M-NET TAG AWARDS

The winners of the very first M-Net TAG Awards were announced at a gala ceremony held at the Theatre on the Track in Kyalami on November 30.

The M-Net TAG Awards – short for M-Net Television Awards for Good – evolved from the well-known and successful Vuka! awards. Like its predecessor, it celebrated creatives who raised the bar in creating thought-provoking and quirky public-service announcements (PSAs).

The new awards form part of a series of M-Net Cares initiatives, which set out to make a difference in South African communities and to give talented young people in the film, television and advertising industry the opportunity to improve their skills.

According to Koo Govender, M-Net’s Director of Corporate Marketing and Communications, the name-change signals M-Net’s commitment to develop and mentor future industry stars. “The M-Net TAG Awards have been designed to do good in many ways. By creating PSAs for worthy charities, young creatives experience the real-life challenges of the industry. At the same time, M-Net TAG still offers the professionals who enter, as well as many charities that are featured in the PSAs, valuable exposure on television.”

The sentiment of the M-Net TAG Awards is reflected in the exciting TAG 10 category, which provides a platform for young “wannabees” to break into the industry. TAG 10 matched teams of young and up-and-coming copywriters, art directors, producers and directors to highly-skilled professionals who were willing to share their expertise through the different phases of creating powerful and effective television ads.

Govender says the quality and quantity of entries received this year was exceptionally high. “We received 104 entries from newcomers and 26 from professionals. The concepts – and especially the animation – were also fresh, creative and punchy. There is no doubt that the cream of the crop of PSAs will move our viewers and create more awareness for the chosen charities.”

The entries were judged on the three broad categories: Newcomer, Professional and TAG 10.

Among the winners in the M-Net TAG Award for Best Overall Newcomer was the Durban University of Technology which received the Rising Star Award for Cellphones Abuse

In addition to the awards, M-Net also announced that eight 2nd and 3rd year students who are interested in studying animation, advertising, film and television, will receive M-Net TAG bursaries for 2012. All their tuition fees will be paid and the names of the eight recipients will be announced in January next year.

M-Net’s CSI Manger, Palesa Xorile says the bursary scheme is supporting transformation and development within the media industry. “The bursaries are awarded based on academic excellence and financial need.”

All the winning PSAs will be screened on M-Net and its channels across Africa as well as at Cinemark Cinemas.