In an exciting opportunity for South African creatives, TikTok is proud to announce the launch of the first-ever TikTok Ad Awards in the METAP region. The awards program is designed to celebrate the brands and agencies leading the way on TikTok with their creative and high-performing campaigns, as well as embracing the unique nature of TikTok and delivering exceptional advertising experiences.

The Awards will showcase some of the most inspiring advertising campaigns that have brought authenticity, creativity and joy to the platform while achieving groundbreaking results. The initiative aims to acknowledge exceptional talent and innovation within the region.

The TikTok Ad Awards is now open for submissions from brands and agencies based in the METAP region, encompassing Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, South Africa and Pakistan. The program features six main categories that encompass various aspects of successful TikTok campaigns.

It’s the Creative for me: Focuses on the idea and its strategy, and celebrates the brands and agencies that dared to push the boundaries of creativity with campaigns that were built TikTok-first, and showcased impactful results.

Community Core: Celebrates the best use of creators and the community. Shows how creators can use their unique voices and content styles seamlessly within your campaign idea.

Bougie on a Budget: This category is for campaigns with the most creative use of modest production budgets and resources through both paid and organic content with community management to create maximum impact.

Sound On Please!: Celebrates campaigns that use sound as an entry-point to their creative idea. There are so many different types of sound, different uses of sound, and likewise different creative approaches to the use of sound on TikTok.

The Trendsetter: Reimagine advertising through TikTok, showcasing your innovation and ability to captivate audiences and drive bold, effective ideas through the unique utilisation of ad products with a measurable impact on the platform.

The People's Choice: Chosen through a vote by the guests of the ceremony. The highest accolade - The Greatest Of All Time (The G.O.A.T) - will be presented to the best overall campaign that excels in creativity, achieves its media objectives and demonstrates effectiveness. This award aims to recognise campaigns that really tapped into TikTok's community, creativity and trends to inspire joy and create cultural moments. All applications submitted under any of the six main categories will be automatically considered for the G.O.A.T.

Brands and agencies can find all the program details and submit their entries at https://tiktok-ad-awards.evessiocloud.com/ . The deadline for entry submission is September 6, 2024, giving participants ample time to prepare and showcase their creativity, authenticity, and impact. The winners will be revealed in November.

"We are thrilled to launch the TikTok Ad Awards METAP to recognise and celebrate the outstanding creativity showcased by brands and agencies on our platform across the region," said Shadi Kandil, General Manager, Global Business Solutions, Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Central and South Asia - TikTok. "This awards program aims to highlight the campaigns that push boundaries, captivate audiences, and drive meaningful impact. We can't wait to see the exceptional submissions from the METAP markets."