There are nights when an industry simply gathers, and then there are nights when an industry sees itself reflected back.

The 2026 Gong Gong Awards was one of those nights.

More than an awards ceremony, the 18th Gong Gong Awards became a celebration of Ghana’s advertising industry in all its colour, creativity and character  bringing together the people behind the ideas, campaigns, brands and experiences that shape how Ghana communicates.

Held under the theme “The Creative Convergence: Human Craft and AI in Advertising,” the evening explored the changing relationship between human creativity and technology. But beyond the theme, the night revealed something just as important: the people, partnerships and creative spirit that continue to make the Gong Gong shine.

The shine began before the awards

Long before the first Gong Gong metal was handed over, the evening had already found its rhythm.

Guests arriving at the venue made the specially designed LED walkway one of the first stops of the night. Agency teams, executives, friends and couples paused for photographs, capturing their Gong Gong moments before heading into the foyer of Omanye Hall.

The red carpet soon became another centre of attention.

Dressed for one of advertising’s biggest nights, guests posed for cameras, exchanged greetings and settled into an atmosphere that felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a reunion of a creative family.

And that sense of reunion mattered.

Advertising is an industry built around deadlines, briefs, pitches, productions, strategy sessions and client meetings. The Gong Gong offered its professionals something they rarely get during the year the chance to slow down, reconnect and simply enjoy each other’s company.

Competitors greeted competitors. Former colleagues reunited. Clients caught up with agency teams. Friends who had not seen each other for months exchanged stories and photographs.

For one evening, the competition could wait.

The Gong Gong had become an annual homecoming for Ghana’s advertising community  a reminder that while agencies compete fiercely for business and recognition, they remain part of the same creative ecosystem.

Brands added their own sparkle

The shine continued through the evening’s brand experiences.

Eskimi, one of the main sponsors, brought its signature purple identity into the room with a sophisticated cocktail experience, offering guests beautifully presented alcoholic and non-alcoholic purple cocktails.

Nutrifoods also made its presence felt across the venue, with colourful assortments of its branded biscuits welcoming guests across the more than 40 tables.

These were more than sponsor placements. They were experiences moments where brands became part of the evening rather than simply appearing within it.

And that is, in many ways, what the Gong Gong celebrates: the ability to turn an idea into something people can see, feel, experience and remember.

When the lights came on

At 8:00 p.m., attention moved from the foyer to the main stage as the ceremony went live on TV3 and its social media platforms.

Then came the first big surprise.

Master of Ceremonies Kafui Dey stepped onto the stage alongside an unexpected co-host Aura, an AI-generated holographic personality.

It was perhaps the most fitting way to open an awards ceremony built around the convergence of human craft and artificial intelligence.

Kafui brought the spontaneity, personality and warmth of a live human performer. Aura brought technology to life in a way that felt futuristic, playful and unexpected.

Together, they made the theme more than words printed on a programme.

They made it visible.

Human creativity had met AI on the Gong Gong stage.

A farewell and a new chapter

The evening also carried a moment of reflection as Andrew Ackah, President of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), delivered a short but heartfelt message.

With his four-year tenure coming to an end in November, when a new President and Council are expected to be elected, Mr. Ackah reflected on projects undertaken during his administration, including the rebranding of the AAG and the re-introduction of the Gong Gong Awards.

It was both a look back and a look ahead  a reminder that the Gong Gong itself is part of a larger story about the growth and evolution of Ghana’s advertising industry.

Then the work took centre stage

Ultimately, every Gong Gong comes back to one thing:

The Work.

One after another, agency teams rose from their tables and made their way to the stage to receive their metals.

Some walked up calmly. Others could barely contain their excitement.

Every win brought its own reaction cheers from agency tables, embraces between teammates, triumphant walks and the now-familiar Gong Gong photographs, with winners proudly holding their metals high.

But the awards also reinforced that recognition had to be earned.

The jury did not automatically award Gold in every category. Where work did not meet the Gold standard, Silver or Bronze became the highest award presented.

The message was clear: the Gong Gong is not simply about filling an awards table. It is about recognising work that meets a standard of creative excellence.

Creativity came in many forms

Across the categories, the breadth of Ghanaian advertising creativity was on full display.

In Craft, Publicis West Africa took Gold for Best Film with Maggi Taste of Christmas. Insel Communications Limitedtook Silver for Best Print with Ecobank International Women’s Day before winning Gold for Best Radio with Looks Can Be Deceiving. Carat earned Gold for Best OOH with Club Beer Kwahu Mountain Top, while Pulse Ghana received Silver in Design Craft for Drink IQ.

In Brand Experience & Content, EchoHouse won Gold for Branded Experience & Activation with Tidal Rave Festival 2025, while Share A Coke earned Silver in Branded Content & Entertainment. Publicis West Africa also took Gold in Influencer & Creator Economy with Nescafé Ramadan.

And then came Digital & Technology, perhaps the category most closely connected to the night’s central theme.

Publicis West Africa won Gold for Best Use of AI & Creative Tech with Maggi Mami. Dentsu Ghana took Silver for Best Use of Innovation with the DDP Intelligence Portal, while Publicis returned to the podium with Gold for Best Use of Social Media for Tales of Ramadan Season 2.

But even as AI and technology occupied an increasingly important place in the industry, the awards demonstrated that technology remains a tool within a much bigger creative process.

The idea still matters.

The execution still matters.

The people behind the work still matter.

The unexpected Media story

The Media category produced one of the evening’s most striking results.

The jury withheld both Gold and Silver across all four sections, leaving Bronze as the highest available award.

Publicis West Africa therefore swept the highest available honours, receiving Bronze for Absa SME Loans Campaign, MAGGI Taste of Christmas, Acquisition Campaign 2025  Get More with Absa and NESCAFE RAMADAN across the four Media categories.

It was another demonstration that the Gong Gong’s shine is not simply about collecting Gold. It is about the standards behind every metal presented.

The leaders emerged

As the awards continued, the picture at the top of the rankings became clearer.

Publicis West Africa was crowned the 2026 Gong Gong Agency of the Year.

The agency finished with an impressive 12 metals  five Gold, two Silver and five Bronze.

Its Gold-winning work included Maggi Taste of Christmas for Best Film, Maggi Mami for Best Use of AI & Creative Tech, Tales of Ramadan Season 2 for Best Use of Social Media, Milo under 13 for Gong Gong for Good and Nescafé Ramadan for Influencer & Creator Economy.

Its performance stretched across Craft, Digital & Technology, Purpose & Impact, Brand Experience & Content, Integrated Campaign and Media  demonstrating both breadth and consistency.

But the ranking also told its own story.

Carat finished second with two Gold medals from two wins, taking Gold for Campaign Effectiveness with GTP ecomerceand Best OOH with Club Beer Kwahu Mountain Top.

Rezultz Advertising followed with eight metals — one Gold, four Silver and three Bronze.

EchoHouse recorded five metals — one Gold, two Silver and two Bronze.

And Insel Communications Limited completed the leading five with one Gold and one Silver.

Different agencies. Different campaigns. Different creative approaches.

One industry.

Maggi takes the Brand of the Year spotlight

The agency honours were only part of the story.

Maggi by Nestlé was crowned the 2026 Gong Gong Brand of the Year, after collecting five metals — two Gold, one Silver and two Bronze.

Its winning work included Maggi Taste of Christmas, Maggi Esther and Tara and Maggi Mami, highlighting the brand’s ability to show up creatively across different forms of communication.

The moment Nestlé representatives joined Publicis West Africa on stage was more than another photograph.

It captured one of advertising’s most important relationships: the partnership between an ambitious client and an inspired agency.

When that partnership works, the work shines.

And then, the Gong Gong became a concert

Just when the evening seemed ready to settle into its final stretch, the energy shifted again.

EL took the stage and brought guests to their feet with a performance of some of his vintage hits.

Then came another surprise.

D-Black joined EL on stage, turning the awards ceremony into an unexpected musical reunion. Guests sang along, recorded videos and revisited songs that have become part of Ghana’s contemporary music story.

For a few minutes, the Gong Gong was no longer simply an awards ceremony.

It was a concert.

And perhaps that was fitting.

Because the night had always been about more than trophies. It was about creating moments people would remember.

The shine refused to fade

Eventually, the final award was presented.

The broadcast ended.

The stage lights began to come down.

But the night was not over.

Guests remained around Omanye Hall and the foyer. Agency teams gathered for group photographs. Winners posed with their metals. Friends continued conversations that had been interrupted by the ceremony.

Nobody seemed particularly eager to leave.

And perhaps that was the clearest sign of what the 18th Gong Gong Awards had achieved.

For one night, an industry that spends the rest of the year creating for everyone else had the chance to celebrate itself.

The people who develop the ideas.

The people who build the brands.

The people who write the words, produce the films, design the visuals, plan the media, create the experiences and find new ways to connect brands with audiences.

They were all in the room.

And they made the Gong Gong shine.

What really shone through

The 2026 Gong Gong Awards may have been built around the meeting of Human Craft and AI, but the night ultimately revealed something broader.

Technology is changing what advertising can do.

AI is opening new creative possibilities.

But behind every idea, every campaign, every innovation and every winning piece of work are people  their imagination, judgement, collaboration, ambition and craft.

And beyond the work itself are relationships: agencies and clients, competitors and colleagues, old friends and new collaborators.

That is what made the 18th Gong Gong Awards memorable.

The metals shone.

The campaigns shone.

The technology shone.

The talent shone.

But most of all, the people and the industry behind the work shone through.

The GongGong didn’t just celebrate the best of Ghanaian advertising.

For one unforgettable night, the GongGong shone through.