11 April 2025, Johannesburg – In a bold and creative move, The Loerie Awards committee has ditched the clichéd ‘black and gold’ look and feel for an awards event, and opted instead for something completely different, vibrant and original for the 2025 campaign.
Last year a call was put out to design and creative agencies in Africa and the Middle East to submit a proposal for the Loeries campaign, with the understanding that this was pro bono work. Agencies from across the region responded to the brief and each of their submissions was evaluated. This was followed by a presentation to the Loeries Board, who then selected the campaign for the year, which was the Halo submission.
When the business was awarded to Halo, the adjudicating panel commented that the agency’s submission was ‘streets ahead’ of its competitors. They loved its playfulness and energy, the bright colours and fun executions, and the creative lines that extend across all elements of the campaign and speak to both marketers and agencies in the region.
“We received nearly twenty submissions from agencies across Africa and the Middle East for the 2025 campaign. The presentation from Halo really resonated with the board as it spoke about an intrinsic desire in the brand communications industry – the hunger to create truly iconic work. I am therefore so excited to see this concept roll-out, and it is already resonating with the industry across our region,” says Preetesh Sewraj, CEO of The Loerie Awards.
Conceptualising a creative campaign that would work across all the African and Middle East markets was a challenge. However, the hunger to stand out and succeed in this industry is universal and is the campaign’s driving force, explains Halo’s founder and managing partner, Dean Oelschig.
“’The Great Hunger’ is what gets us up in the morning, and what keeps us awake at night! Of course, it’s the hunger to win awards, to be successful, to be recognised, to win the next big pitch, but it’s also so much more than that. It’s the hunger to learn more, to be inspired by colleagues and competitors alike, to achieve more, to be challenged more.”
Given the international status of The Loerie Awards and the international stage for the awards show, designing the creative elements of the 2025 campaign represents a significant win for the Halo team – and a definitive nod from the industry.
Coenie Grebe, Executive Creative Director of Halo, explains the creative approach. “This year, we’ re not just shining the spotlight on the metal at the end. We are celebrating all the moments that build up to it. From the big decisions to the small moments in between. This is the great hunger that drives us all. “It puts the spotlight on everyone that forms part of this amazing industry, all the hard work, the endless craft and that little voice inside (or the hungry beast we constantly have to feed) that says: ‘Is this all you’ve got? Then, you are not yet done…’!” says G