Emeris to Sponsor the 2026 Effie Awards

Emeris has announced that it will be a sponsor the Effie Awards South Africa, hosted by the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA). For more than 50 years, the Effie Awards have aimed to recognise work that delivers real-world impact and those who have achieved the pinnacle of marketing effectiveness. The Effie Awards sponsorship aims to support the industry's celebration of marketing effectiveness while giving Emeris students a unique opportunity to gain first hand insight into how marketing campaigns are judged. Through its sponsorship, Emeris says it is aligning itself with a programme that places effectiveness and measurable outcomes at the heart of marketing excellence. "Emeris is proud to sponsor the 2026 Effie Awards because they embody what 'Elevating Excellence' means in practice. The awards recognise marketers who can navigate an increasingly complex and unpredictable environment, turning strategy and creativity into measurable business results. Like Emeris, the Effies champion real-world performance, accountability and excellence in action," says Thabang Butelezi, Marketing Executive at Emeris. As part of the sponsorship, selected Third Year students from The Vega School at Emeris Sandton and The Vega School at Emeris Pretoria were invited to provide technical support to the Effie Awards South Africa judging process. The sessions took place on Thursday, 16 July and Thursday, 13 August at The Vega School at Emeris Sandton. For the students involved, the experience aimed to provide an opportunity to see the quality of work produced by leading marketing and advertising professionals, while gaining a deeper understanding of what effectiveness looks like in practice. Observing the judges as they assessed the entries also aimed to give the students practical insight into how strategy, creativity and effectiveness come together, which they can apply to their own academic projects and future careers, says Emeris. "Assisting with the Effie Awards was an incredible experience. I gained valuable insight into what the industry is about and how campaigns are evaluated. It gave me a glimpse into my future, and I felt very excited throughout the process. The Effies team made me feel so welcome," says Thikho Matakanye, Third Year IIE Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Brand Communication Student at The Vega School at Emeris Sandton. Emeris joins a group of brands supporting the Effie Awards South Africa. These include Nedbank, South African Breweries (AB InBev), Heineken Beverages, Unilever, IAS, Eat Big Fish, Investec, Boundless and Motion Ads. The Effie Awards South Africa ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 20 October, where the winners will be announced and celebrated, concludes Emeris. For more information, visit www.emeris.co.za. You can also follow Emeris on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or on TikTok. *Image courtesy of contributor