My team and I attended the event for the first time and we were seriously amped to be involved  – with added excitement with Recruit Digital being one of the events category sponsors. It was great to see so many of our clients there on good form, and also to meet up with so many of the individuals within the digital scene that make it such a thriving community.

On the whole, I think the Bookmarks was a success, although it wasn’t problem free. The main purpose; to award achievement within digital was definitely achieved and for those within the industry that attended it was a good opportunity for knees up – the free bar allowing for plentiful overindulgence.

I thought Gareth Cliff was good, and when the AV failed to deliver he managed to hold everything together through his usual witty persona, but despite his efforts the lack of video to support the gold winners especially – was a big let down. Whilst I appreciate those who entered and judged have seen the work first hand, the rest of us had not. The lack of context or evidence to support those that won awards was a real shame – and with much of the emphasis being on the stringent judging of measurable results – having no behind the scenes insight was a big opportunity missed in my opinion.

The mash-lab stuff was fun, although again I’d have much rather that time and energy be focused on elaborating on the core focus, which is digital – perhaps an overview of the judging panel, or an example of the process maybe would have been nice. Sounds dull, but some creative thinking around how to deliver this, through video or even simple info-graphics would have been great. Hopefully the organising committee next time around can pull the tech together, offer some depth into the decisions and give the more neutral spectators in the room some real context to grip on to.

All in all we had a great time and are looking forward to next year. Meanwhile, we offer a huge congratulations to all those who won on the night and we encourage everyone involved, however big or small to continue to support the Bookmarks and compete for the top honours. The growth of the event in recent years is a great testament to the sector as a whole and the individuals who drive it forward.

In the Recruit Digital sponsored category there are 4 people up for the honor of Greatest individual contribution to SA digital – these being Fred Roed (WorldWideCreative), Yoav Tchelet (JWT), Jarred Cinman (Native) and Andre Rademan (Bizcommunity). Wishing you guys and all the other finalists the best of luck for the big night, and hope to connect with you and so many more at the party in November.

Thanks to the DMMA for starting the initiative – The Bookmarks is a fantastic platform for leaders in the digital field to showcase and gain recognition for delivering excellence in their respective arenas. It’s largely considered a benchmark for recognizable achievement, innovation and pioneering digital success not just locally but on an international scale.

Recruit Digital is proud to be a Category Sponsor this year, for the much coveted BEST INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION TO SA DM&M award. Previous winners include the likes of Nikki Cockcroft, Jason Xenopoulos and Adrian Hewlett.

We’re the first recruitment agency ever to get involved in the event which so many of our clients are a part of. We really feel its a great opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to working in tandem with the digital sector, supplying talent and giving our clients a competitive edge – and hopefully contributing to the award winning success that awaits them on the night.

Both my team and I will be at the event, so please look out for us and come say hello!