“Every now and then, David gets to beat Goliath!” says Dean Oelschig, managing partner and founder of Halo, which is a small agency, summing up what the win means for it. In addition to winning the award, Halo was also named the 2024 Small Agency of the year, beating last year’s winner, Retroviral.
The agency punches well above its weight creatively, ranking fifth in South Africa’s 2024 interim creative rankings with a team averaging only 15 people. It competes head-on with much larger agencies, and has already made big waves at some of the other major awards events this year, including by winning multiple Loeries, a first Gold Campaign Loerie and a Grand Effie.
But the Agency of the Year Award is this year’s most prized possession for the agency as it continues to drive both brand and business growth for its growing list of stand-out clients, which include Pineapple, Capital Legacy, Exclusive Books, Yoco, iStore, Versofy, Auto & General, Deanston Whisky, Peregrine Capital and RMB.
The agency changed its business model in 2022, opting to operate exclusively on a “retained” client model, rather than on retainers. Clients are billed using value-based pricing and an outcomes-based model on a project-by-project basis. As Halo does not pursue retainer clients, the agency no longer worries about time sheets. This has paid off: margins soon rose to 25.2% on average, with a peak of 36%. The new business model allows for more time to be spent on projects, for better work and for happier, more inspired people.
In 2023, the agency redefined its positioning with a new tagline, “Making standout brands and brands stand out”, referencing its design and advertising capabilities as well as its desire to be a long-only agency, focusing on building emotional and standout brands.
The new business model allows for more time to be spent on projects, for better work and for happier, more inspired people
“These amazing awards are for everyone who has been a part of the ride since 2010 and who shared the unwavering belief in building a place to house the best talent in the industry, fantastic clients and world-class creative outputs. I would like to thank all our clients who have entrusted their brands to us and our partners — this award is as much yours as it is ours,” says Oelschig.
He says the team is privileged to work on wonderful campaigns that prove their unwavering belief and commitment to creative effectiveness that transforms their clients’ businesses, and to be recognised on the highest platform.
Marnus van Heerden, CEO of Pineapple, says: “Halo’s approach to creativity isn’t just about creating attractive content; it’s about understanding the heart of the brand, its mission and its audience.”
The 2024 FM AdFocus Awards focus on excellence across the creative ecosystem — excellence in strategy, partnerships and creativity. The awards reward agencies and the way they are run, from their people to their systems and clients. Winning an AdFocus Award means the agency is the best within its category for the awards period.
Oelschig says the agency’s goal is to bring together the best South African creative talent and the best clients and to allow them the freedom and courage to produce work that gets spoken about and that people love. “And then, things like this happen!”
The big take-out: “Halo’s approach to creativity isn’t just about creating attractive content; it’s about understanding the heart of the brand, its mission and its audience.” — Marnus van Heerden, CEO of Pineapple.
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