Zanele Potelwa returns as host of 2022 Sunday Times GenNext Awards

The awards team says that it is thrilled to welcome Potelwa back as host for a second year.

With 2022 still being a little unpredictable, Sunday Times GenNext says that it has reflected on strategic priorities and is embracing resilience strategies to protect against marketing disruption and to retain and captivate the youth. It will do this by keeping things advancing forward in a hybrid format (digital with a side of in-person interaction).

Now in its 18^th year, the Sunday Times GenNext Awards is the leading annual youth brand preference and consumer behaviour event. The 2022 event will take place on Thursday, 15 September between 14:00 and 17:00. 

The event will see 300 youths gather to interact and engage with the brands through displays, activations and competitions. Age groups will include those between eight and 30.

The official award ceremony will take place between 18:00 and 19:00, where the coolest brands, as voted for by South Africa’s youth, will be awarded. These awards will be live streamed so everyone can get a piece of the action.

Potelwa, who is set to host alongside Monique De Villiers, says that she is excited to bring her fun personality and love for pop culture to fans at the event while celebrating youth culture and the brands they identify with most.

“The Sunday Times GenNext Awards have always been one of my favourite awards because they quite literally listen to what the youth have to say,” says Potelwa.

“As a young person in South Africa, who works for the biggest youth station in South Africa, I have such a big heart for young people and making sure that they feel heard is one of the most important things we can do. That’s exactly what these awards are all about,” Potelwa adds. 

Potelwa says, “It’s so incredible that we have a chance to commend the brands that have the youth at heart and are truly speaking to them with their marketing campaigns.”

“They value the future of our country and that, for me, is golden. I’m so excited that after last year’s virtual show, we get to be with the superstars who got to vote and the superstars who make up the youth, on the special day, both in person and online,” concludes Potelwa. 

Individuals are encouraged to watch the awards live by registering here.

For more information, visit www.arenaevents.africa.