Publicis, EchoHouse, and Others Sweep Awards at the17th Gong Gong Festival of Creativity & Awards

The 17th Gong Gong Festival of Creativity & Awards, by the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), climaxed on Saturday, June 28th, 2025. The entire festival of creativity and awards was more than an award ceremony — it was a celebration of ideas, culture, and bold industry impact. The Gong Gong festival began with an inter-agency fun game that ramped up a lot of excitement and energy across the industry, and it climaxed with the awards dinner night at the Adesa Pavilion of Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra. The awards dinner night brought together Ghana’s top advertising and media minds, culminating in high recognitions for agencies like Publicis Ghana, EchoHouse Insel Communications, Ogilvy, Rezultz Advertising, Innova DBB, Pulse Ghana, Primetime, EXP, and a host of others.

Publicis West Africa, EchoHouse, and EXP Ghana, which won the three available platinum awards for the year. From the red carpet glam to groundbreaking campaign showcases, this year’s Gong Gong Awards set a clear standard for creativity and excellence in the industry.

  1. Creative Brilliance was on Full Display as Publicis Ghana was crowned Creative Agency of the Year, taking home a whopping 16 awards, including: 1 Platinum,7 Gold, 6 Silver, and 2 Bronze. Their performance showed that data-led creativity and culturally aligned messaging are still effective tools for advertising.  
  2. Media Innovation Mattered More Than Ever- and EchoHouse won the grand prix in that sector as they were awarded Media Agency of the Year, and walked away with 11 awards, including 1 Platinum, 2 Gold, 5 Silver, and 3 Bronze. Their youthful, culturally-driven content strategies continue to shape the next wave of media consumption in Ghana.
  3. Experiential is evolving and highly competitive, but EXP Ghana took home the Experiential Agency of the Year title, highlighting the growing demand for immersive, real-world brand experiences that go beyond screen-based storytelling.

Moments That Defined the Night

To truly understand the vibe of the night, a photo gallery says it all. From the stunning setup to the proud smiles of winners holding their trophies, each image captured the energy and pride of the industry.

 

[https://manuelphotographytm.pixieset.com/gonggongawards2025/#

 

Every year brings something new — this time, it was the clear shift towards performance-based recognition. Agencies weren’t just awarded for creativity, but for results, impact, and message clarity. It marked a turning point for how success is measured in the industry.

The stage design and production also raised the bar, showing that even local events can deliver world-class presentations. Events like this don’t happen in isolation. AAG extends its gratitude to all the sponsors, supporting brands, production teams, jury panel, and agencies who made the event what it was. Your contributions made this a night to remember — and a night that will inspire many more.

What This Means for Ghana’s Creative Industry

The 17th Gong Gong Awards reminded us that Ghana’s advertising industry is not just surviving — it’s thriving. With the rise of young talent, expanding digital platforms, and conversations around tech like AI in advertising, the future is full of promise.

Events like these are more than celebrations; they’re milestones that inspire future greatness.

The Gong Gong Awards continue to be more than just trophies — they are a mirror of how far we’ve come, and a light for where we’re headed. Here’s to pushing boundaries, telling better stories, and building an industry rooted in creativity, excellence, and collaboration.

From Project Find to Cannes: How Two Young EchoHouse Creatives Made Their Mark

Two rising stars from EchoHouse, Adelaide Baah and Maame Adubea Asante Yeboah, both 22, made significant waves on the global stage last June.

First, the talented young Ghanaians proudly represented Africa at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, a powerful testament to their exceptional talent and EchoHouse’s deep commitment to nurturing emerging creative voices.

Their journey to Cannes is particularly inspiring. Both Adelaide and Maame Adubea joined EchoHouse through Project Find, a groundbreaking recruitment initiative designed by EchoHouse specifically to help recent university graduates transition seamlessly into the workforce and find their footing in the creative industry. Less than a year into their respective careers as National Service Persons, they achieved a rare feat: winning the Cannes Young Lions Africa Digital Competition, which earned them this incredible opportunity to compete globally.

Adele And Maame’s Experience In Cannes

As they immersed themselves in the festival, both Adelaide and Maame Adubea focused on growth. Adelaide aimed to “soak in everything, how the best in the world think, create, and tell stories,” and returned home “with a fresh lens and new energy.” Maame Adubea’s goal was clear: “network, learn from industry thought leaders and win the global competition.”

“My favourite time at Cannes was the awards nights. When the best campaigns got celebrated. I am looking forward to being a part of extremely cool campaigns like that,” Maame Adubea said of her experience in Cannes.

 

“For me, it’s so hard to pick just one, but my absolute favourite parts of the Cannes 2025 trip were definitely the Adobe x Coca-Cola activation, the creativity and tech merge were insane! Then there was the Amazon Port, that entire experience felt like stepping into the future. And of course, the cherry on top was when we travelled to Monaco. It felt like a dream within a dream!” Adele recalled her experience with excitement.

They understand the monumental impact this experience will have. “It’s every creative marketer’s dream to be at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity,” Maame Adubea affirmed. Adelaide believes the opportunity has ignited new confidence, pushing her “to dream bigger and take up more space” and sharpening her “hunger to do even more meaningful work.”

From Project Find to Global Recognition: A Testament to Nurturing Talent

Adelaide and Maame Adubea’s journey at EchoHouse began during their time as National Service Persons. Less than a year into this foundational period of their careers, they found themselves not just learning the ropes, but actively shaping major campaigns. This hands-on immersion was deliberate; EchoHouse’s environment, as Maame Adubea describes, is “involving, educative, hectic, fun and exciting,” consistently pushing individuals to excel. Adelaide, who quickly found her stride on the experiential team, attests that EchoHouse “throws you into the deep end, but in the best way,” fostering a dynamic space that stretched her creatively and sharpened her approach to complex challenges.

This intense, yet supportive, environment proved to be the perfect training ground for their global spotlight at Cannes. Both young women credit the “constant pushing to be the best you can” alongside the “warmth of everyone as family” for providing the bedrock for such an extraordinary opportunity. Their journey exemplifies EchoHouse’s philosophy: that true growth comes not just from theoretical knowledge, but from real-world exposure, consistent mentorship, and the freedom to tackle high-stakes projects from the very start of one’s career.

Beryl Agyekum Ayaaba, CEO of EchoHouse, passionately champions the empowerment of young creatives. Her vision has created an environment where talents like Adelaide and Maame Adubea can truly flourish. “When you have the right mix of people and everybody is willing to pull up their sleeves and get to work, nothing is impossible,” Beryl shared, while highlighting the crucial role of mentorship and creating pathways for young professionals. She also extended gratitude to key brand partners like Johnnie Walker, Pepsodent, Vaseline, Samsung, and Rosa Foundation, whose support made this dream a reality for the duo.

For Maame Adubea, the news of her selection was met with disbelief. “I could not believe it, I was in disbelief,” she shared. Adelaide echoed the sentiment, “It was surreal. I was shocked and super excited. It felt like all the quiet hard work finally made sense.”

A significant pillar in their growth has been the She Unit at EchoHouse, a supportive community for all women within the company, where both Adelaide and Maame Adubea found invaluable mentorship and encouragement.

Their presence at Cannes Lions last June was a living testament to the flourishing landscape of African creativity, the boundless potential of dedicated young talents, and EchoHouse’s commitment to building the future of the industry, starting with initiatives like Project Find – a recruiter platform for National Service.