• 1 May 2025

• Entries are officially closed for this year's awards.

2025 entry fees: All Prices (excl. VAT)

• Standard Rates for all entries submitted between 01 May and 25 July:
  

R2,250 per entry per category - Corporate Categories, Agency Categories, and Online Media & Tools Categories.

R2,450 per entry per category - Grand Black Onyx Award Categories.

Student Rates:

R1,100 per entry - Student Group Category and R900.00 per entry - Individual Student Category

R900.00 per entry - NGO Rate

• Late Entry Fees - Entries submitted between 26 July and 28 July, COB.
  

R2,450 per entry per category - Corporate Categories, Agency Categories, and Online Media & Tools Categories.

R2,650 per entry per category - Grand Black Onyx Award Categories.

Once we receive your entries, our accounts department will issue you an invoice. Full payment is required before the judging begins. Payment Method: EFT - We do not accept Credit Card payments.

Refunds will not be issued for any fees or costs relating to entries, seats, or sponsorships into the New Gen Awards.

If you plan to submit entries in multiple categories, we recommend that you also submit your work and clients for consideration in the Black Onyx Award Categories. These categories include Agency of the Year, Digital Brand of the Year, Online Strategy of the Year, and Overall Social & Digital Corporate of the Year Award. These categories are judged separately by a dedicated panel, taking into account all entries across other categories. It's important to note that you cannot win a Black Onyx Award unless you have submitted entries in these specific categories.

• Entries will be considered for work that has been commercially launched in South Africa between May 1st, 2024, and June 13th, 2025.
• Should you be working on a campaign that is due to go live before July 2025, and you wish to enter this campaign, we will accept it; provided the relevant results and stats are supplied to support the campaign, before the judging begins on 01 August.

• Entries are open to all South African corporate companies, brands, media agencies, advertising agencies, creative agencies, public entities, marketing individuals, creatives, developers, web designers, bloggers/vloggers, Influencers, podcasters & community engagement managers from across all industries. Registered students can also enter the student awards.
• If you think you have a winning marketing campaign, have designed a new website, developed a new App that's innovative and a cut above the rest, or maybe you are an outstanding individual or Influencer within your organisation, then these are the awards to enter!
• Small, Medium, and large enterprises are all welcome
• If you are a corporate company and do not have an agency that helps with your marketing, you are welcome to enter your internal marketing campaigns, apps, or websites & key individual performers directly, from within your company.

Yes, you can submit a previously entered campaign – just be sure to show any significant changes in the results, reach and coverage that indicates why the entry is different this year.

• Yes, you can enter the same campaign for more than one category
• If you intend to enter a campaign into multiple categories you may use one entry form, provided that you clearly list the different categories 'that you are entering that campaign into. (you can list the categories on the entry form and highlight them)
• Be sure to show a reason as to why that campaign is relevant for each of the categories you wish to enter
• Show measurable results, and provide a motivation; highlight specific results within that campaign that may differ from category to category
• Give the judges a comparison against which to measure the campaign, something that makes the entry stand out across the various categories into which it is entered
• It’s not just a case of copying and pasting the same information across multiple categories. Give it some thought!
• Please note; some categories have different judging criteria, which is listed at the bottom of the entry forms.

The 2025 finalists will be announced at the beginning of September, across social media and through various media releases.

The 2025 Awards Gala Ceremony will be held at NH Sandton on Tuesday, 23rd September.

Awards Gala Ceremony Fees - All Prices (excl. VAT) - The fees for this year have increased by 5.5% compared to 2024.

• R2,500 - Individual Seats
• R24,000 - 1 X Table (Seats 10 people)
• R46,000 - 2 X Tables (Seats 20 people)

Book your spot fast! Last year, all the seating sold out just ten days after the finalists were revealed, leaving many people unable to attend.

The venue capacity is limited to 500 people only.

We will send you an invoice on booking confirmation. Full payment for all seats and tables by the latest Thursday, 18th September, before the awards ceremony takes place. No payment, no access! Payment Method: EFT- We do not accept Credit Card payments. Refunds will not be issued for any fees or costs relating to entries, seats, or sponsorships into the New Gen Awards.

To book your seats and team tables, email stephen@newgenawards.co.za

Please visit our News Page and Winners page.

2025 JURY MEMBERS:

Arpan Sur, senior director, Marketing, sub-Saharan Africa, Mondelez International
Emma Odendaal, head of Influence, EMEA, Dentsu
Andrew Berry, managing director, The Bread
Dustin Carr, managing director: Brand and Performance, Clockwork
Jeremy Crowder, managing partner, Dialogue
Jacques Cronje, marketing executive, Wimpy International Ltd
Veronica (Wainstein) Moleele, CEO, Penquin
Kathryn McKay, executive creative partner, M&C Saatchi Group SA: Black&White
Merissa Himraj, chief growth officer (CGO), WPP Media South Africa
Firdous Osman, Group managing director, Boom Group SA
Astrid Ascar, chief growth officer, VML South Africa
Ray Langa, Group CEO, Leagas Delaney South Africa
Darren Leishman, managing director, Spitfire Inbound
Dani Morley , executive head, Growth, Shyft at Standard Bank Group
Tara Turkington, CEO, Flow Communications
Thato Soato, senior specialist: Digital Marketing, Vodacom
Mondrē Bremner, senior manager: Digital & Social Channels Marketing , NedBank
Dashni Vilakazi, managing director, The MediaShop
Courtney Chapple, director of AI, Brave Group
Craig Naicker, co-CEO, Happy Friday Creative
Yvette Gengan, managing director, Lucid Performance
Jamie-Leigh Barnett, director: Growth & Development, Algorithm Agency
Zanele Zwane, managing director, HaveYouHeard Marketing Agency
Charis Apelgren-Coleman, CEO , BlueByrd Collective
Bianca de Beer, senior marketing manager, 1st For Women
Verene Petersen, head of marketing, Chery South Africa
Ciaran Mckivergan, managing director, 8909 Digital
Muzi Mthombeni, chief strategy officer, WONDER
Lebogang Gaoaketse, head of marketing and communication, WesBank
Kenosi Matsebatlela, demand creation: marketing and growth lead, Vaseline, Unilever South Africa

To learn more about our esteemed judges, please visit our awards page.

· Once all the entries have been received, they are divided equally among the judging panel.

· Each judge is responsible for marking a certain number of entries and categories.

· Each entry is marked by a minimum of four judges, which helps to create a fairer weighting across all categories and entries.

· A separate panel of 10 judges marks the Black Onyx Award Categories. These judges have access to all submissions entered across all categories, which they consider when judging and scoring the main award entries.

· Each entry is marked according to strict criteria, which vary from category to category. Please refer to the bottom of your entry forms for more criteria.

The main criteria that judges mark all work against are as follows:

1. Strategy

2. Coverage/Reach/Engagement

3. Results/Impact

4. Content

5. Creativity

6. Innovation

· Judges will also consider additional criteria tailored for specific categories as highlighted on the entry forms.

· Each criterion has a different score value.

· Once the judging is completed, the scores given to each entry are tallied up out of a possible 100 points.

· To become a finalist, entrants must score a minimum of 65 points.

· Over and above the finalist benchmark, there are two additional benchmarks in place.

· The highest scoring entry within these two benchmarks determines who wins the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards.

If any of our Judges choose to enter work into the awards, they will not mark any of the categories that they or their clients have entered, as with previous years' judging.

YES - R1,100 per entry - Student Group Category and R900.00 per entry - Individual Student Category

• Student entries will be judged separately against all other student entries from across the continent
• All student work should be submitted by the school, university or college representitives rather than individual students submitting their work directly.

• Click the View Categories tab.
• Complete and submit the login form to view the full list of categories.
• Select the sub-category or categories you wish to enter and read the category description.
• Each category contains an entry form (Word doc) which you will be asked to download and complete.
• Be mindful: Some categories have their own unique criteria which is flagged at the bottom of the entry forms. If you want to enter the same campaign in multiple categories, you can use one entry form. Just be sure to clearly highlight the specific sections within the form that pertain to each category. This will make it easier for the judges to evaluate your submissions.
• The Black Onyx Award Categories have different entry forms, which require more motivational content to support your entry.
• Complete the requirements, attaching any applicable links, videos, creatives, and case studies that can help support your entry.
• Once you have completed your entry/entries, they can be emailed to stephen@newgenawards.co.za
• All large files, case studies, and videos can be sent via WeTransfer or Google Docs.
• Check this FAQ page for more tips on entering.
• Remember to read the important judges' tips and additional criteria points at the bottom of each entry form.

To book tickets, please email stephen@newgenawards.co.za (Same rates as 2024)

• Standard Ticket Fees - R3,850 ex VAT.
• Purchase 5 or more tickets and receive a 10% discount.
• Ticket price includes - Amazing content, all-day refreshments, delicious snacks, a full buffet lunch, and full-day parking.
• Tertiary Institution Lecturers - R1,500 per ticker ex VAT,
• Student Rate: R1,200 per ticket ex VAT.
• NO ONLINE TICKET SALES OR PAYMENTS - Payment Method: Standard EFT

We will send an invoice after you confirm the final ticket numbers. Full payment is required before attending the event. (Credit cards not accepted). Refunds will not be issued for any fees related to this event.

Various sponsorship packages are available for the 2025 awards. Our sponsorship fees are highly competitive!

They include the Platinum Headline Naming Sponsor, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Sponsorship levels, Brand Sponsorships, and Category Sponsorships. The Platinum Headline Naming Sponsorship includes naming rights to the awards for 12 months.

To find out more, please email stephen@newgenawards.co.za