SINGAPORE – The best-in-class in marketing effectiveness was recognised at the APAC Effie Awards 2021 Virtual Awards Ceremony, where marketing professionals across the region joined the celebration via livestream.
123 finalists across 14 territories vied for the top honours this year and 71 winners have emerged with metals – 1 Grand Effie, 17 Golds, 29 Silvers and 24 Bronzes.
Grey Advertising won the first Gold Effie for Bangladesh and alongside its clients United Commercial Bank and ACI Logistics, they also clinched the coveted Grand Effie or Best-in-Show for Project AgroBanking – the world’s first financial service designed to lift unbanked farmers out of poverty by transforming their unsold produce into bank account savings.
Ogilvy continues its winning streak, taking home the Agency Network of the Year award once again with 17 wins consisting of 3 Golds, 6 Silvers and 8 Bronzes.
Sharing the honour of Agency of the Year is Ogilvy Sydney, successfully defending its title, and Special Group New Zealand – an impressive feat for the Independent Agency of the Year winner as well.
Procter & Gamble was crowned Marketer of the Year, with their brands Ariel, Heads & Shoulders and Pantene contributing points towards the top spot. Pantene also won Brand of the Year, sharing the top honour with Tourism New Zealand.
Overall, Australia leads with 23 Effies, followed by New Zealand with 19 Effies and Japan with 8 Effies.
2021 Awards Chairman Ashish Bhasin said, “Earning an Effie is a tremendous achievement and testament to the fact that these teams have brought their incredible ideas to life in a way that delivered amazing results for their brands. The Effies are known for its rigorous judging process, and it wasn’t without many passionate debates that the jury managed to arrive at this evening’s results. It is no easy feat to win an Effie, so congratulations to the teams on their well-deserved wins.”
The Special Awards are given out based on the total calculation of points accumulated by each winner and finalist. This year’s Special Awards winners are:
| Brand of the Year | Marketer of the Year | Independent Agency of the Year | Agency of the Year | Agency Network of the Year |
| WINNER (tie) Pantene | WINNER Procter & Gamble | WINNER Special Group New Zealand | WINNER (tie) Ogilvy Sydney | WINNER Ogilvy |
| WINNER (tie) Tourism New Zealand | 2nd Place Tourism New Zealand | 2nd Place The Womb Communications | WINNER (tie) Special Group New Zealand | 2nd Place Grey Group |
| 3rd Place Every Kiwi | 3rd Place Every Kiwi | 3rd Place POEM Sydney | 3rd Place Colenso BBDO | 3rd Place BBDO Worldwide |
The full list of winners can be accessed here. All winners and finalists will be accorded points towards the 2021 Effie Index, which ranks the most effective agencies, marketers and brands globally. The Index will be announced in 2022.
