We are a Johannesburg-based integrated advertising agency defined by a devotion to brands and a dedication to ideas. This is because ideas ignite brands. Ideas that come from a spark of insight. A moment that exists between logic and magic. Ideas can cause thousands of people to do things they would never have dreamed they would do. Ideas can change the course of history or lead to a better soap flake. Ideas assist you to create something out of nothing.
That is what we at Ogilvy Johannesburg are hired to do. Every day. For all our clients. As an integrated advertising agency we draw from the best of both international and local best practice. Ogilvy Johannesburg has defined, developed and instituted world-class operational practices that literally liberate the organisation to focus on this key responsibility – creating ideas that solve business challenges.
By following the Brand Liberation Team philosophy, brands are positioned where they should be in our integrated agency – right at the centre. Planning, account management and creative are jointly responsible for the success in every way of the brands in their care. The team is strategically, operationally and creatively equipped to respond to any business challenge they encounter and then liberated to find the most relevant channel in which to execute it.
CREATIVE CIRCLE – AD OF THE YEAR
- 2016 – Group Agency of the Year by the Creative Circle
- 2015 – Group Agency of the Year Award by the Creative Circle
CREATIVE CIRCLE – AD OF THE MONTH
- 2017 – 2nd Jan – May DStv ‘Halloween Night Run’
- 2017 – 2nd Jan – May KFC ‘Suppertime Stories’
- 2017 – 1st Feb ‘Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing ‘Dirty, Dirty Hands (Massimo-the-massage-therapist, Avril-the-after-hours-erotic-novelist, Manuel-the-border-patrol-agent)’
- 2017 – 3rd Feb MTV ‘#FCKHIV – Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink’
- 2017 – 1st March KFC ‘The Everyman Meal – Sad Man (No One Cheerses, Long red thin shape, Repeat the Punchline)’ Radio Advertising Campaign
- 2017 – 2nd June – Aug KFC ‘Soundbite Chart’
- 2017 – 2nd June – Aug KFC ‘Soundbite Chart’
- 2016 – 1st March Radio KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal’ (Coloured Weights, Claw Thing, Cherry Lip Balm)
- 2016 – 2nd March TV SAB Castle ‘Coming Home’
- 2016 – 3rd April Radio Philips ‘Close Shave Stories’
- 2016 – 1st May Radio Vodacom You Should Have Called ‘Email, Meme, Double Blue Tick’
- 2016 – 2nd May TV Cadbury Lunchbar ‘Mo’
- 2016 – 3rd Apr – June Digital Cadbury Dair Milk Bubbly ‘Free the Joy’
- 2016 – 3rd Apr – June Digital MTV #LetsTalkColour
- 2016 – 3rd July Radio DStv Box Office DStv Box Office Street Movie Reviews – The Big Short, The Revenant, Joy
- 2016 – 1st May – Sep Experiential SAB ‘Spike Detector Coaster’
- 2016 – 1st Jul – Sep Digital KFC Shakin’ Shakin’
- 2016 – 1st Sept Radio KFC Streetwise 3 ‘Slyza Tsotsi 1, 2 & 3’
- 2016 – 2nd Sept Radio KFC Coffee Catch A Wake Up ‘Smoker, Cult’
- 2015 – Jan 2nd Experiential Comedy Central ‘Drunk History Whiskey’
- 2015 – May 1st TV Lucozade ‘Water Feature, Performance Art, Gum in Hair, Static’
- 2015 – May 2nd Radio Lucozade ‘Night before the project, Lacing up your high tops, Team Building’
- 2015 – May 1st Digital KFC ‘Soundbite’
- 2015 – June 3rd Outdoor BP Wild Bean Coffee ‘Don’t Yawn’
- 2015 – July 1st Radio DStv Compact ‘iTV Yam
- 2015 – July 1st Radio DStv Parental Control ‘True Facts – Teabags, Happy Endings, Gang Bangs’
- 2015 – August 3rd TV Comedy Central ‘Anger Management’
- 2015 – October 1st Radio DStv Brand ‘Halloween – Gazi, Car Jacker’
- 2015 – October 2nd TV KFC Add Hope ‘The Story of Hope’
D&AD
- 2017 – Wood Pencil for Mondelez ‘Cadbury Pre Joy’
- 2017 – Graphite Pencil for KFC ‘The Everyman Meal – Sad Man’
- 2016 – Yellow Pencil KFC Man Meals The Everyman Meal radio campaign
- 2016 – Wood Pencil Lucozade Energy Drink Give me strength radio campaign
- 2016 – Wood Pencil Lucozade Energy Drink Lacing Up Your High Tops
- 2016 – Wood Pencil Lucozade Energy Drink Team Building Weekend
- 2016 – Wood Pencil Lucozade Energy Drink Night Before The Project
- 2015 – Graphite Pencil Radio Campaign Lucozade ‘Give Me Strength’ campaign
- 2015 – Wood Pencil Direct Craft Writing Viacom/CC ‘Drunk History Whiskey’
- 2015 – Yellow Pencil Radio Craft Writing Lucozade
ONE SHOW
- 2017 – Merit for SAB ‘The SAB Spike Detector’
- 2017 – Merit for Mondelez ‘Cadbury Pre Joy’
- 2017 – Bronze Film for KFC ‘Shakin Shakin’
- 2017 – Merit KFC ‘Shakin Shakin’
- 2017 – Merit for SAB ‘The SAB Spike Detector’
- 2017 – Bronze x2 for KFC ‘The Everyman Meal’ Radio campaign
- 2017 – Merit for KFC ‘The Everyman Meal’
- 2017 – Bronze for Vodacom ‘You should have called’ Radio Campaign
- 2017 – Bronze for Vodacom ‘You should have called – Double Blue Tick ‘
- 2017 – Merit for KFC ‘The Everyman Meal – Coloured weights’
- 2017 – Merit for Vodacom ‘You should have called – Email’
- 2016 – Bronze Lucozade Energy Drink ‘Night Before The Project‘
- 2016 – Merit KFC ‘Soundbite’
- 2016 – Merit Lucozade Energy Drink ‘Team Building Weekend’
- 2015 – Merit Film Topsy ‘Kevin’
- 2015 – Silver Radio Lucozade ‘Teleconference’
- 2015 – Bronze Radio Lucozade ‘Give Me Strength’
- 2015 – Bronze Radio Craft Lucozade ‘Teleconference’
CLIOS
- 2016 – Gold KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal’ Radio Campaign
- 2016 – Craft Silver KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal’ Radio Campaign (Copywriting)
APEX
- 2017 – Bronze Mondelez ‘Acting on Impulse’
- 2017 – Bronze DStv ‘The Real Democratization of DSTV’ Sustain Category
- 2015 – Gold FNB ‘ATM Switch’
- 2015 – Silver KFC ‘Discover Life – Discover the Crunch’
- 2015 – Bronze KFC ‘Ka-Ching’
- 2015 – Special Award FNB ‘ATM Switch’
CANNES
- 2017 – Grand Prix for KFC ‘The Everyman Meal – Sad Man’ Radio Advertising Campaign
- 2017 – Gold for KFC ‘The Everyman Meal – Sad Man’ Radio Advertising Campaign
- 2017 – Gold for Mondelez ‘Cadbury Pre Joy’
- 2017 – Bronze KFC ‘Virgin Mojito’ Radio Advertising Campaign
- 2016 – Grand Prix KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal’ radio campaign
- 2016 – Craft Gold KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal’ radio campaign (Casting & Performance)
- 2016 – Craft Gold KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal’ radio campaign(Script)
- 2016 – Craft Silver Vodacom ‘You Should Have Called – Double Blue Tick’ (Casting & Performance)
- 2016 – Craft Silver Vodacom ‘You Should Have Called’ radio campaign (Script)
- 2016 – Silver Vodacom ‘You Should Have Called’ radio campaign
- 2016 – Craft Bronze Philips – Close Shave Stories radio campaign (Casting & Performance)
- 2016 – Bronze Philips – Close Shave Stories radio campaign
- 2016 – Bronze SAB Spike Detector Coaster
- 2015 – Gold Radio Lucozade ‘Night Before The Project’
- 2015 – Bronze Radio Lucozade ‘Lacing Up Your High Tops’
- 2015 – Bronze Radio Lucozade ‘Team Building Weekend’
- 2015 – Bronze Radio Scriptwriting Lucozade ‘Lacing Up Your High Tops’
- 2015 – Bronze Radio Scriptwriting Lucozade ‘Team Building Weekend’
LOERIES
- 2017 – Campaign Bronze AbInBev ‘Make Your Circle Bigger (Marco Polo, Head Bangers, Jousting)’
- 2017 – Campaign Silver KFC ‘Suppertime Stories’
- 2017 – Silver KFC ‘KFC Suppertime Stories’
- 2017 – Campaign Bronze KFC ‘Soundbite Chart (WeTransfer, Instagram)
- 2017 – Bronze KFC ‘Burrito’
- 2017 – Gold MTV ‘#FCKHIV’
- 2017 – Bronze KFC ‘Suppertime Stories’
- 2017 – Gold KFC ‘Soundbite Chart’
- 2017 – Craft Certificate DStv ‘Halloween Night Run’
- 2017 – Gold KFC ‘Suppertime Stories’
- 2017 – Campaign Bronze Global Public-private Partnership for Handwashing ‘Dirty, Dirty Hands’
- 2017 – Silver KFC ‘Virgin Mojito’
- 2017 – Grand Prix KFC ‘Sad Man Meal’
- 2017 – Campaign Bronze KFC ‘Suppertime Stories’
- 2017 – Campaign Craft Gold KFC ‘Sad Man Meal’
- 2017 – Campaign Bronze Viacom ‘#SongsOfHumanity (Nelson’s Song, Steve’s Song)
- 2017 – Silver DStv ‘Ag Shem’
- 2016 – Grand Prix (Radio Station Commercials) KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal – Coloured Weights’
- 2016 – Campaign Craft Gold (Radio Crafts/Writing) KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal – Coloured Weights’
- 2016 – Campaign Craft Gold (Radio Crafts/Direction) KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal – Coloured Weights’
- 2016 – Campaign Craft Gold (Radio Crafts/Writing ) Vodacom ‘You Should Have Called – Email’
- 2016 – Craft Gold (Digital Crafts/Illustration, Phot.) KFC Shakin’ Shakin’
- 2016 – Campaign Gold (Radio Station Commercials) Vodacom ‘You Should Have Called – Email’
- 2016 – Gold (Media Innovation/Single Medium) MTV Africa #LetsTalkColour
- 2016 – Gold (Digital & Interactive/Mobile ) KFC Shakin’ Shakin’
- 2016 – Silver (Creative Use of Paper) SAB ‘Spike Detector Coaster’
- 2016 – Silver (SA Non-English TV & Cinema) MultiChoice DStv Access ‘Labola’
- 2016 – Silver (Motion Graphic Design/Broad.) MTV Africa #LetsTalkColour
- 2016 – Campaign Silver (Newspaper Advertising) Unilever Handy Andy ‘Cupcake’
- 2016 – Campaign Silver( SA Non-English Radio) KFC Streetwise 3 ‘Slyza Tsotsi 3’
- 2016 – Campaign Bronze (Internet Commercials) Mondelez Bubbly ‘Free the joy – Dad’
- 2016 – Campaign Bronze( Radio Station Comm.) Philips Close Shave ‘Close shave with a chainsaw’
- 2016 – Bronze (Media Innovation/Single) SAB ‘Spike Detector Coaster’
- 2016 – Bronze (Radio Station Comm.) KFC Coffee ‘Cult’
- 2016 – Bronze (Radio Station Comm.) KFC Coffee ‘Money Scam’
- 2016 – Bronze (SA Non-English Radio ) MultiChoice DStv Box Office ‘The Revenant’
- 2016 – Bronze (Live Events) KFC Popping Candy Krusher ‘Popping Joburg’
- 2016 – Bronze (TV & Cinema Comm.) KFC Add Hope ‘The Story of Hope’
- 2016 – Bronze (Digital & Int/Social Media) MTV Africa #LetsTalkColour’
- 2016 – Bronze (Branded Content Video/Single) MTV Africa #LetsTalkColour’
- 2016 – Bronze (SA Non-English TV & Cinema) MultiChoice DStv Compact ‘Ku Rough’
- 2016 – Bronze (Shared Value ) KFC ‘Add Hope ‘
- 2016 – Bronze (TV & Cinema Commercials ) Mondelez Cadbury Lunchbar ‘Mo
- 2016 – Camp Craft Certificate (Radio Craft/SA Non-English) KFC Streetwise ‘3Slyza Tsotsi 1’
- 2016 – Camp Craft Certificate (Radio Craft/SA Non-English) MultiChoice DStv Compact ‘Gazi’
- 2016 – Craft Certificate (Radio Crafts/Performance) Vodacom ‘You Should Have Called – Double Blue Tick’
- 2016 – Craft Certificate (TV Crafts/Animation) KFC ‘Add Hope The Story of Hope’
- 2016 – Craft Certificate (Radio Crafts/Performance) KFC ‘The Everyman Meal – Cherry Lip Balm’
- 2016 – Craft Certificate (Radio Crafts/Direction) Philips Close Shave ‘Close shave with a train’
- 2015 – Grand Prix (Digital & Interactive) KFC ‘SoundBite’
- 2015 – Craft Gold (Digital & Interactive Crafts) KFC ‘SoundBite’
- 2015 – Campaign Gold (Radio) Lucozade ‘Night before the project, Team building, Lacing up your high tops’
- 2015 – Campaign Gold (Radio Craft ) Lucozade ‘Lacing up your high tops’
- 2015 – Campaign Gold (TV Craft ) Lucozade ‘Gum in Hair, Performance Art, Feature, Static’
- 2015 – Silver (Ubuntu) KFC ‘Add Hope’
- 2015 – Bronze (TV) DStv Compact ‘iTV Yam’
- 2015 – Bronze (Radio) DStv Parental Control ‘Happy Endings’
- 2015 – Bronze (TV) DStv Africa #TIA
- 2015 – Bronze (Outdoor) Comedy Central ‘Drunk History Whiskey’
- 2015 – Bronze (Digital Media Innovation) KFC ‘SoundBite’
- 2015 – Bronze (Digital Communication Design) KFC ‘SoundBite’
- 2015 – Bronze (Digital & Interactive Comm.) KFC ‘Flash & Win’
- 2015 – Bronze (Digital Online We Transfer) Lucozade ‘Give Me Strength’
- 2015 – Campaign Bronze (TV Craft) Lucozade ‘Performance Art, Water Feature’
- 2015 – Campaign Bronze (Integrated) Lucozade ‘Give Me Strength’
- 2015 – Craft Certificate (TV – Animation) Cadbury ‘Triplets’
- 2015 – Craft Certificate (Print/Outdoor Craft Writing) BP Wild Bean Coffee ‘Don’t Yawn’
PENDORING
- 2016 – Umpetha Award – Vernacular Grand Prix (Radio) KFC Streetwise – Slyza Tsotsi 3
- 2016 – Craft Gold (Radio Crafts writing) KFC Streetwise – Slyza Tsotsi campaign
- 2016 – Gold (Radio) KFC Streetwise – Slyza Tsotsi 3
- 2016 – Craft Silver (Radio Crafts performance) KFC Streetwise – Slyza Tsotsi campaign
- 2016 – Silver (Radio) DStv Box Office Movie Reviews campaign
- 2016 – Sllver (Radio) KFC Streetwise – Slyza Tsotsi 1 & 2
BOOKMARKS
- 2017 – Bronze for KFC ‘Fill Up Meals’
- 2017 – Bronze for KFC ‘Shakin Shakin’
- 2017 – Gold for KFC ‘Shakin Shakin’
- 2017 – Bronze ‘Vodacom ‘NXT LVL Bundles’
- 2017 – Bronze for MTV ‘#LetsTalkColour’
- 2017 – Bronze for MTV ‘#LetsTalkColour’
- 2017 – Bronze for MTV ‘#LetsTalkColour’
- 2017 – Bronze for KFC ‘Burrito’
- 2017 – Bronze for MTV ‘#LetsTalkColour’
- 2017 – Craft Silver for KFC ‘Shakin Shakin’
- 2017 – Craft Bronze for KFC ‘Burrito’
- 2017 – Gold for KFC ‘Fill Up Meals’
- 2017 – Ogilvy Best Agency
- 2017 – KFC ‘Brand of the Year’
- 2016 – (Best Individual Contribution to Digital) Pete Case Gloo@Ogilvy
- 2016 – Silver (Coding & Tech. Innovation) KFC ‘Flash & Win Interactive Drive-Thru’
- 2016 – Silver (Digital Campaign) KFC ‘Soundbite’
- 2016 – Silver (Innovative use of Media) Lucozade ‘Give Me Strength (WeTransfer) ‘
- 2016 – Silver (Integrated Campaign) Lucozade ‘Give Me Strength’
- 2016 – Bronze (Coding & Tech. Innovation) KFC ‘Soundbite’
- 2016 – Bronze (Digital Installations and Activations) KFC ‘Soundbite ‘
- 2015 – Bronze (Brand Content) SAB Castle ‘BraaiApp’
- 2015 – Bronze (Media Plan) BMW 2 Series ‘Are to too enough’
- 2015 – Silver (Social Media Properties) FNB ‘Ideas Can Help’
- 2015 – Gold (Use of user generated content) FNB ‘Ideas Can Help’
- 2015 – Silver (Integrated Multi-platform campaign) FNB ‘League of Innovators’
- 2015 – Silver (Integrated Multi-platform campaign) BMW ‘2 Series’
- 2015 – Gold (Integrated Mobile Campaign) BMW ‘2 Series’
- 2015 – Bronze (Mobile Apps and Tools) Vodacom ‘JAVA app’
- 2015 – Best Agency SPECIAL AWARD – OVERALL
ASSEGAI
- 2015 – Bronze Media (E-commerce) MyVodacomApp ‘Smartphone ‘
- 2015 – Gold Media (Experiential Media) The Uber ‘Test Ride‘
- 2015 – Bronze Media (Mobile Marketing) The Uber ‘Test Ride’
- 2015 – Gold Media (Online: Banners / Microsites / Websites, and Other) Sonic Highway
- 2015 – Gold Media (Online: Banners / Microsites / Websites, and Other) Anything is possible
- 2015 – Leader Media (Online: Banners / Microsites / Websites, and Other) Lucozade ‘Give Me Strength’
- 2015 – Gold Multi-Channel/ Country Campaigns (Integrated Direct marketing Campaigns) The Uber ‘Test Ride’
- 2015 – Bronze Multi-Channel/ Country Campaigns (Integrated Direct marketing Campaigns) MINI TO SPACE
- 2015 – Leader Multi-Channel/ Country Campaigns (Integrated Direct marketing Campaigns) KFC ‘Capp Democracy’
- 2015 – Gold Craft Awards (Apps) MyVodacomApp Smartphone
- 2015 – Gold Craft Awards (Apps) MyVodacomApp JAVA
- 2015 – Gold Craft Awards (Art Direction) KFC ‘Soundbite’
LONDON INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
- 2016 – Gold (Radio Crafts/Writing) KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal – Cherry Lip Balm’
- 2016 – Gold (Radio & Audio: Retail) KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal – Coloured Weights’
- 2016 – Gold (Radio & Audio: Retail) KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal – Cherry Lip Balm’
- 2016 – Gold (Radio & Audio: Retail) KFC Man Meals ‘The Everyman Meal – Claw Thing’
- 2016 – Gold (Radio & Audio: Campaign) KFC Man Meals The Everyman Meal – Cherry Lip Balm / Coloured Weights / Claw Thing’
SMARTIES
- 2017 – Silver KFC ‘Suppertime Stories’
- 2017 – Gold KFC ‘Suppertime Stories’
NXT GENERATION
- 2017 – Silver Vodacom ‘Nxt LvL’
- 2017 – Bronze Vodacom ‘Play EveryDay’
- 2017 – Gold Vodacom ‘Play Everyday’
The Brand Building
15 Sloane Street
Bryanston. 2152
Johannesburg
Private Bag X33, Bryanston, 2021
New Business: joburg@ogilvy.co.za
New Talent: careers.jhb@ogilvy.co.za
+27 11 709 6600
FEATURED WORK
AWARDED WORK
CREATIVE PRESS OFFICE
The Creative Process: How top ad minds come up with ideas.
Ranked the #1 Creative Director in Africa and the Middle East at The One Show 2024, Alex Goldberg is Creative Partner at Ogilvy Cape Town, overseeing Volkswagen, Audi, and Coronation. In this Q&A, he shares how ideas really happen inside the agency, what it takes to move a brand forward, and why trusting your gut (while pushing the craft) matters most.
Ogilvy brings 19 Loeries home with its clients at the 2024 awards
Ogilvy enjoyed wins on both nights of the Loeries this year, with 19 Loeries in total for clients including Volkswagen SA, KFC, The City of Cape Town, Carling Black Label and Doom. Work was celebrated across a wide number of categories including; Direct, Film, Integrated, Radio, Activations and various industry craft categories.
FEATURED STORIES
[PODCAST] Bigger, Better, Awarded: How to build case studies that actually win. With Fran Luckin, Khensani Nobanda, Kabelo Moshapalo and Xolisa Dyeshana
When four South African respected jury presidents sit down together, you listen. Between them, they’ve presided over Cannes Lions, Loeries, Dubai Lynx, and the IAB Bookmark Awards - shaping what the world calls “award-winning work.” At this year’s IDIDTHAT HOUSE, inside the Nedbank Loft at Loeries Fringe 2025, this powerhouse panel brought together Fran Luckin (CCO, VML South Africa), Khensani Nobanda (Group Executive: Marketing & Corporate Affairs, Nedbank Group), Kabelo Moshapalo (CCO, Ogilvy), and Xolisa Dyeshana (CCO, Joe Public).
The Creative Process: How top ad minds come up with ideas.
Ranked the #1 Creative Director in Africa and the Middle East at The One Show 2024, Alex Goldberg is Creative Partner at Ogilvy Cape Town, overseeing Volkswagen, Audi, and Coronation. In this Q&A, he shares how ideas really happen inside the agency, what it takes to move a brand forward, and why trusting your gut (while pushing the craft) matters most.
Craft Award Results: July 2025
This month’s IDIDTHAT.co Craft Awards were judged by two industry powerhouses who know a thing or two about craft, Mbeu 'Snooze' Kambuwa, Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy South Africa and Grant De Sousa, Director at They. A huge round of applause to Bruno Bossi from Carbon Films and Marco Raposo de Barbosa for being recognised with Best in Craft. And of course, shoutout to the whole team that brought the KFC magic to life!
Cannes Lions 2025 wrap-up, the South African winners and the work
Yes, we know Cannes is over… but we’re not quite done talking about it. Here’s your full roundup of the week: the complete winners table, the work, and the companies that brought it home. You’ve inspired us all and reminded the world (and ourselves) what South Africans are capable of.