The Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) last Friday launched the 18th edition of the Gong Gong Awards, an award scheme for the advertising and media industry in Accra.

The 2026 edition of the Gong Gong Awards will be held on July 25 this year at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra on the theme: “The Creative Convergence: AI and Human Craft in Advertising”.

Entries for the award will commence from May 4 to June 14 this year, while judges’ assessment of the entries will be held from June 15 to July 7 this year. The ceremony will also be preceded by the Advertising Week Celebration from July 13 to 24.  

Categories

Explaining the award categories, the Board Chair of the Gong Gong Awards, Dr Linda Narh, said the award scheme has 24 award categories under seven main categories.

She added that for each of the 24 categories, there would be gold, silver and bronze awards, with three works receiving them in that order.

Out of the seven main categories, she said there would be platinum awards for six of them that constitute the mainstream categories.

The seven main award categories include “Integrated Campaign”, which constitutes two sub-awards, such as “Best Integrated Campaign and Campaign Effectiveness”.

“Craft”, which is the second main category, also constitutes six sub awards-- “Best Film, Best Print, Best Radio, Best Use of Outdoor, Design and Craft, and Production Company of the Year”.

“Purpose and Impact”, the third main category, is made up of the “Gong Gong for Good, and Cultural Impact” awards.

The Media category has “Excellence in Media Strategy, Excellence in Media Planning, Best Media Idea and Innovation, Use of Media to Drive Business Results”.

For “Digital and Technology”, the sub awards include “Best Use of Digital, Best Use of Social Media, Best Use of AI and Creative Tech, and Best Use of Innovation”.

The sixth main category award, “Brand Experience and Content”, is also made up of three sub-awards, namely, “Brand Experience and Activation, Branded Content and Entertainment, and Influencer and Creator Economy”.

The seventh main category, earmarked as a special category, “People and Industry”, is made up of “Young Creatives of the Year, Agency of the Year and Brand of the Year” awards.

Digital shift

Delivering the keynote address, Former World President and Chairman of the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the AAG, Joel E. Nettey, called on Ghanaian advertisers and agencies to lead the digital transformation of the industry while protecting the unique storytelling traditions that define African advertising.

Ghana government news

Mr Nettey said traditional broadcast and print media, which had long been the backbone of advertising spend in the country and across Africa, continued to lose their share to digital platforms.

He stressed that social media, streaming services, and mobile-first content consumption had fundamentally changed where audiences were and how they engaged.

“A brand that does not have a credible digital presence today is already invisible to a significant portion of its target market,” he stated.

Mr Nettey cautioned against treating the shift as a purely Western phenomenon that Ghana was merely catching up with. 

He said the nation’s digital penetration was accelerating, with mobile internet usage reshaping how Ghanaians discovered brands, made purchase decisions, and shared experiences.

He, however, stressed the need to protect what makes African advertising uniquely powerful.

“Our storytelling traditions, our cultural nuances, our ability to connect with audiences on an emotional and communal level, no algorithm can manufacture.

The best advertising has always been deeply human,” he said.

Role of AI

The President of the AAG, Andrew Ackah, said advertisers should not allow artificial intelligence to replace the human soul and process in advertising communication, but rather use it as a tool to achieve creative goals faster.

Mr Ackah stressed that while machines could support the work of advertisers, they must not be allowed to determine how brands communicate with consumers.

He said the AAG was opening up to young creators who were more vested in using AI tools and welcomed their expertise to the industry. 

“We want you to be part of what we are doing. And we welcome you to come with the work that you produce for your client.

And if it fits the purpose and the standards, you may go home with an award,” he said.