EBM shines on international stage with more international honours

Darren Katz (MD of EBM), MC and host of the ICSC Global Awards- Nick Verreos (American fashion designer, fashion commentator, former Project Runway contestant), Michael Wilson (CMO of EBM)

Excellerate Brand Management (EBM) has once again demonstrated its creative and strategic excellence, this time earning top honours at two of the world’s most prestigious retail marketing awards: the ICSC Global Awards in Las Vegas and the SOLAL Marketing Awards in Warsaw, Poland. These wins mark a significant milestone for the South African agency, entrenching its prowess in retail marketing, not only on the continent, but globally.

At the 2025 International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC) Awards earlier this month, EBM walked away with two Golds, one Silver and one Finalist recognition. Mall of Africa’s SOOK x Tyla Pop-Up Collaboration and Eastgate Shopping Centre’s Ackermans Character Shop both received Gold in the Global Visual Victories category, surpassing campaigns by global fashion giants. Gateway Theatre of Shopping was awarded Silver in the ICSC MAXI Marketing Awards for its Change In Action NPO Fair, a campaign designed to connect non-profit organisations with the community that achieved exceptional impact.

Earlier this week in Warsaw, EBM claimed an impressive seven awards at the SOLAL European Marketing Awards, standing alongside finalists from across Europe and North America, following a record number of entries submitted globally for this competition this year. Liberty Promenade’s Unmasking Strength campaign earned a Gold for its innovative and heartfelt approach to supporting youth mental health in its annual Next Generation initiative. Six Silver awards were awarded across EBM’s portfolio for: Gateway’s KZN Floods and The A-MAZE-ING Maze; Sandton City’s Momo’s Magical Adventure, Future Icons by AI and City of Icons; and Eastgate’s See You at Eastgate campaign.

Darren Katz and Michael Wilson

Customised creativity, global impact

EBM’s ability to conceptualise and implement tailored strategies for each centre it markets lies at the heart of its success, ensuring it combines distinct local flair with international standards. Each mall’s marketing strategy is designed to leverage the unique identity, audience and commercial priorities of the centre it supports, ensuring relevance and measurable results across diverse markets.

The agency currently oversees marketing for shopping centres in the Liberty Two Degrees, Old Mutual Property and Burstone portfolios, in addition to Mall of Africa and Fourways Mall. Its footprint recently expanded beyond South Africa, with the addition of AnfaPlace Mall in Casablanca, Morocco, owned by Grit, EBM’s first international property.

“Our approach is rooted in crafting curated marketing strategies for each centre, ensuring every campaign resonates with its local context while delivering on marketing and commercial imperatives,” says Darren Katz, managing director at EBM. “To see our work stand alongside, and even outperform, some of the world’s most recognisable brands is both humbling and inspiring. It’s a testament to our team's dexterity and our clients’ trust. This international recognition also confirms that our strategies don’t just perform, they lead.”

Progress through performance

The recent accolades bring EBM’s total award count since its inception in 2017 to 291, including 62 Gold Footprint awards and 4 Spectrum awards. The wins reflect the agency’s consistency of strength when combining commercial impact with cultural insight, always with a distinct strategy at the core.

Michael Wilson, chief marketing officer at EBM, adds “These awards reinforce the value of our belief in creating unique experiences in retail environments and delivering campaigns that capture people’s imagination. Each centre has its own story, community and audience, and our job is to bring those stories to life in powerful, measurable ways and we are delighted to have been acknowledged through both of these international award programmes this year.”

With a growing team and a strong portfolio across Africa and beyond, EBM continues to raise the bar in retail marketing. The company’s consistent success at both local and global award platforms affirms its status as a creative force in the industry.