GO Communications celebrates landmark win at industry awards

KUALA LUMPUR: As the excitement intensified leading up to the Fifa World Cup finals, another kind of anticipation was unfolding closer to home in the ballroom of the Le Meridien in Petaling Jaya.

The suspense soon gave way to celebration, as GO Communications achieved a series of remarkable milestones at the A+M Agency of the Year and MARKies Awards.

The public relations (PR) and communications agency took home the Gold and Local Hero awards in the PR Agency of the Year category, as well as Gold for Independent Agency of the Year.

It also earned Silver for Agency Leader of the Year, awarded to chief executive officer (CEO) Peter de Kretser (pic), alongside silver for Influencer Agency of the Year and silver for Integrated Communications Agency of the Year.

Under the MARKies banner – which recognises the most creative and effective campaigns in the industry – GO’s Lego Botanicals “Awaken Your Joy” campaign for Lego Malaysia secured an additional three gold medals and three bronze medals, capping off a memorable night for the agency.

For de Kretser and the team, the gold for PR Agency of the Year was especially meaningful. In previous years, GO had won silver and bronze in the category, but this marked the first time the agency reached the top of the podium.

“Any football fan will tell you that the first major trophy always feels different,” he said.

“You remember the near misses, the seasons when you came close and the moments that tested you. So, to finally win gold for PR Agency of the Year felt incredibly special, not just for me, but for every person who has contributed to GO’s journey.”

The timing added another layer of significance. The win came on World PR Day, a coincidence de Kretser describes as “almost poetic”.

“There could not have been a more meaningful day for it to happen.

“Public relations is at the heart of who we are, and to receive this recognition on World PR Day made the moment feel even more complete.

“My late great dad would have been super proud of this moment,” he said, reflecting on the legacy of his father, Michael de Kretser – or MDK, as he was widely known – a regional PR doyen who co-founded the agency together with Peter 20 years ago.

The agency’s continued growth is also supported by strong leadership at the board level, with GO recently appointing industry veteran and former CEO of Star Media Group, Andreas Vogiatzakis, as its non-executive chairman.