Top brands and agencies will tussle for honours at the third instalment of the Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards (UMEAS), after Evolve Group Africa, the UMEAS organizers announced the finalists for this year’s awards.
The nominated brands, campaigns and agencies will go toe to toe for the topmost marketing honours, at a red-carpet black-tie gala scheduled for Friday, December 1st, 2023, at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
Running under the theme; ‘Celebrating Ideas That Work,” the event is expected to be attended by the Who is who in marketing fraternity.
Nominees are to tussle for an edge over the twelve categories, after introduction of three new categories this year.
The new categories include; Best ESG Campaign Award, Best Not for Profit / Social Good Award, and Rising Agency of the Year Award.
All nominations were determined by a six-member jury of renowned and competent industry professionals that were cherry picked based on leadership, contribution towards the profession, experience, and academic qualifications.
According to Shafique Ssemakula, the co-founder of Evolve Africa, the jury plays a crucial role of ensuring professionalism at every stage of the process, as the awards aim to maintain credibility, transparency, and fairness.
The distinguished jury included Dr. Benedict Mugerwa- the Head of Professional Marketing Courses at the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), Ngulumi Immaculate Nabatte- the CMO at Centenary Bank, John Paul Okwi- a senior manager events and sponsorships at MTN Uganda, Rogers Anguzu- commercial director at Crown Beverages Limited, Barbara Arimi- Head of Marketing and Communications at NSSF and Jackie Namara- the CEO of Iguru Consult Limited.
John Paul Okwi, the Jury President noted that, this year, the focus was centred on excellence, as they critically assessed campaigns and projects that made good use of resources entrusted to marketers, and whether they made return on investment.
The 2023 UMEAs nominees are;
- Advertising Campaign of The Year
- Kikole For Less-Stanbic Bank
- Bell lager CEO-Bell Lager
- Now You Can-NSSF
- Royco All in One-Unilever Uganda
- Whiskey Desire- Johnnie Walker
- Mirinda Rebrand Campaign-Crown Beverages Ltd
- The Voice Africa-Airtel Uganda
- UEFA Champions Leage Campaign- Crown Beverages Ltd
- This will be good- Singleton Uganda
- Best Use of Partnership Marketing
- Whiskey Desire- Johnnie Walker
- Now You Can campaign-NSSF Uganda.
- Cente Shopping Fest-Centenary Bank/Jumia
- This will be good- Singleton Uganda
- Hospital Sente-Airtel Mobile Commerce/Prudential Uganda
- Stanbic Bank Black Pirates sponsorship-Stanbic Bank
- UEFA Champions League Campaign- Crown Beverages Ltd
- Roast & Rhyme Wild Edition Part 2- Swangz Avenue
- Best Use of Digital Marketing
- Lead generation campaign-UAP Old Mutual
- Royco All in One-Unilever Uganda
- Miranda Rebrand Campaign-Crown Beverages Ltd
- Drive Brand New,Zero Mileage-CFAO Motors
- Cente Shopping Fest-Centenary Bank Uganda
- UEFA Champions League Campaign-Crown Beverages Ltd
- UG Comedy Campaign-Uganda Waragi
- The Voice Africa-Airtel Uganda
- Black Shines Brightest- Guiness Uganda
- Leave Eat to KFC-KFC Uganda
- More Flavor More Edge-Smirnoff
- Ayute Africa Challenge- Heifer International
- PR Campaign of The Year
- A better Uganda Campaign -Uganda Development Bank
- Rotary Cancer Run 2023- Submitted by Centenary Bank
- KCB-GIZ Twekozese Programme- KCB Bank Uganda
- Now You Can campaign-NSSF Uganda
- Best Innovation-New Product/Service/Process
- Eazzy stock Financing-Equity Bank Uganda
- Mirinda Rebrand-Crown Beverages Ltd
- Drive Brand New, Zero Mileage-CFAO Motors
- Kikole for less- Stanbic Bank Uganda
- Hospital Sente- Airtel Mobile Commerce
- Royco All in One-Unilever Uganda
- Experiential Marketing Campaign of The Year
- Smirnoff Fiestas- Smirnoff
- C-Care Brand relaunch- C-Care Uganda
- Bell Lager CEO- Bell Lager
- Digital Economy Showcase- Innovations Village
- This will be good- Singleton Uganda
SPECIAL CATEFORIES-To be decided by the Jury.
- Best Not for Profit/Social Good Campaign- For entry but not for public vote
- Ayute Africa Challenge- Heifer International
- Rotary Cancer Run 2023- Submitted by Centenary Bank
- Growing together through Inclusive tree planting-Treescape Planet Organization
- One Life One Tree- C-Care Uganda
- Talent Factory- Multichoice Uganda
- Best ESG Campaign-For entry but not for public vote
- Wefugge- Road Safety Campaign-Total Energies Ep
- One Million Trees Campaign- Absa Bank Uganda
- Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon- Submitted by Tusker Lite
- Tree Planting Initiative- Finca (U) Mdi
- Action For Sustainability-Total Energies Ep
- Growing Together- Treescape Planet Organization
- Rising Agency of The Year- For entry but not for public vote
- Capital One Group
- Volcanic Creative
- Lime Media
- Zeus The Agency
- Agency of The Year-For Entry not for public vote
- Fireworks Advertising Ltd
- Buzz Events
- Metropolitan Republic
- Zeus The Agency
- Marketing Campaign of The Year-For entry but not for public vote
- This Will Be Good- Singleton Uganda
- Drive Brand New, Zero Mileage- CFAO Motors
- Whiskey Desire- Johnnie Walker Uganda
- Now You Can Campaign-NSSF Uganda
- Smirnoff Fiestas- Smirnoff
- Kikole For Less- Stanbic Bank Uganda
- Bell Lager CEO-Bell Lager
- Be Fraud Alert- Centenary Bank
- UMEAS Marketing Pioneer Award
To be announced at the Awards Gala
Tickets to the event go for Shs 100,000 for individuals, while tickets for CIM students go for Shs 75,000, and a corporate table is Shs 2m.
Tickets can be booked or purchased by contacting 0703115242 / 0772358292.
The UMEAS 2023 are sponsored by I&M Bank Uganda, Uganda Breweries Ltd, Centenary Bank, NSSF, Uganda Development Bank, Wango App, Pepsi, Kadanke Brand House, Radiocity, Equity Bank, Matooke Republic, Daily Monitor, and NTV Uganda.