Copyright nyasatimes
Airtel Malawi has once again proven its marketing prowess, scooping four top honours at this year’s Institute of Marketers in Malawi (IMM) Awards held in Salima. The telecom giant walked away with awards for Outdoor Campaign of the Year (ChezaFaya Combo Bundles), Social Media Campaign of the Year (Airtel Top 8), Marketing Campaign of the Year – Brand (Airtel Top 8), and Marketer of the Year, awarded to Norah Chavula-Chirwa, Airtel’s Head of Brand and Communication. Reacting to the wins, Airtel Malawi Managing Director Aashish Dutt said the awards reflect the company’s deep connection with Malawians and its drive for innovation. “These awards reflect our commitment to connecting with Malawians in meaningful ways—through culture, technology, and innovation. We’re proud of our team’s creativity and the impact our campaigns continue to make in fostering connectivity for all Malawians,” Dutt said. The Airtel Top 8 campaign emerged as a double winner, securing both the Social Media Campaign of the Year and Brand Campaign of the Year titles. It stood out for its rich local content and powerful omni-channel communication strategy, featuring real-time updates, fan activations, and vibrant social media engagement. The campaign recorded over 11 million views and generated K216 million in total gate revenue, including K72.6 million through Airtel Money, at the record-breaking finals held at Bingu National Stadium. “Seamlessly bridging online engagement with offline action, Airtel Top 8 united football fans across rival teams, set a new benchmark for sports marketing in Malawi, and transformed social media into a powerful engine for fan mobilization and ticket sales,” reads part of Airtel’s statement. Meanwhile, the ChezaFaya Combo Bundles outdoor campaign earned praise for its creative 3D billboards and culturally resonant messaging, which turned everyday spaces into vibrant brand experiences. “With over 116 strategic placements in city centers and transit hubs, the campaign created a visual journey that captured attention and drove significant product uptake,” the statement said. Its taglines—“Bandulo ya Madolo” (a bundle for pros) and “Macheza a Bho” (great chats/conversations)—made ChezaFaya a symbol of smart, relatable, and consumption-friendly communication. Airtel also celebrated Norah Chavula-Chirwa, who was named Marketer of the Year for her outstanding strategic vision and impact. “Her leadership has driven exponential growth across multiple campaigns—from Airtel Top 8 to ChezaFaya and MoFaya bundles—through a blend of cultural insight, digital innovation, and commercial strategy,” Airtel said in the communiqué. The four awards underscore Airtel Malawi’s consistent dominance in marketing excellence and its continued role in shaping creative, customer-driven communication across the country. Would you like me to make a short, catchy radio version of this too—with sound bite cues and punchy language for broadcast?
