APO Group Wins Gold and Bronze at 2025 Davos Awards for Canon Campaigns

By Adonis Byemelwa

Johannesburg – APO Group, the leading Pan-African communications and media relations consultancy, has once again raised the standard for public relations excellence on the global stage, winning two prestigious honors at the 2025 Davos Communications Awards held on April 11 in Davos, Switzerland.

The firm took home a Gold Award for Canon’s innovative ‘World Unseen’ campaign showcased at GITEX Africa, and a Bronze Award for the ‘10 Years of Miraisha’ celebration—representing bold, purpose-driven storytelling in action.

The ‘World Unseen’ campaign was not just another PR initiative but a sensory breakthrough. Designed for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, it offered a pioneering, tactile experience of photography, turning a traditionally visual medium into an inclusive, multisensory event.

Launched at GITEX Africa, the campaign proved that creativity and accessibility aren’t mutually exclusive. In contrast, the ‘10 Years of Miraisha’ celebration looked back on a decade of Canon's youth empowerment programme in Africa, telling deeply human stories that resonated across media platforms and inspired a wider conversation about creativity, opportunity, and the future of African talent.

What do these wins signify? Beyond the trophy shelf, they signal a recalibration of how brands operating in Africa are viewed—and how narratives are built. APO Group’s success at Davos reflects a wider shift toward campaigns that aren't just polished, but profound.

It shows that African stories, when told with authenticity, strategic intent, and emotional weight, are not only relevant globally—they’re award-winning. These accolades also reaffirm APO Group’s dominance in the communications sector, strengthening its role as a trusted voice in shaping perceptions about Africa, by Africa, and for the world.

Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group, offered a candid reflection on the moment: “These awards are more than recognition—they’re a celebration of partnerships that matter. From Canon to many other extraordinary collaborators, we are seeing the power of storytelling to move markets, touch hearts, and reframe conversations.”

The sentiment was echoed by Somesh Adukia, Managing Director of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA), who emphasized the deeper vision behind the campaigns: “At Canon, we are driven by a purpose that transcends imaging—it's about crafting stories that inspire and transform.

‘World Unseen’ embodies our belief in inclusive technology, while ‘10 Years of Miraisha’ is a celebration of young African creatives who are now shaping the future. None of this would have been possible without APO Group, whose grasp of the African media terrain and narrative sensitivity made these campaigns not only successful, but unforgettable.”

These latest accolades add to an already crowded shelf for APO Group. Over the past year, the firm has been crowned Africa’s Leading PR Agency 2025 by Brands Review Magazine, celebrated for innovation in the Bronze Stevie® Awards (awarded to Vice President Rania El-Rafie), and earned five wins at the 2023 SABRE Awards Africa—including honors for excellence in reputation management, brand building, and social media strategy.

In the past two years alone, it has also been named Best Public Relations and Media Consultancy of the Year in South Africa (2024) and received multiple distinctions from the World Business Outlook Awards and PRovoke Media.

Founded in 2007, APO Group has grown into the continent’s premier Pan-African communications powerhouse. What distinguishes the firm isn’t just its expansive network or impressive client list—including Canon, Nestlé, UNDP, Western Union, and the African Energy Chamber—but its mission-driven approach to storytelling. From governments to NGOs to global giants, APO Group continues to deliver nuanced, impactful communications that bridge cultural complexity with strategic clarity.

In an increasingly interconnected world, these wins at Davos are more than just symbols of success—they are markers of influence. Influence that shifts narratives. Influence that opens eyes. Influence that, above all, drives Africa forward.