Sport Industry Awards recognise outstanding campaigns and sponsorships over the past year
T&W, the creative agency, were the big winners at the Sport Industry Awards held in Johannesburg last night.
Known for their storytelling chops, T&W scooped Agency of the Year, helped in large part by the extraordinary success of Chasing the Sun 2, which they wrote and produced.
Many called it the greatest documentary ever made, and it stands comparison with any other in the sports realm thanks to getting to the heart of the Springboks’ magnificent defence of the World Cup in 2023.
More than that, Chasing the Sun 2 served to inspire thousands of South Africans, who got to learn and understand what constitutes the Boks’ psyche. T&W’s filmmaking skills were critical to elevating the story beyond the game itself.
T&W’s work on Chasing the Sun 2 who also won them Audio Visual Content of the Year Award and Campaign of the Year.
Proudly supported by SAB and TicketPro, the awards – the premier commercial sports showcase on the African continent – were a Who’s Who of the industry and included celebrity guests, members of sports bodies and media, who came to pay homage at Vodaworld.
Representing the passion and creativity behind some of South Africa’s most iconic sporting events, campaigns and sponsorships, the awards celebrate the outstanding behind-the-scenes accomplishments within the sporting industry.
Playmakers, a prominent sponsorship marketing management consultancy in the sport and lifestyle arena, took home the Active & Wellbeing Award for the ABSA Run Your City Series, with production company FuturePlay, an agency affiliated with Playmakers, winning The Communications Award for the History in our own Words promo for Supersport, creating hype and enthusiasm ahead of Dricus du Plessis competing in UFC 297.
FuturePlay also walked away with the Experiential Marketing Award, which saw Betway offering a risk-free betting opportunity by promising a refund if the Springboks lost the Rugby World Cup Final
Long-time sponsors Standard Bank SA won Brand or Sponsor of the Year for their sustained support of South Africa’s youth by supporting grassroots sport.
And creative agency Retroviral won the Social and Environmental Impact Award for their social impact drive (in partnership with BIC) which teamed with Paralympic hero Mpumelelo Mhlongo to contribute to the education of students in need.
For the second year running, Lions Cricket was recognised as Sport Organisation of the Year, due reward for their efforts in transformation, sustainability, and community development, along with their commitment to team work, innovation, and discipline.
2024 Sport Industry winners
AGENCY OF THE YEAR
T&W
ACTIVE & WELLBEING AWARD
ABSA Run Your City Series – Playmakers
AUDIO VISUAL CONTENT OF THE YEAR AWARD
Chasing the Sun 2 – SuperSport, SA Rugby and T&W
BEST ON SOCIAL
Forever Green Forever Gold FGFG- SA Rugby & Black and White Stripes
BRAND OR SPONSOR OF THE YEAR
Standard Bank Schools’ Sports Sponsorship – Standard Bank South Africa
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Chasing the Sun 2 marketing campaign – T&W
COMMUNICATIONS AWARD
History in our own words – FuturePlay
EVENT OF THE YEAR AWARD
The 2024 Castle Lager Rugby Championship and Incoming Series – SA Rugby
EVENT OR COMPETITION SPONSORSHIP AWARD
Vitality Run Series – Discovery Vitality
EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING AWARD
Betway Back the Boks – FuturePlay
FAN ENGAGEMENT AWARD
#bokfriday by Dialogue – SA Rugby – Dialogue Communications
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AWARD
Bic x Mpumelelo – Retroviral and Shaun James Film & Integer
SPORT ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR
Lions Cricket – Central Gauteng Lions
SPORTS PROMO OR ADVERT OF THE YEAR AWARD
Making Dreams Come True – Treble Group, Stephanus Rabie Productions
TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL SPONSORSHIP OF THE YEAR
DHL x Lifesaving South Africa – DHL
TECH INNOVATION AWARD
SuperSport Schools – SuperSport Schools
THE AFRICAN EXCELLENCE (CROSS-BORDER) AWARD
NBA Triple Double Start Up Accelerator Programme – NBA Africa/BAL.
