What to Expect at Bookmarks 2023
(Cape Town, 24 July 2023): There are just days to go before the biggest event on the digital media and marketing industry calendar — the IAB South Africa 2023 Bookmark Awards. This year, the event takes place across two days with a Finalists’ Showcase preceding the awards ceremony. Here’s everything you can expect and what to do to ensure you come prepared to enjoy insight, engagement and all the celebrations of winning the ultimate recognition of digital excellence!
THE FINALISTS’ SHOWCASE AT THE TRYST
One day before the awards ceremony, join us at the first-ever IAB South Africa Bookmark Awards Finalists’ Showcase on Wednesday, 26 July. The Finalists’ Showcase will provide an opportunity for insight and engagement with the 2023 Bookmarks’ hopefuls and present an overview of the finalists’ case studies in an intimate auditorium setting.
Guests will enjoy an informal coffee and networking session, along with a panel discussion hosted by Accenture Song’s Mushambi Mutuma, an author, speaker and tech leader. Joining Mutuma to discuss trends in the industry as well as globally are:
Bookmarks Jury President and Nedbank Group Executive for Marketing & Corporate Affairs Khensani Nobanda,
Managing Director of Machine_ Robyn Campbell,
EssenceMediacom SA Social Media Director Luzuko Tena,
Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy South Africa Alex Goldberg,
Head of Group Digital Communications at Sasol MJ Khan, and
Senior Manager: Digital at SuperSport Rikashni Rangasamy.
The Venue
The Tryst is located in the most unique office park in Sandton — Woodlands Office Park, a space with free-roaming indigenous wildlife.
Map the venue: The Tryst, Woodlands Office Park, Woodlands Dr, Woodmead Sandton, 2080
Registration, Coffee & Networking
Registration begins at 8.30 am.
Coffee and a light breakfast buffet will be provided, and guests are encouraged to network with their peers before and after the panel discussion.
Dress Code
Don your creatively smart casual look as you prepare to be inspired by the industry’s most creative work.
THE AWARDS CEREMONY AT THE VODACOM DOME
The 2023 Bookmark Awards will take place on Thursday, 27 July — and is expected to be bigger and bolder than before. This year’s ceremony winner announcements will be more compact and presented in cinema style to ensure winners can be viewed from all angles.
Hosted by comedian, actor and director Glen Biderman-Pam, best-known for the multi-award-winning My Kreepy Teacher and The Sixty60 Swindler campaigns, as well as stints on Tali’s Diaries and in commercials for Coca-Cola and more, he knows his way around work that drives digital forward.
The Venue
The Vodacom Dome at Vodaworld is located in Midrand, Johannesburg. The perfect venue for recognising work that drives digital excellence.
Map the venue: Vodacom Dome, Vodacom World, 082 Vodacom Blvd, Noordwyk, Midrand, 1687
On Arrival
The arrival time is 6 pm. Guests will be welcomed with drinks and canapés and will have a chance to network with friends and colleagues ahead of the formal awards ceremony.
Food, Drink & Fun
This year, there will be four easily accessible cash bars throughout the venue with canapés and finger foods being served. Please note bars and food service will not be open during the formal awards ceremony.
The Bookmarks is a night of celebration — so make sure to capture the moment with a memento at our manned photo booth. Guests can print unlimited photos as well as take digital videos to upload to social media.
Dress Code
Dress to impress in smart-casual attire as we celebrate all the winners of the IAB South Africa Bookmark Awards - add some creativity to your dress code.
ACCOMMODATION
Receive a 20% discount at Radisson Blu Gautrain, the Bookmark Awards’ official accommodation partner, when you book your Bookmarks awards ceremony or Bookmarks Finalists’ Showcase tickets. The discount can be used on 26 and 27 July and includes breakfast.
TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE VENUES
We recommend using an e-hailing service such as Uber or Bolt when travelling to and from the venues.
RESERVE YOUR BOOKMARK AWARDS TICKETS
Tickets for both the Bookmarks awards ceremony and the Bookmarks Finalists’ Showcase are now available here.
Follow IAB South Africa and The Bookmark Awards on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter to stay updated. For more information on the 2023 Bookmark Awards, visit thebookmarks.co.za.
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Issued by Chimera Creative on behalf of IAB South Africa and The Bookmark Awards 2023.
For media enquiries, contact zainab@chimeracreative.co.za.
About The Bookmark Awards
The Bookmark Awards is an IAB South Africa initiative that celebrates innovation, creativity and effectiveness within the media and marketing industry. It is the unrivalled benchmark of local advertising excellence. While The Bookmarks have always stood for prestige digital work, it also aims to drive digital change. Winning a Bookmark Award is a recognition of work that helps move the industry forward. thebookmarks.co.za
About the IAB SA
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) South Africa, formerly known as the DMMA, is an independent, voluntary, non-profit association focused on growing and sustaining a vibrant and profitable digital industry within South Africa. The IAB South Africa empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy and comprises 150 leading media companies, brands and technology firms working in digital marketing and media. The non-profit, non-government trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising while also educating brands, agencies, publishers and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing.
The IAB Global Network brings together 45 national IABs and three regional IABs to share challenges, develop global solutions and advance the digital advertising industry worldwide. IABs are located in North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Asia Pacific and Europe. Each association is independently owned and operated, functioning under bylaws consonant with local market needs. To subscribe to the IAB South Africa newsletter, click here or visit iabsa.net.