Advertising Opinion South Africa

Is the communications landscape where it needs to be?

The prestigious Bookmark Awards have been presented annually for the past eight years, honouring the industry's best digital work.

The Bookmark Awards play a significant role in the communications industry. Like other awards programmes, they serve as a mechanism to test the creative ability in the digital landscape and afford agencies the opportunity to benchmark themselves against international and local standards.

Awards like The Bookmarks drive agencies and clients to want to enter to gain the necessary recognition for great work. Submitting six entries into this year’s Bookmark Awards as a ‘traditional’ public relations agency, speaks volumes for where we’re at as an agency.

Digital integration

Is the communications landscape where it needs to be?
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Media agencies are embracing the speed and direction of change in the industry as they learn to integrate digital into the traditional fold. Agencies have begun to position content, and are producing authentic stories using rich media. The platform and channel used to distribute those stories are now considered second and third.

The communications space is quickly transforming, doing very well in this regard. I was surprised by the number of media agencies with shortlisted Bookmark entries and am looking forward to being exposed to the work and trends presented at the awards dinner. The digital landscape is not far ahead of where we, as communicators, are anymore. The competition is greater than ever.

And no matter what industry you lead, one of the crucial elements needed to win a Bookmark Award is innovation and creativity, along with client-driven solutions. Media agencies will only improve and better integrate digital and traditional planning, and create even more first-class work.

About Kevin Welman

Kevin is a co-founder and director of ByDesign Communications, with over twenty years' experience in corporate communication strategy, media strategy, social media strategy and crisis counselling...
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