SU wins big at annual marketing and communication awards

This year, 19 higher education institutions from around the country submitted 293 entries in the awards which recognise excellence in marketing, advancement and communication. It took adjudicators more than 730 hours to evaluate and moderate the entries.

SU clinched five coveted gold awards (awarded to the highest scoring entry in each category), 15 silver awards and 16 bronze awards at the dazzling ceremony in Durbanville, Cape Town. Overall, participating institutions took home a combined 158 awards on the night.

SU won gold for a range of entries including a brand-building campaign (Positioning SU for the future), a printed publication (Access for Success), a social media campaign (#Whoyoubecome: engage, recruit, repeat), writing for news (Rock redress) and photography for news and features (Celebrating #WomenofSU).

“SU’s stellar performance once again highlights the continued high-quality of work of its communication, marketing and fundraising teams. Winning numerous awards, including five golds, is a testament to the teams’ creativity, dedication, and excellence in showcasing the very best of this University,” says Prof Hester Klopper, deputy vice-chancellor: strategy and internationalisation.

The Chairman’s Award, award, which is awarded to a single entry that embodies true excellence in marketing, advancement, or communication, went to the University of Cape Town. The University of the Free State (UFS) clinched the Serverus Award, given to the institution with the highest success ratio based on number and level of entries winning awards. UFS also received the MACE Award for Outstanding Research.

The highly anticipated awards ceremony concluded a two-day conference titled: “Maximising Impact: Innovative Strategies for Transformative Higher Education Marketing, Communication and Advancement”. Held at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s Bellville campus, the conference comprised keynote speakers, panel discussions and interactive workshops on various related topics.

Distinguished speakers included Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Gift of the Givers; Simone Zanetti, director of the Zanetti AI institute and Pepe Marais, founding partner and group chief creative officer of Joe Public. SU’s director of communication Tertia Kruger shared valuable insights into the crisis communication strategy that earned the University a gold award for excellence in 2023.

SU’s awards in 2024

Gold (5)

• Brand-building campaigns: Positioning SU for the future
  
• Printed publications: Access for success
  
• Social media: #Whoyoubecome: engage, recruit, repeat
  
• Writing for news: Rock redress
  
• Photography: Celebrating #WomenofSU

Silver (15)

• Brand-building campaigns: #SUGrad Communication campaign
  
• Student recruitment campaign: #Whoyoubecome undergraduate application campaign
  
• Printed and digital annual reports: Annual Integrated Report 2023
  
• Digital – external magazines and newsletters: Research for Impact platform
  
• Websites: Research for Impact platform
  
• Events: Hybrid Open Day
  
• Events: Maties101
  
• Events: Professional inaugural lecture
  
• Writing for news channels: Dr Keaton Harris – a Christmas story
  
• Writing for news channels: Personality affects people’s vulnerability to cybercrime
  
• Writing for news channels: Indoor fireplaces a health risk
  
• Writing for news channels: Uncovering ancient wonders
  
• Writing for news channels: A pot of gold unearthed
  
• Writing for features: Cycling Dr Sarah
  
• Videography: Rock redress video

Bronze (16)

• Brand-building campaigns: Brand activations
  
• Fundraising campaigns: #Move4Maties
  
• Stakeholder engagement campaigns: #whatsyourhustle
  
• Community and social responsibility campaigns: Symbolic rock metamorphosis
  
• External magazines: Institutional profile 2024
  
• Printed and digital annual reports: Sustainable Development Annual Report 2022/2023
  
• Websites: Empowering NextGen Maties
  
• Design for printed channels: Together against gender-based violence
  
• Design for printed channels: Pre-alumni: first-year guide 2024
  
• Design for printed channels: Research for Impact digital platform
  
• Design for digital channels: Bridge the Gap: Impact Report 2024
  
• Design for digital channels: Donor publication 2023
  
• Design for digital channels: We are journeying to net zero by 2050 webpage
  
• Writing for news channels: Wine is a winning investment
  
• Writing for news channels: Cycling for a cause
  
• Writing for the web: Firdous Sulaiman – testament to resilience

MACE is a membership-based organisation and fulfils a leadership role in the higher education, technical vocational education and training and private education sectors within Southern Africa. It aims to add value to practitioners in marketing, advancement and communication by offering high-quality development programmes, facilitating networking partnerships and transformation, and by promoting best practice among these professions in its member institutions.