Regional chair of the Africa Region of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Sue Beaumont, is delighted at the success once again achieved by South Africa at the Gold Quill Awards and says it is indicative of the high standard of communication in the industry. SA business communicators scooped three awards this year, including an Excellence Award.
Gold Quill Awards recognise outstanding communication projects in business and have to pass rigorous judging in SA before being forwarded to the San Francisco world headquarters of the IABC for further adjudication.
“These awards are considered an international benchmark in the global communication world. That we have done well again this year suggests there are many other communication projects in Africa that would also compete well,” she added.
Inauguration of the Africa Quill
Indeed, this year sees the inauguration of the Africa Quill – a regional award that will be run along the same lines as the international event, using the same entry categories and judging criteria. Details are due to be announced in the next month.
The much-prized Excellence Award went to Anette van der Spuy of Nyani Communication for a communication project on behalf of the De Beers Pension Fund. The other two winners both received Merit Awards – Sophia Dower of words' worth for the specialist publication, Small Capital, which is aimed at small and medium enterprises, and Pieter Pretorius of Eskom who won an award for his Business Issues entry.
Commenting on the success of the De Beers entry, van der Spuy said its success was testament to the fact that communication should not be seen in isolation. It required maximum involvement from and support by the client, such as she received from senior management, among others, at De Beers.
Second consecutive year
Dower is also delighted that words' worth received a Gold Quill for the second consecutive year. It is rewarding, she added, to have a specialist SA publication such as Small Capital read and understood by an international judging panel.
Winners of the Gold Quill will be honoured at a Gold Quill gala evening on 25 June 2007 in New Orleans during the annual conference of the IABC.
Founded in 1970, the IABC provides a professional network of more than 154 000 business communication professionals in over 70 countries. It enables a global network of communicators to identify, share and apply the world's most effective communication practices. The Africa Region currently comprises three chapters – Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town – and several new chapters, including ones in Tanzania and Botswana – are currently in the developmental phase.
