Malawi Freedom Network 
By Suleman Chitera
National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc had a grand evening at this year’s Marketing Excellence Awards in Mangochi on Saturday, after taking home three prestigious awards from the Institute of Marketing in Malawi (IMM).
NBM plc was recognized with the Social Media Campaign of the Year award for its 3 Nations Tournament campaign, while its Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager Akossa Mphepo-Hiwa, was named PR Personality of the Year.
The bank also received a Presidential Lifetime Award in recognition of its sponsorship of the Malawi National Women’s Football Team.
The Scorchers itself, which is officially sponsored by NBM plc, received Presidential Lifetime Award in recognition of its achievements and contribution to Malawi’s sporting success.
Speaking after the awards ceremony, Mphepo-Hiwa said the recognition reflects the commitment and creativity of the bank’s teams in developing impactful marketing and communication initiatives.
“These awards are a great honour for NBM plc and a testament to the passion, creativity and commitment of our teams. We are particularly proud of the recognition for our 3 Nations Tournament campaign because it demonstrates how strategic and engaging digital communication can connect brands with their audiences,” said Mphepo-Hiwa.
Mphepo-Hiwa said being named PR Personality of the Year was also a humbling achievement, adding that the recognition reflects the collective effort of the people she works with.
“I receive the PR Personality of the Year award with great humility. Public relations is never an individual effort; it is about collaboration, consistency and building meaningful relationships with our stakeholders. I therefore share this recognition with the NBM plc team and everyone who continues to support our work,” she said.
On the Presidential Lifetime Award for NBM plc’s sponsorship of the Scorchers, Mphepo- Hiwa said the partnership goes beyond financial support, as it reflects the bank’s commitment to empowering women and promoting national pride through sport.
In his remarks at the event, the Chief Judge, Elias Imaan, said the judging panel assessed entries based on whether they created value, moved people and businesses, and demonstrated ethical, sustainable and innovative approaches.
“A beautifully designed campaign that changes nothing is not excellence. A clever idea that creates no value is not excellence. A campaign that wins a prize but loses the customer’s trust is not excellence,” said Imaan.
The Marketing Excellence Awards included Marketer of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Advertising Awards, General Awards and other categories that recognized excellence in different areas of marketing and communications
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