Uganda Advertising Association launches Inaugural Silverback Awards

Uganda Advertising Association, the governing body of advertising and marketing agencies in the country on Thursday launched Silverback Awards, a gala aimed at recognising creative, public relations and media excellence in the industry.

The first edition of the Silverback Awards is set to award star performance in the industry, and engage industry stakeholders and policymakers on best practices and how the industry can improve to compete with international markets.

The theme for the Silverback Awards this year will be The Future of Advertising and Marketing.

The announcement also highlighted the various categories in which media and advertising agencies will compete to acquire recognition for outstanding work and excellence in service delivery in Uganda.

Advertising agencies, marketing and PR departments in organizations will compete in 16 categories, 14 of which will be selected by a panel of judges, and two by public vote (Most Humorous Ad of the year, and Most annoying Ad).

While speaking at the announcement, Frank Muthusi, the chairman Uganda Advertising Association acknowledged the need for such competitive awards which keep agencies and individuals in the industry on their toes to deliver mind-blowing concepts and work.

"Through the Silverback awards, we aim to ultimately keep our creatives and marketers eager to create, execute as well as favourably compete to identify whose work deserves recognition and awards," said Muthusi.

"It should also be noted that before the awards, we have purposed to hold dialogue sessions with various industry stakeholders through a symposium to enable us to lay strategies on how best we can improve our industry."

The Integrated Marketing Symposium is scheduled to take place on the 11th of November 2022 while the Silverback Awards will happen on the 12th of November 2022 at the Kampala Serena Hotel.

In addition to this, the Uganda Advertising Association unveiled a first-of-its-kind Young Silverback Competition.

The Young Silverback Competition will have creatives take part in seven categories which are: Design Award, Digital Award, Marketeers Award, Film Award, Media Award, Print Award, and PR Award.

This competition will be open to young creatives with a cap of 30 years for all participants. The participants will be given 24 hours to answer the briefs they will be given as per the competing category chosen.

The winners of the young silverback competition will represent Uganda at the CANNES Lions Awards that will take place in France. In a bid to exhibit its transparency throughout the voting process, UAA revealed that they have partnered with Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) as the official audit partner for the Silverback Awards.

The Uganda Marketers Society President David Balikuddembe at the launch noted that it is vital for marketers to have authentic awards such as the Silverback awards.

"Through awards such as these, our industry remains vibrant with everyone eager to create and ideate campaigns worth recognition locally and internationally," Balikuddembe said.

Public relations practitioners represented by their governing body Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU), will also take part in the Silverback Awards.

While speaking at the launch, Stephen Mwanga, the PRAU President noted that "PR practitioners in Uganda are the most skilled with campaigns worth accolades worldwide. It is therefore long overdue that these professionals are recognized and awarded for their brilliance at home."

“Through the Silverback awards, Ugandans will be able to put faces to the brilliant minds, agencies and individuals behind work that is in most cases done and admired for organizations," Mwanga added.

CoCreate, the creative and branding partner revealed that the website for awards submission went live on 12th October 2022.

Speaking at the launch, Nicole Nyokabi, the General Manager at CoCreate said, “For the last 6 years, we have leveraged the beauty of design and the power of technology to develop brand identities and design impactful communication campaigns that have run both online and offline. We have built websites that are not only beautiful but fully functional ultimately CoCreating with our clients to deliver on their business and communications objectives.”

Nyokabi noted that “when UAA approached us with this baby that had no name, personality or home, we welcomed it with open arms."

He went on: "In close collaboration with UAA, CoCreate developed an identity for the awards, from the name 'Silverback Awards'', the logo, the brand look and feel, communication materials for both online and offline, lastly, a beautiful and seamless website  (www.silverbackawards.com) where participants will easily make online submissions and payments securely.”

Nyokabi further said, “To the AD men and AD women your late nights, rejections, wins, losses, pains and gains are finally going to pay off, so go ahead and visit – www.silverbackawards.com and submit your work osirike.”

The entry submissions are open for the Silverback awards and will officially close on 31st October 2022 whereas the Young Silverback Competition application deadline will be 31st October 2022.

Advertising agencies and practitioners are encouraged to submit their work for the various award categories on www.silverbackawards.com. There will be an option for submissions to be made online or through email via programmanager@uaa.ug.