The Loerie Awards were first held in 1978, as a mechanism to support and grow television advertising. Since then the awards have expanded to encompass every area of brand communication including radio and print advertising, design, architecture, direct marketing, non-broadcast video, live events, and digital media. The awards are now regionally focussed on Africa and the Middle East , and entries from outside of this region are not eligible.

‘The Loeries’ has become far more than a single awards ceremony – since 2005 it has grown to incorporate activities throughout the calendar year, including a biannual magazine, and the hard-cover printed annual and DVD of the year’s leading brands and agencies. Already in its first year, the new annual has become a major reference amongst marketers and agencies, and includes an index by brand, agency and individual credits.

Additionally, the Travelling Exhibition was launched at the Design Indaba in 2006. The exhibition showcases the year’s winning work and has travelled throughout South Africa , including several educational institutions, corporate headquarters, the Rand Show, the Grahamstown Festival, and the Aardklop Festival.

This year also saw the introduction of ‘Everyone’s Loerie Award’ – a partnership with the SABC, providing an opportunity for the general public to have their say and vote for their favourite Radio and Television commercials. Most noticeable was the fact that the finalists in the Everyone’s Loerie Award were all Loerie winners in the main categories too – a sure signal that the industry has its fingers on the pulse of the consumer!

The Loerie Awards stands by its founding values - the company is all about recognising, rewarding and fostering creative excellence. The Loerie Awards is now a Section 21 company. This means it's a non-profit organisation serving the best interests of the industry; so all funding goes right back into the industry to be put towards promoting the industry and nurturing potential creatives, especially in disadvantaged communities.

The Loerie Awards is internationally recognised and is the only award endorsed by the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), the Creative Circle (CC), the South African Graphic Design Council (Think), the Commercial Producers Association (CPA), the Digital Forum, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), and the Communication & Advertising Forum for Empowerment (Café).