AME's Grand Jury Spotlight Interviews celebrate the exceptional minds shaping the future of advertising and marketing communications. Representing top-tier agencies from around the world, this diverse jury consists of some of the most strategic trailblazers in the industry. These visionary leaders are known for creating influential, results-driven campaigns for top global brands. Their dedication to driving impactful, innovative work not only sets the standard for excellence but also inspires the next generation of marketers and advertisers.
2025 Grand Jury member, Loyiso Twala is CCO at McCann Joburg, South Africa. From being one of the top 30 Executive Creative Directors in Africa and the Middle East at Loeries 2020, Loyiso Twala went on to become one of the top 20 Chief Creative Officers in Africa and the Middle East in 2024. Apart from creative directing the largest rebrand Africa has ever seen, Loyiso has over two decades of integrated creative communications experience across private and public sector businesses plus speaker and award accolades for various local and international award shows like Loeries and Cannes Lions. He has led McCann Joburg to rank 8th best agency at Creative Circle South Africa and top 5 agencies in Sub-Saharan Africa at Cannes Lions in 2024. He is also a member of the Cannes Lions ANA Global Growth for Progress Council with a focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
In the interview below Loyiso, shares his perspective on the role of storytelling, how brands are reaching consumer directly in the direct to consumer channels, engaging consumers in the gaming space and so much more.
AME Awards: From your perspective as a creative strategist, what standout qualities define award-winning, effective advertising today?
Loyiso Twala: Effective communication have this simple quality, a solution that doesn’t reinforce the past but leads us into the future of creative communication whilst either meeting or surpassing its own objective metrics. That must be awarded.
AME Awards: Why are effectiveness competitions like the AME Awards essential for measuring impact and industry growth?
Loyiso Twala: For as long as advertising is about business then the power of creativity has to be evident in the business results. And award shows like AME push the industry to focus on exactly that.
AME Awards: In your experience, what role does storytelling play in the effectiveness of a campaign? Are there elements of narrative or structure that make campaigns especially memorable or impactful?
Loyiso Twala: Storytelling creates the perfect canvas for the distinct assets and qualities of a brand to be exploited to make the brands story memorable and highly resonant, and that’s what makes a brand standout in its own unique voice.
AME Awards: What future-forward trends and innovations will we see brands adopt for 2025?
Loyiso Twala: Future-forward trends we are likely to see are the use of artificial intelligence, creative solutions that are less ‘addy’ and more integrated into peoples lives in a way that either reveal new media or reimagine traditional media.
AME Awards: How are brands reimagining influencer marketing to be more impactful? Any examples of partnerships or approaches that have been proven most effective?
Loyiso Twala: Influencer marketing is no longer driven by people but are also virtual, developed by artificial intelligence to model human beings but allow brands more direct control. And via gaming platforms, graphic characters are influencing decision making for consumers as campaign drivers.
AME Awards: What strategies are successful in engaging users within mobile gaming spaces? How do brands encourage active participation rather than passive ad consumption?
Loyiso Twala: One strategy that works every time is, enhance user experience not interrupt. It sounds simple, but many brands get it wrong. Those who get it right, reap the rewards.
AME Awards: With the rise of e-commerce and direct-to-consumer channels, how are brands reshaping their advertising strategies to reach consumers directly?
Loyiso Twala: Brands are more content-first for higher engagement.