Ogilvy has earned top honours on the global stage, winning at the 2024 Global Sabre Africa Awards, widely considered the gold standard for excellence in public relations and influence. These prestigious awards celebrate the continent’s most outstanding campaigns, agencies, and professionals, recognising exceptional creativity, strategic insight, and tangible business impact.
The team walked away with three prestigious awards: Employee Communication for their work with Telkom, and both Best in Show and Not-for-Profit for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s purpose-driven #ForeverWena campaign. Notably, Ogilvy received the highest honour of the night, the Best in Show award, akin to a Grand Prix, in recognition of the exceptional impact delivered through seamless collaboration between Ogilvy South Africa’s Health and PR & Influence departments.
Recognised nationally, including a mention by the deputy president during World Aids Day, the #ForeverWena campaign successfully reframed healthcare professionals as approachable allies, reduced stigma, and mobilised communities through partnerships with student organisations and cultural events.
In partnership with the Gates Foundation, #ForeverWena tackled one of South Africa’s most urgent public health challenges by empowering young people to have open, informed conversations around sexual and reproductive health. Moving beyond traditional awareness tactics, #ForeverWena employed culturally resonant storytelling and strategic digital engagement to build a movement rooted in agency, self-love, and choice.
The campaign sparked a nationwide conversation and achieved remarkable results, including a 500% increase in HIV testing at four university campuses, 99% positive sentiment on social media, and 201 earned media placements reaching nearly 75 million people.
The WhatsApp chatbot became a trusted source for sexual health education, attracting 58,000 users and 232,600 interactions, while 422 influencers drove an 18% engagement rate, encouraging meaningful dialogue around HIV prevention. Ultimately, #ForeverWena empowered young South Africans to take control of their health and future, making a bold and lasting impact on the country’s public health landscape.
Charlene Olivier, creative director at Ogilvy Health, comments on the win: “It is an absolute honour to see #ForeverWena recognised on global and local awards platforms. Even greater, is knowing that we were able to make an impact and influence behaviour change. We saw young South Africans lean in and actively engage with the communication and chatbot that speaks their language, non-judgemental and de-medicalised. From the start we were driven to open the conversation and allow the youth to gain agency over their sexual health choices, ultimately shifting the sexual health narrative for this generation, and the next.”
In addition, Ogilvy won in the Employee Communications category for their work with Telkom, recognised for an innovative internal communication and employee engagement strategy. The project emphasised transparency, engagement, and empowerment through digital platforms, interactive campaigns, and open dialogue, helping create a workplace culture where employees feel informed, valued, and connected.
These achievements bring the agency’s tally to over 40 Sabre Awards across Africa in the past decade, recognising a continued effort for standout work creativity, and measurable impact in the industry.
Samantha Presbury, national managing director of Ogilvy PR & Influence South Africa, concludes: “These awards are more than industry accolades, they’re a celebration of the role strategic, earned-first ideas can play in shifting culture and creating impact. We are proud to work with brave clients and a talented team who continue to push boundaries, challenge the norm, and lead with purpose. Being recognised on the global Sabre stage is an incredible honour.”
