Growthpoint Properties (JSE: GRT) has been recognised with 19 awards across eight retail centres at this year’s South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) Footprint Marketing Awards, which honour excellence and innovation in retail property marketing.
The SACSC Footprint Marketing Awards acknowledge campaigns that demonstrate creativity, strategic insight and measurable impact within the shopping-centre industry. They recognise marketing that drives real business results across twelve award categories – from community engagement and retailer productivity to digital innovation and sustainability.
This year’s programme attracted 276 entries, with 135 awards presented to campaigns that set new benchmarks for success. For Growthpoint, the results underscore both the strength of its marketing talent and the consistency of its national retail strategy.
“While some of our centres regularly entered the awards in the past, this year we actively encouraged every retail marketing team in our portfolio, whether in-house or agency, to enter the Footprint Awards across a full range of our centres,” says Gavin Jones, Head of Retail Asset Management at Growthpoint Properties.
Jones adds, “We wanted to showcase the innovation and impact that our amazing teams deliver every day at centre level. We chose the SACSC Footprint Marketing Awards as a respected forum that honours excellence and raises retail property marketing to new heights. Seeing so many of our centres and their teams recognised on a national stage reinforces that decision and highlights the strategy and creativity that runs across our portfolio.”
The judging process is both rigorous and industry-led, involving a panel of more than 30 experts from across the retail, marketing and property sectors in South Africa and abroad. Judges include marketing directors, asset managers, agency leaders and international retail specialists who evaluate each entry for its creativity, execution, strategic alignment and measurable results. This multi-disciplinary approach ensures that the Footprint Awards recognise marketing excellence that genuinely advances retail performance and community engagement.
Diverse campaigns, national recognition
Growthpoint’s awards span shopping centres in four South African provinces and multiple marketing disciplines, celebrating initiatives that go beyond traditional retail promotion to foster community engagement, local enterprise development and experiential retail.
Among the highlights:
- Brooklyn Mall (Pretoria) achieved nine awards across multiple categories for its Ballet & Bubbles, Curated Collection – 67 Blankets and Denim by Design Welcomes Levi’s campaigns. Brooklyn Mall led the achievements with nine awards, making it one of the most decorated centres in this year’s programme.
- Festival Mall (Kempton Park) was recognised for its Retail Academy community initiative.
- Waterfall Mall (Rustenburg) received Silver and Bronze awards for Grow Your Small Business, promoting local entrepreneurship.
- Northgate Shopping Centre (Johannesburg), Longbeach Mall (Cape Town) and Musgrave Centre (Durban) were all honoured for campaigns that strengthened community ties and revitalised their retail environments.
- Alberton City Shopping Centre earned a Bronze award for A Queen Taking Her Throne, celebrating local talent and creativity.
- Co-owned Vaal Mall (Vanderbijlpark) secured three Bronze awards for its “All White” themed lifestyle event and campaign.
Together, these results demonstrate the depth and diversity of Growthpoint’s marketing excellence across South Africa’s retail landscape.
“These results reflect great marketing but also show how our centres create experiences that connect people, support retailers and contribute positively to local communities,” adds Jones. “We’re proud to see our teams driving initiatives that combine commercial success with genuine social impact.”
