Loeries 2026: Maggi Mami, Vaseline’s Nigerian Prince, Others Emerge Finalists, As Publicis Groupe, Dentsu Top Nomination List
Premium campaign entries Maggi Mami and Vaseline & the Real Nigerian Prince are among the finalists that will slug at the 2026 Loeries Awards.
The two campaigns are competing in different categories at the continental creative festival. Maggi Mami, by Nestlé for Maggi, is a finalist in the Audio Experiences/Activations category, while Vaseline & the Real Nigerian Prince, by Unilever for Vaseline Body Oil, has been shortlisted in the Audience Insights Innovation category. Another campaign, Lux My Algorithm, by Lux, is also a finalist in the Audience Insights Innovation category.
The trailblazing agency Publicis Groupe Africa has equally secured 65 finalist spots ahead of the prestigious awards nights scheduled for October 8 and 9 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Dentsu Africa recorded the highest number of finalists among the agencies listed, with 86 finalists across its creative and media categories.
The development comes as the Loeries Creative Week enters its final stretch, with industry professionals, marketers, creatives and agencies from across Africa and the Middle East gathered in Cape Town to celebrate creativity, exchange ideas and compete for recognition at one of the region’s leading creative awards.
Publicis Groupe Africa has recorded 65 finalists across six agencies ahead of the two awards nights. The shortlisted work covers a broad range of disciplines, including film, radio, print craft, live events, artificial intelligence and the festival’s new Creative Strategy category.
The Groupe also accounts for three of the nine Young Creatives shortlisted this year, highlighting the emerging talent within its agencies.
LePub Johannesburg and Machine lead the Groupe’s representation, with 22 finalists each. Their shortlisted work cuts across several clients, including Heineken, Mondelez and RocoMamas.
Other major contenders include VML South Africa, which secured 31 finalists representing campaigns for major brands, including Vaseline and Standard Bank.
The Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography also recorded 31 finalists, further highlighting the breadth of talent represented in this year’s competition.
The Loeries Creative Week, which began on Sunday, October 4, has featured judging sessions, industry engagements, masterclasses and leadership discussions ahead of the awards ceremonies.
The first day of judging was held on Tuesday, while Judging Day 2 is ongoing on Wednesday, October 7.
Speaking during the second day of judging, Loeries Chief Executive Officer, Preetesh Sewraj, described the judging process as a rigorous research-driven exercise rather than simply an awards assessment.m
According to Sewraj, the Loeries examines work through a methodology that considers factors including innovation, quality, relevance to brands and target audiences, as well as the suitability of the chosen medium.
“The Loeries is a phenomenal award. We use the word award, but this is proper research. We are actually doing proper research in terms of what is the best work,” Sewraj said.
He explained that judges assess the work against several criteria, adding that the process involves continually searching for work that demonstrates excellence across different dimensions.
“We are checking, first of all, innovation. Innovation in research, innovation in work. We test quality, relevance to the brands, relevance to the target audience and the chosen medium,” he said.
Sewraj also reflected on the demanding nature of the creative industry, noting that the festival recognises the level of thinking and effort required from marketers, creatives and media professionals.
He described this as part of the “madness” involved in creating effective work and communicating with audiences.
Beyond the judging, Creative Week has a packed programme of masterclasses and industry events designed to provide professionals with opportunities to learn, network and exchange ideas.
Among the scheduled sessions is a Unilever masterclass, From Cultural Truth and Relevance to Collective Impact, taking place on October 8 at the Homecoming Centre’s Avalon Theatre in Cape Town.
Pinterest will also host Designing Taste: How Pinterest Powers Discovery at the Homecoming Centre’s Star Theatre.
Another session, Talking In Creative Circles Live: United In Texture, presented by Creative Circle, is also scheduled for October 8 at the Star Theatre.
Spotify will present The Soundtrack to Your Strategy, while Dentsu X will host a session on The Future Creative – Human Ingenuity in the Age of AI.
The programme also includes the Loeries Marketing Leadership Forum, held on Wednesday, October 7, featuring a virtual keynote by the LIONS CMO Forum and a panel discussion involving Khensani Nobanda.
A Bloomberg Media lunch is also among the events taking place during the week.
The Marketing Leadership Forum is targeted at CMOs and senior marketing leaders, with participation subject to limited availability.
The activities will culminate in the Loeries Awards Nights on October 8 and 9 in Cape Town, where the winners across the various categories will be announced.
The awards nights are expected to bring together leading creatives, agencies, marketers and brands from across Africa and the Middle East for a celebration featuring red-carpet arrivals, the awards presentations and post-event celebrations.
The Loeries Creative Week begins with the judging of creative work before expanding into networking opportunities, masterclasses and thought-leadership sessions, culminating in the awards nights and the official after-party.
The Loeries describes Creative Week as the largest festival celebrating creative excellence across the Africa and Middle East region, bringing together industry stakeholders to recognise outstanding work, build relationships and share knowledge.
As a not-for-profit organisation, the Loeries promotes creativity and innovation in advertising and brand communication, while recognising work that demonstrates fresh thinking, strong ideas and exceptional execution.
With Maggi Mami, Vaseline & the Real Nigerian Prince, Lux My Algorithm and dozens of other campaigns in contention, attention now turns to the final judging sessions and the October 8 and 9 ceremonies, where the 2026 winners will be revealed.