By Abel Mugume
What a year for African creativity. From the Silverback Awards to the DMA spotlight in Kenya, our industry didn’t just showcase craft, it demonstrated courage. As Preetesh Sewarj, CEO of the Loeries, aptly put it in his DMA Awards keynote: the courage to experiment, to listen to real people, and to create work that meets culture where it truly lives.
A few lessons worth carrying forward:
Innovation now means everywhere, every day.
Winning work wasn’t driven by flashy mechanics alone. It came from simple, intelligent use of new tools and channels to amplify human truth. The strongest entries married platform-native thinking with ideas grounded in local context and behaviour.
Culture is both source and signal.
The most impactful creativity in Africa today treats culture as living insight, not decorative colour on a brief. Campaigns rooted in everyday rituals cut through because they’re recognisable, resonant, and inherently shareable.
Collaboration and co-creation are non-negotiable.
The standout projects opened the room. Agencies worked hand-in-hand with communities, brands, media partners, and creators. Co-creation accelerates iteration, builds advocacy, and juries are increasingly recognizing this shift in craft.
Insight trumps ornamentation.
Awards are validating, but they reinforce a simple truth: creativity grounded in real human insight wins both hearts and markets. Data, empathy, and discipline produce work that is memorable and effective. Chase applause without insight and it fades quickly. Build from human truth and you build legacy.
To everyone who entered, judged, and cheered this year, congratulations. These wins signal an African creative ecosystem that is maturing: wiser, braver, and more collaborative than ever. The future looks bright when our creativity starts with people, not platforms.Bottom of Form
