The advertisers and the advertising people agree that EFFIE is a standard for the industry that certifies the results of a campaign and the value of the agency and of the client.
“An EFFIE for the agency you work with is the acknowledgement of their work’s value and efficiency. A motivating element for the agency and for the client. If the prize comes for a common project agency-client, everything looks like the finish line of a Formula 1 race: champagne pops out, people celebrate and they turn into a team – they are not anymore two separate ones. On the other hand, an EFFIE award in an agency’s portfolio is an entry ticket and one more zero on the bill”, Alexandra Gatej, Chairman-Unilever SCE, member of the EFFIE 2007 jury, said.
She added that one EFFIE is a “CV element, not a pedigree one”.
“If you work with agencies that win EFFIE every year, it means that team is performing on a regular basis and this is interesting for any client”, she said. Marina Zara, Marketing Manager McDonald’s and member of the EFFIE 2007 jury, agrees that EFFIE makes the blazon of a creative shop, of a media or full service agency to be even more “shiny” and “healthy”.
“A client looks for marketing efficiency first and creative communication is the translation of a marketing idea in recurrent sales and profit. It’s a complex job, that implies a perfect collaboration between the client and the agency. The more informed the clients are about the inner importance of the EFFIE prize for an agency, the more it will weight in that agency’s portfolio”, Marina Zara said. Even if it’s not always a turning point in choosing the winning agencies in pitches, an EFFIE prize can be a recommendation or a step forward at the start line for the awarded agency.
“It’s hard to say how much it counts. Anyway, it’s clear that when an agency shows off its awards it has more points at the evaluation of the offer. I’m not saying that, just thinking about the prize, but an EFFIE says very much about how the agency understands your business”, Eduard Croitoru, Advertising Director Dacia and member of the EFFIE 2007 jury, said.
Most of the jury members agree EFFIE confirms a good relationship client-agency and the creativity of the agency.
“EFFIE is an award for clients’ creativity”, Daniel Gavrila, independent consultant and member of the EFFIE 2007 jury, said.
“Since EFFIE rewards good marketing strategies, and the clients are very important here: they choose the direction. Even if the idea isn’t theirs, they are the ones who assume it in their companies. Thanks to the judging system, that gives more importance to the strategy than to the execution, EFFIE can separate this couple and reward even a strategy let down by the execution”, he explains.
Daniela Knecht, Deputy Managing Director Client Service & Business Development BV McCann Erickson and member of the EFFIE 2007 jury, underlines clients’ contribution to getting a prize in the festival: “Let’s not forget that not only the agency wins, but the client as well – it is, after all, a partnership. And without good briefs and a client that understands the importance of all of the marketing mix elements working together, no ad can break the barriers”. Mihai Ghyka, too, general manager InBev and member of the EFFIE 2007 jury, says that, beyond brands, EFFIE rewards the partnership agency-client that gets along with excellent results. Thus, he explains the custom to call both the agency and the client on the EFFIE stage, to get the prize.
“This award is the result of a partnership client-agency and the recognition of its excellence”, Manuela Necula, Head of Country Ogilvy Group Romania and member of the EFFIE 2007 jury, said.
“Advertising, even it’s a discipline at the boarder between art and science, has very clear objectives, and the right construction of the brands brings measurable benefits to every company. The satisfaction and the benefits are high, for both client and agency”, she added.
EFFIE is a festival that rewards results, being the only advertising event that rewards efficiency.
EFFIE Awards program was created in the United States of America, in 1968, by the New York American Marketing Association, in recognition of the year’s most effective advertising campaigns – campaigns that have delivered superior results in meeting the objectives they were designed to achieve.
The first Romanian edition of the EFFIE Awards took place in 2004.
Considering Romania’s recent admission in the European Union, this internationally known award could help the local agencies and offices to compete with the international companies.
“Right now, in Romania, we will face more and more international players to enter the playing field. As the EFFIE is a tool in many countries, these new market entries will look for internationally recognized agencies. It’s not just about network associations, but also about the local capabilities”, Daniela Knecht, BV McCann Erickson, said.
This year, entries will be received untill the 9th of March 2007, at the organizing company – Millenium Communications (for any further information please visit www.effie.ro).
Campaigns must have run in 2006, on at least one media support, they must state clear objectives and to offer proof of having met or exceeded them. They must combine in the best way all the disciplines that create a successful marketing program – planning, market research, media, creative and account management and to prove the partnership between the agency and the client in building the brand.
The entries will be judged in two rounds, on the 27th and on the 28th of March. The winners will be announced during the Award Gala that will take place on the 29th of March.
For any further information, please contact:
Irina Florea
PR Manager
Millenium Communications
Phone – 0730 202 281
E-mail – irina.florea@milleniumcommunications.ro