Effie 2024 Rules of Disqualification

The following will result in disqualification and entry fees will be forfeited:

1. Eligibility

All information about a case (campaign period, results and so on) must refer to the eligible period: 1st of January 2023 – 31st of December 2023/ for Sustained Success: results must date back to January 2021 and must include the current year results – 2023. Any detail that doesn’t fit in the eligible period or in the special circumstances allowed will lead to disqualification. See the Eligibility section for further details & special circumstances.

2. Entry does not meet category definition requirements

Entries are judged based on effectiveness within the entered category.

3. Agency name/logos published in the Entry Form or on the creative materials

EFFIE is an agency-blind competition — do not cite agency names anywhere in the entry form or creative materials; no agency names should be included in the materials that judges will review (entry form, investment overview, creative reel, creative images, name of the uploaded files). Do not cite your agency name (or any other Agency — Ad Media or other — names) as your reference source. If an agency is the source of your research, reference “Agency Research”, “PR Agency Research,” “Media Agency Research,” etc.

4. Data not sourced

All data, claims, facts etc. presented anywhere in the entry form must reference a specific, verifiable source. This could be advertiser data, agency research or third party research companies. We reserve the right to verify the accuracy of the data with the source named. Sources must be provided next to each piece of data. Be as specific as possible in documenting all evidence; provide sources of data, research involved and the time period covered. If you use a third party research company, write the specific name of this research company to reference a source; if the source comes from Agency or Company research only use the term “Agency Research” or “Company/Client Research”. Add as many details as possible to identify the study: dd/mm/yy

5. No adaptations

All creative materials and strategic idea must be locally created in Romania, by Romanian agencies. No adaptations or translations of the global strategic idea/platform are allowed.

6. Violating Creative Example (Reel, Images) Rules. Telling not Selling for the Creative Reel

Entrants must follow all creative rules as outlined in the entry kit. The Creative Reel video doesn’t have to be a case study movie, just a descriptive / demo video of the work, therefore you need to show to the jurors what happened, without trying to sell your campaign (telling, not selling). Results (including social metrics), agency names/logos, competitor logos/work, and stock music/images that will cause confusion for jurors with how your work ran in the marketplace may not be included anywhere in the video. See full rules, including guidelines on editing and content, in the Creative Requirements section of the entry kit.

7. Directing Judges to External Websites

Entrants are judged solely on the materials presented in their written entry and creative examples (creative reel + images). Entrants are not permitted to direct judges to websites for further information or for further examples of work.

8. Ignoring word limits guidelines & submitting an incomplete Entry Form

Word Limits: Because each entrant has a different story to tell, word limits are kept broad; however, entrants are not required or encouraged to use all provided space. You must fill out every section of the Entry Form – do not leave any blanks. If a question is not applicable, you must state this.

9. Missing Translation

All non-English creative work must include translation via subtitles or the Translation field on the Creative Examples tab in the Entry Portal. In the Creative Reel, add subtitles for videos & include text boxes with translations for other examples (social media posts, flyers etc.)

10. No signatures

Your Authorization & Verification Form must be signed either by a client or agency representative.

! This form will be generated by the Effie Portal after you submit all information regarding credited companies, individual credits & publishing permission and must be uploaded in the Entry Form

THERE WILL BE NO REFUNDS FOR DISQUALIFIED ENTRIES OR WITHDRAWALS