We all sin creatively... At the Loeries!

The way my life is set up, I'm too scared to ever decline an offer that comes from the goodness of one's heart. Be it in the form of money, friendship, alcohol and so on and so forth. 

So I was in Durban for the better part of last week for the Loeries awards. These awards are a year-round focus on creative inspiration, awarding the most creative ad campaigns from various brands and agencies. 

Anywho, I trekked there well aware that I had a school assignment deadline the following week and I diligently brought with my rather heavy marketing textbooks with me. If I had known that I wouldn't even open them, I wouldn't have bothered! 

A large part of the days were spent in meetings and also sorting out admin, no story there. Then came Friday, when there was a scheduled Chairman's party hosted by YFM in the works. That was the beginning of the end. Ran into a joburg frenemy of mine and it was downhill from there. Luckily an old varsity mate, DJ Thabithabs, kept us dancing with the hot joints she dropped, alongside her Y colleagues.

The cool kids got there and next thing I know we were popping champagne like it's cool aid (or sweeto for the SA market)! I was never ready for the amount of dancing, loud screaming (aiyoyo vaarbz) and just general ratchetness of it all. 

Dankie YFM and family... Most importantly the Loeries Chairman Neo Mashigo, Executive Creative Director from Ogilvy.

 

Ran into this beaut from SuperSport. Say hi to Pinky lads :) 

Leaders of the new school...

This is what I looked like before I walked out of Tokio looking like a hobo! 

The night before was like... The guys at Cubana never saw it coming!

  

Back to the Loeries. Saturday came and so did half of Joburg's likers of things et al. There was some pool deck situation at  Elangeni Hotel that shall remain undocumented. This however does not mean it wasn't epic. Shots were fired at some creative's sloppy work and shots were drank in retaliation. It was a shots situation you see. 

Yoh then there was the Ogilvy after party at Carlifornia Dreaming situation. By that time I was out of it. My mind was on Joburg and I wanted out. So I left the party about 10 minutes after I got there. My colleagues were in good spirits (no pun intended) so I decided to slip out quietly. 

The only memory I have of Saturday was of Mazwi and I acting a fool at dinner. The folks at Havana were not impressed yazi. 

This is the look we were giving the judge judy's there! 

Sunday dawned upon us, and it was the main award night. Gathered a couple of my goons and we had lunch at Max's Lifestyle Lounge. The meat... too devine! 

Anywho in the evening we quickly cleaned up and headed to the awards looking like... 

Don't ya wish...

The creatives were awarded and people were too much of excitement. Let me not bore you with the list of winners because you can google all that stuff mos. What stood out for me was this 72year's young gentleman by the name of Tony Koenderman. He is a legend in the industry. Again, Google is your friend. I don't have a clear picture of him but cava the swag when he came to collect his award.

Pictured below is Tony standing between Neo Mashigo and Andrew Human who is the HNIC of the Loeries.

Yoh phela, after the show is where the after party is at. And Cape to Cairo is where we headed to after the awards. One word: EPIC! Channel O hosted the after party and you know there ain't no party like an Original Africans after party. Yeses, we were packed like sardines but weren't  discouraged to stop dancing. We went on and on. 

Fam look at my hair in this pic... Tltltl. Horrible. Worlds apart from what it was earlier. 

Also spotted the homie Sphe. He played a dope set! #KingofTheWeekend

And then some of the Channel O familia... 

Disclaimer: a lot happened that will never be shared here. It was too much. And too fun. But it was the Loeries and everyone sinned creatively. The theme was how many NO's till you get a Loerie. They set the tone. So there, we all sinned creatively for that Loerie! 

Yours in awesomeness, 

Nthabi with an 'H'