Effie Awards Judging Day

EFFIE Awards |
Judging Day
GETTING EFFIED BY 48 TOP GUNS
By M.Krishnamoorthy
Roy Tan of Carat Media, Azwan Khan of Axiata, Azran Osman Rani of Air Asia X,
Quah Seng Chit of Spin Communications
Aditya Thakur of Astro
Mark Lankester of Tune Hotels Group
Jean- Pascal Van Overbeke of Maxis
Poon Chau Huay of Guang Ming, Phang Oy Cheng of Green Edge Consult, Chief Judge, Sze
Tian Poh of Unilever & Effie Chairperson, Margaret Au Yong of Tune Group
Khairul Syahar of MAS, Rene Menezes of Better, Mark Lankester of Tune Hotels Group
T
he Effie award is all
about the effectiveness
of advertisements to
business, sales, marketing
and branding. During the
recent Effie Malaysia judging
at the Banker's Club in KL,
top Malaysian marketers,
advertising and media
heavyweights huddled for
what is probably the most
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Dato’ Amrin Awaluddin of
Media Prima
Tony Savarimuthu of McCann Worldgroup Malaysia Datuk Mohd Nasir Ali (Utusan) and
Datuk Syed Nadzri (NST)
ADOI august 2011
unforgiving awards show in
the country. Where results and
effectiveness rule the day.
Air Asia X’s CEO Azran
Osman Rani, one of members
of the jury, said some of the
80 entries made the mark
in attracting the consumer
while the others went off the
mark. “There was a mixed
bag of entries with some
going overboard, pushing the
boundaries with outlandish
ideas. Sometimes it works and
sometimes it goes off tangent.”
The Effie Awards is
the only global award that
honours achievement in
meeting and exceeding
marketing communications
objectives, with a focus on
effective campaigns. It is jointly
organized by the Malaysian
Advertisers Association (MAA),
Association of Accredited
Advertising Agents Malaysia
(4As) and Media Specialists
Association (MSA), in
association with the Malaysia
External Trade Development
Corporation (MATRADE).
Azran agreed that 2010
was a tough year, coming
Tony Savarimuthu of McCann Worldgroup Malaysia
(4As President)
Azran Osman Rani’s Judging Group
John Chacko of Proton Holdings
Wong Siah Ping Judging Group
Susila Devi of MATRADE,
Sulasi Hj Mahadi of Perodua,
Quah Seng Chit of Spin
Communications
Toni Lee Brendish of Danone Dumex
Singer Salamiah Hassan (entertainment presented by AMP Radio Networks) Datuk Mohd
Nasir Ali (Utusan), Dato Borhan (AMP Radio), Peter Das (Berjaya Group) and
Datuk Syed Nadzri (NST)
out of the recession, and
businesses were faced with
challenges. Corporations had
to get consumers spending
and therefore everything had
to be more effective.
“Good marketers can
still stand out with effective
and creative advertisements.
Among the entries, some were
weak, not bold enough and
lost their creative touch. The
good entries, he added came
from the bigger corporations
such as multinationals.
There were very few entries
from the small and medium
organisations.”
Chief Judge Sze TianPoh, Unilever’s Global vice
president added, “The quality
of entries were quite average
and I had hoped the entries in
the afternoon would be better.
At the same time entries had a
lot of weaknesses. Some had
the results but didn't document
how they achieved them.
Some did not even manage to
complete the description of a
creative idea.”
Since its introduction
in 2008, Effie has become
Szu Lee of McCann Worldgroup Malaysia
recognized by agencies
and advertisers as the
pre-eminent award in the
communications industry. The
only global award that honours
campaigns that worked in the
marketplace.
Awards organising
chairman Margaret Au Yong
commented, “Campaigns
must successfully combine
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EFFIE Awards |
Judging Day
all the disciplines that go
into a marketing program:
planning, market research,
media, creative and account
management. They must
demonstrate a partnership
between agency and client in
the creation, management and
building of a brand.”
Last year, there were about
63 entries. This year 80 entries
were submitted.
“Effie has become THE
award to win in 40 countries
across five continents.
No other marketing
communications award is so
widely recognized – and so
coveted – in so many places.
Effie also honours successful
trans-border campaigns, with
the Global Effie Award,” she
added.
Worldwide, Effie has been
celebrating 'Ideas that Work'
for more than 40 years –
great ideas that achieved real
results and the strategies that
went into creating them. The
competition is open to all forms
of consumer engagement
– whether mainstream or
alternative; digital or print;
design or advertising; paid or
unpaid. Any form of marketing
communications can enter
as long as it has an insightful
strategy, outstanding creative
and the market results to
prove it. Another jury member
Khairudin Rahim, Managing
Director of Lowe Malaysia
said from the eight entries his
group had seen only one was
succinct and clear while the
rest failed to display the results
well.
"This does not mean
we are harsh as judges.
We are just looking for the
effectiveness of the ad. There
was also a tendency for
some to overwrite narratives
which was too long and not
necessary,” he added after
judging the morning session.
Proton Holdings' Chief
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Marketing Officer John Chacko
who was also a member of the
jury said the quality of the ads
were slowly getting there in
terms of thinking and reaching
out to consumers. Chacko who
has worked abroad for about
35 years with companies like
Coca Cola added that the
Effie Awards was good for
benchmarking
“Judging the Effie awards
was a good way to find a good
meaningful challenge with a
strategic intent which clearly
leverages consumer insight.”
The event judging day
ended with evening drinks and
a splendid performance by alltime favourite singer Salamiah
Hassan, courtesy of AMP
Radio Networks.
The Malaysia Effie Awards
2011 Night will be held on
October 12 at Petaling Jaya
Hilton. MARKETING is the
Official Magazine of the
Malaysia Effie Awards
Datin Linda Ngiam, Timothy Johnson of Standard Chartered Bank
Wong Siah Ping (The Star) , Janet Lee (99%) and Khairudin Rahim (Lowe & Partners)
Khairudin Rahim of Lowe & Partners
Datuk Syed Nadzri of NST & Soong Fui Kuin
of CENSE
Noelle Lim of BFM Media & Ng
Hsin-Ling of Dynamic Search
Sa’ad Hussein of Creative Juice – Sil
Phang Chee Leong of Innity
Corporation
Roy Tan of Carat Media & Sulin Lau of DiGi
Tai Kam Leong of NagaDDB
Tony Lee of F&N Dairies
John Chacko’s Judging Group
Datuk Mohd Nasir Ali (Utusan), Dato' Borhanuddin Osman (AMP Radio), Datuk Syed Nadzri (NST)
Chief Judge, Sze Tian Poh of Unilever
Benjamin Leong of IDS, Scomi Group, Karina Gan of
Accenture, Datuk Mohd Nasir Bin Ali of Utusan Group,
Lavinia Thurairatnam of Publicis Communications
Don Howat-Nestle ED of Milo, Richmond Walker of BBDO/ Proximity, Benjamin Leong of IDS, Scomi Group, and
Datuk Syed Nadzri of NST (foground)
Kudsia Kahar of AMP Radio Networks (welcoming guests
to the entertainment presented by AMP Radio Networks)
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