Communications Campaign, Digital, Interactive, Experiential, Media Innovation, Sustainable Marketing, and Young Creatives Award. For this year’s awards, APA partnered with Loeries, one of the world's most prestigious companies championing creative expression.

During the awards, Ogilvy & Mather Africa won 2 Grand Prix, 5 Gold (in Media Innovation, Digital, Print, Radio and TV); 5 Silver and Certificates (Print, TV and Media); 6 Bronze (Media Innovation, Digital, Print and TV); and 2 Young Creatives.

Globally, Ogilvy is the most creative network having been named ‘Network of the year’ for the fifth time at Cannes International Festival.