Evolve Group Africa celebrated the fifth anniversary of the annual Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards (UMEAS) at a red carpet and black-tie gala, on Thursday, Dec 11th at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
The UMEAS’ fifth edition saw different companies and brands commune to exhibit their marketing success, showcase the quality of their business, while celebrating the edition’s underpinning theme; ‘Promoting sustainable marketing excellence.
To commemorate the fifth anniversary of the gala, Evolve Africa hosted guests to a pre-gala marketing masterclass dubbed the State of Marketing Address Uganda 2025. The event sparked meaningful conversations about the future of marketing, innovation and brand communication in Uganda with key note speakers including Robin Bairstow, Irene Byarugaba, Emmanuel Otuko, Barbra Arimi, Robert Victor Nsibirwa and John Paul Okwi.
The nominees, who were selected by the UMEAS Marketing council tussled for an edge across the thirteen categories, after Evolve Group Africa, introducing a new category to the awards, Brand of the Year, in commemoration of the awards 5th anniversary.
According to Paul Businge, a co-founder of Evolve Africa, this year’s edition spanned every single aspect of marketing, communications, digital, and advertising, right from ideation, to creation, and execution.
Businge further highlighted that the six-member marketing council determined all nominations, and held 60% stake on all public vote categories, while the public had 40% of the final decision towards the consideration for seven (7) of the thirteen (13) awards categories.
The Brand of the year award, the newest addition to the UMEAS, was part of the categories whose winner was determined by the Marketing council.
“The marketing council played a critical role of ensuring professionalism at every stage of the process, as the awards aim to maintain credibility, transparency and fairness,” Businge said.
The distinguished Marketing council comprised Dr. Benedict Mugerwa, Ngulumi Immaculate Nabatte, John Paul Okwi, Rogers Anguzu, Barbara Arimi and Jackie Namara.
John Paul Okwi, the Marketing Council lead noted that this year, the focus was centered on Sustainability, as they assessed campaigns and projects that made good use of resources that were entrusted to marketers, and whether they made a return on investment sustainably.
The UMEAS secretariat will release a detailed report, to explain their methodology for all stakeholders to review and understand why their brands performed the way they did.
The UMEAS 2025 and inaugural state of marketing address were sponsored by, I&M Bank, NSSF, NBS TV, Afromobile, Nexcom, Centenary Bank, Crown Beverages (Pepsi and Aquafina), Uganda Breweries Ltd, Kampala Serena Hotel, Vision Group, Equity Bank, Radio City, Matooke Republic, Kadanke Brand House, Datamine Technical Business School, Marketer Media and Women in Marketing Uganda.
Esteemed Marketer Susan Nsibirwa outshone her peers, as she was announced the winner of the night’s most coveted honours, the prestigious UMEAS Marketing Pioneer Award.
Below is the full list of the Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards (UMEAS) 2025 winners;
1. Advertising Campaign of the Year-I Am Streetwise – Kfc Uganda
2. Best Use of Partnership Marketing-Menstrual Hygiene Management Project-World Vision Uganda in partnership with Absa Bank
3. Best Use of Digital Marketing-Spinny & Friends 2025
4. PR Campaign of the Year-Airtel-Spire Crisis Management Campaign
5. Best Use of Experiential Marketing-Don Julio 1942 Launch at Mezo
6. Best Not For Profit/ Social Good Campaign- Stanbic National Schools Championship, Battle of Champions
7. Best Innovation-Sapphire Club by I&M Bank Uganda
8. Best Use of Sustainability-Stanbic National Schools Championship, Battle of Champions
9. Rising Agency of the Year-Node Group Consult
10. Agency of the Year-Maad Mc Cann
11. Brand of the Year-NRG Radio Uganda
12. Marketing Campaign of the Year-Go Tv Ka Weekie
13. Marketing Pioneer Award- Susan Nsibirwa
