Up against more than 250 competing entries from South Africa’s biggest brands, Pick n Pay and agency partner Gorilla scooped nine trophies out of their ten shortlisted entries, including the coveted “Best in Show” Industry Award, at the 2025 MMA Smarties Awards on Thursday night.

The awards honour the most creative and effective modern marketing in South Africa.

One of the highest accolades at this year’s MMA Smarties Awards, the “Best in Show” is voted for by a jury of senior industry leaders, and celebrates campaigns for their strategic brilliance, cultural relevance, and measurable business impact.

Jordan Wallace, CEO of Gorilla, the strategic and creative agency partner to Pick n Pay asap! and Pick n Pay Smart Shopper, said: “To walk away with nine trophies, including the Best in Show award, is testament to the incredible working relationship we have between our teams, and is recognition for all the hard work that goes into standing out in the highly competitive retail category.”

The Pick n Pay asap! Find the Bunny! Get the Money! campaign was the star of the evening, collecting three Golds, three Silvers, a Bronze, as well as the “Best in Show” Industry Award. Pick n Pay’s Smart Shopper Price Palooza wasn’t far behind, winning a Gold, two Silvers, and a Bronze.

Vincent Viviers, Pick n Pay’s Retail Executive of Innovation and Digital, was in attendance to celebrate the occasion. “The goal of any campaign is to connect with our customers in a meaningful and memorable way. These campaigns didn’t just communicate a campaign, but they got South Africans talking and excited about the real everyday benefits asap! or Smart Shopper offers. It’s incredibly rewarding to see work that resonated so strongly with our customers now also recognised by respected industry peers through a platform as impactful as the MMA.”

The SMARTIES Awards are more than just a trophy moment — they are a celebration of bold thinking, measurable success, and the relentless drive to push marketing forward.

This year’s winners have not only earned recognition on stage; they will also be featured on the MMA Business Impact Index 100, as well as influential industry benchmarks like WARC and RECMA, highlighting the true commercial impact of marketing excellence.

The list of awards Pick n Pay won:

Pick n Pay asap!

INDUSTRY AWARD: Best in Show

GOLD:

• Omnichannel Marketing
• Instant Impact/Promotion
• Cross Digital Media Marketing

SILVER:

• Social Media Marketing

BRONZE:

• Short or Long Form Video

Pick n Pay Smart Shopper

GOLD:

• Instant Impact/Promotion

SILVER:

• Omnichannel Marketing
• Creator/Influencer/Celebrity Marketing

BRONZE:

• Social Media Marketing

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