Playmakers’ record breaking 2023

In a year defined by extraordinary accomplishments, Playmakers Sponsorship, in collaboration with its creative content and media arm, FuturePlay, proudly celebrates a historic achievement of clinching a record-breaking 31 awards – a milestone for our work that stands as the pinnacle of our 22-year history.
Playmakers’ record breaking 2023

Our notable victories, achieved in partnership with esteemed clients such as Absa, SuperSport, and KFC, across five distinct campaigns, underscore Playmakers' unwavering commitment to innovation, creativity, and excellence in the dynamic realm of sponsorship marketing.

Undoubtedly, the crowning achievement of the year lies in our triumph at the Clio Sports Awards in New York, widely recognised as the most prestigious accolades in sports marketing globally, featuring the world's biggest brands and agencies.

At the Clios, we proudly secured two awards: one for Absa's remarkable "#SheUntamed" campaign in the Branded Content category and another for SuperSport’s groundbreaking "Sounds of the World Cup" in the Social Media category.

This achievement is significant, as it is our first win at the Clios since 2017 when we made history as the first-ever South African agency to win with our #ThatsGold campaign for Coca-Cola.

What makes this victory even more exceptional is the distinction of being the sole South African agency to bring home a trophy from the Clio Sports Awards in 2023.

Locally, Playmakers achieved record hauls at the Prism Awards (3), New Generation Awards (7), and Assegai Awards (15). Furthermore, our impressive return at the Sports Industry Awards (3) stands as our most substantial success since 2016 at that event.

"It has been really amazing for our own teams as well as our clients to be in the winners circle in 2023. What is particularly pleasing was the range of categories we won in – from Best Customer Acquisition Campaign, to Best Influencer Marketing, Branded Content and Experiential Marketing," said managing partner Seishane Leshaba.

As the year concludes, Playmakers and FuturePlay express heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated teams, clients, and partners who have played integral roles in our agency's remarkable success this year. Looking ahead, we eagerly anticipate continuing to create magic, pushing boundaries, and delivering excellence in sponsorship marketing.

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