The Effie Awards are known by advertisers and agencies globally as the preeminent award in the industry, and recognise any and all forms of marketing communication that contribute to a brand’s success.
As part of Effie’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Effie Europe has introduced a special competition – Best of the Best Europe – to recognise the most effective marketing efforts in the region. Best of the Best Europe is open to any campaign that has won a Gold Effie in any national Effie Awards program in Europe in 2018.
Adrian Farina, Senior Vice President Marketing, Europe at Visa, said: “Winning a Gold Effie or Grand Prix in a country is a huge achievement for any brand or campaign. It is a testament of great work driving tangible results, which has been considered to be the best in its country in a given year. The new Best of the Best category offers the unique opportunity to see how those campaigns stand up when compared with the best work from the other countries in Europe. It is no longer about being the best in your market – it is now about being the best in Europe in that year. I can’t think of a more aspirational challenge for a marketer, so I’m thrilled to see the Best of the Best category coming to life in 2019.”
Helene Dusseaux, Integrated Communication Manager at P&G, said: “The uniqueness of the Effie Awards, thanks to their local set-up, is to surface the strongest work from the trenches. It casts a spotlight on local jewels that might have stayed in the shadows otherwise. This diversity and authenticity are invaluable to our industry. The ‘Best of the Best’ category takes this dynamic one step further, promoting the best local ideas to the regional level. So, if you want to see whether your local winning work has what it takes to also win at the European level, enter now!”
The second new category – Marketing & Business Solutions – will award single marketing activities or entire marketing programs. Any action and business idea that has had an exceptionally positive impact on the market position of a brand, product or service, is eligible to enter. If communication was a significant element of marketing mix, such a work should be submitted in another competition category appropriate for a given industry. In this category it is possible to submit activities such as, for example, change of packaging, both in terms of its appearance and size; introduction of a loyalty program or change in the loyalty program; introduction of a new distribution channel; use of e-commerce; use of modern technology at the point of sale; introduction of a completely new product in a category in which the marketer was already present; involvement of consumers in product development, etc. More information on this category can be found here.
Mona Opran, COO South East Europe at Centrade | Cheil, said: “Effie is the only award that celebrates agencies and clients equally. It is proof that effectiveness comes through real partnership, where companies build on each other’s expertise. The Marketing and Business Solutions category pushes collaboration to a new level, where the joined team is working for innovative solutions that drive the future of our industry.”
The final closing date for Best of the Best Europe and Marketing & Business Solutions categories is on 31 July 2019. All deadlines and fees are available here. The judging sessions will take place in September and the winners will be officially announced at the Awards Gala in Brussels on 15th October 2019.
