More than 200 people from agencies, production companies, brands and across the wider industry packed out Ster-Kinekor in Rosebank for the first-ever South African Creative Showcase. Hosted by IDIDTHAT and the ACA, with the backing of Creative Circle (and big thanks to Ster-Kinekor and the legends at Heineken Beverages), the afternoon brought together the people behind the work South Africa is taking to Cannes Lions 2026. Fourteen agencies took to the stage alongside their clients to share a piece they believe has what it takes to make the country proud on the global stage, unpacking the thinking, craft and collaboration behind the work in front of a room full of industry peers, partners and supporters.

Thank you to our friends at ALT Studios for the epic video and photography on the day.

Inspired by the spirit of the annual South African group photo at Cannes Lions, the showcase was created to bring that same sense of camaraderie home. A chance for the industry to come together around the work itself. Not to judge it or rank it. Simply to celebrate the creativity South Africa is sending to the global stage this year. And damn we have some great work heading to France.

What made the event special wasn’t just the work being showcased, but seeing competitors sitting side-by-side, agencies and clients cheering each other on, an industry collectively getting behind South African creativity.

As IDIDTHAT founder Julie Maunder explained in her opening remarks, the idea came from wanting to recreate a feeling familiar to anyone who has attended Cannes. “Every year in Cannes, South Africans working across agencies, production companies and brands come together for the South African group photo. For a moment, nobody is thinking about who they compete against. Everyone is simply proud to be part of Team South Africa. We wanted to bring that feeling home and back to the work itself.”

Welcoming guests on behalf of the ACA, Executive Director Gillian Rightford reminded the audience why creativity sits at the heart of everything the industry does. “When we arrive on the global stage, we don’t arrive as competing agencies, production companies, media owners or marketers. We arrive as South Africans. We arrive as one team.”

She added that the showcase was ultimately about celebrating the people representing South Africa on the world stage. “Today is about celebrating the athletes we are sending to the Advertising Olympics.”

The event concluded with a giant South African group photo outside the cinema, complete with flags, cheers, hugs, and the kind of energy normally reserved for the Croissette in Cannes. A fitting end to an afternoon that proved something many of us already know: South African creativity may compete fiercely throughout the year, but when it comes time to represent the country on the global stage, we know how to show up together.

Thank you to everyone who presented, attended, supported and helped bring the first South African Creative Showcase to life. Same time next year.

VIEW THE WORK PRESENTED:

Below is the work presented at the South African Creative Showcase – a collection of campaigns selected by the agencies and clients behind them. This is the work they hope will make South Africa proud at Cannes Lions 2026. Presented live, each team unpacked the strategy, insight, craft and collaboration that brought the work to life, while sharing why they believe it deserves a place on the global stage. Check out the work below and judge for yourself.

Accenture Song – The Philipstown WireCar Foundation ‘The Philipstown WireCar Grand Prix’ (View Work)
Bananas – KFC ‘M ssing Piece’ (View Work)
BlackSwan – Telkom ‘Pop of Possibility Brand Refresh’ (View Work)
Boundless – NSPCA ‘Rein in the Pain’ (View Work)
Joe Public – Nedbank ‘Hardworking Professionals’ (View Work)
KA Muses – KFC Add Hope ‘The World’s Biggest Hunger Hack’  (View Work)
Le Pub – Heineken ‘Bar de Change’ (View Work)
M&C Saatchi Abel – Standard Bank ‘Track Your Racks’ (View Work)
Machine_ – Spotify ‘Don’t.Stop.The.Music’ (View Work)
Ogilvy South Africa – AB InBev – Carling Black Label ‘The Real Injury Time’ (View Work)
Retroviral – ProfMed ‘FinDR’ (View Work)
TBWA Hunt Lascaris – Nissan South Africa ‘Nissan Intelligent Playlist’ (View Work)
The Odd Number – Previdar ‘Show Ghana Love’ (View Work)
VML South Africa – Vaseline ‘Mntana ka Gogo’ (View Work)

PHOTO GALLERY:

Photography: ALT Studios

Produced by the IDIDTHAT Content Studio