In his welcome, Preetesh Sewraj, chief executive officer of Loeries, says This is Madness is a good madness, as it comes from the passion that this industry has to be able to create work that really moves people.
He remarks that the creatives gathered at the Mayor’s Brunch impact more than two billion consumers across Africa and the Middle East through the work that they do.
“That's some serious power in this space itself, and every single one of these creatives are passionate about this madness that exists for us to create at the highest level possible to add value to consumers' lives.”
Addressing the gathering, Kelvin Stories, co-CEO and chief commercial officer at Primedia Broadcasting, says when he first saw the theme This is Madness he was slightly hesitant, restrained, and to a certain degree concerned over this positioning.
“However, looking around this room, seeing some of the most imaginative, ambitious, and unconventional minds in our industry, I suspect a slight degree of madness may be exactly the right word for what we're actually dealing with in this market.”
He contextualised this, saying, “What do I mean by that? Because at the end of the day, creativity has always required a particular kind of madness.
“It takes madness to really look at an empty page and see a campaign, to look at a business problem and find that cultural opportunity, to challenge the familiar, question the obvious, and present an idea so unexpected that the first reaction is often that'll never work, until obviously it does."
But he says, perhaps, the real madness would be to continue doing what we always have done, while the world around us changes at an absolutely extraordinary speed.
“It would be madness to believe that audiences still behave in a neat, productive way. Madness to keep producing safe, forgettable work, and expect to move people or move business.”
He adds, it would certainly be madness to underestimate the creative power of Africa.
“South African creativity has never been shaped by perfect conditions, quite like what we're going through at the moment.
“We thrive on challenges, obstacles in our way. It has been forged through complexity, prediction, diversity, and constant reinvention.
“We create in a country where human and where human sits alongside hardship, where optimism survives uncertainty, and where culture moves faster than any marketing plan.”
That tension, he states, is not our weakness. “It is our creative advantage that is our madness, and that is why the Loeries are so important.
“We do not simply celebrate beautiful executions; we recognise brave thinking, cultural relevance, strategic intelligence, and the ability of creativity to make a measurable difference."
Great ideas can come from anywhere, he says, but they only become powerful when someone dares to back them.
“That courage must come from all of us: agencies willing to challenge the status quo, clients prepared to protect bold ideas, media owners creating new possibilities, platforms investing in innovation, and leaders building environments where talented people feel safe enough to take creative risks.
“Because creativity is not a department; it is an ecosystem.”
This is the sixth consecutive year Cape Town has hosted the Loeries.
Talking about the City of Cape Town and the Loeries partnership with the City, Saiwaj says he has been lucky to judge many shows in various countries.
“The one thing that always strikes me is that in some of those cities, when I am locked in the jury room, I could be anywhere in the world."
Cape Town is different. "You know you are in Cape Town. The City is so much more than a backdrop; it's an intrinsic part of the experience of Creative Week."
Standing in for Cape Town Mayor, James Vos, the City of Cape Town's Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, says the Loeries make an important contribution to the economy of the City.
“The creative economy matters to Cape Town. It creates jobs, attracts investment, and attracts talent and supports industries like film, advertising, fashion, tourism, and events. Importantly, it helps to tell Cape Town's story to the world.”
"Loeries brings some of the brightest, creative minds from across Africa and the Middle East into one city. You exchange ideas, you build relationships, you create opportunities, and hopefully you also take a little bit of Cape Town home with you," says Vos.
VML Birdwatching at the Loeries: Look out for our interview with Preetesh Sewraj, Loeries CEO
