2017 APAC Effies: With 16 metals, India ranks 2nd; Golds for BBDO, Publicis

Winners of the APAC Effie Awards 2017 were announced at the Awards Gala on Friday, April 21, 2017, in Singapore, celebrating Asia Pacific’s most effective marketing campaigns. A total of 71 Effies were given away, including 1 Grand Effie, 15 Golds, 21 Silvers and 34 Bronzes. Australia emerged as the strongest market in the region on the effectiveness stage this year, contributing the highest number of metal winners. Following in the ranking are India and New Zealand. 

Brewtroleum by DB Breweries and Colenso BBDO took home the Grand Effie. The same case has also won 3 Golds and 1 Silver. 

Four Special Awards were presented – Clemenger BBDO was named the APAC Effie 2017 Agency of the Year, bagging 12 metals. Running behind were Colenso BBDO and MullenLowe Lintas Group. 

On the network level, BBDO Worldwide took the lead, with a total haul of 29 metal awards, including the Grand Effie, followed by Ogilvy & Mather and MullenLowe Group coming in the second and third positions, respectively. 

Brand of the Year and Marketer of the Year awards were presented to DB Breweries – DB Export and Unilever, respectively. These Special Awards are accorded based on the points received on all winners and finalists. 

India wins 

Indian agencies secured 16 Effies – 2 Golds, 8 Silvers and 6 Bronzes. BBDO India’s much awarded Dads #ShareTheLoad campaign for P&G India bagged a Gold. Publicis Communications, too, walked away with a Gold for its campaign, The Giant Demo of Strength, done for Ambuja Cements. 

TLG India secured 3 Silvers for its work done for Bajaj Auto. Among the other Silver winners from India were MullenLowe Lintas Group (Hindustan Unilever) – 2 Silvers, BBDO India (P&G India), Ogilvy India Group (The Akanksha Foundation), and TBWAIndia (LoveDoctor.in, Chayn India) – 1 Silver each. 

Awards Chairman, Anthony Wong, commented, “At the Effies, we recognise in particular great ideas that work in tomorrow’s world. Work that has achieved exceptional results by having effective media strategies that augment the brilliant ideas. Work that leads the transformation of business and communication. Work that shines the light on the next chapter of how content and technology collide to make brands matter more than ever. With the bar raised higher year on year, it is a lot more competitive and harder to bring home an Effie now than before. The winners tonight showcase the best work to represent the whole of Asia Pacific. Congratulations to all the winners!” 

Organised by Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations (CAAAA) and Tenasia Group, APAC Effie Awards is recognised by advertisers and agencies as the gold symbol of marketing effectiveness in the region, a pre-eminent award that celebrates and awards ideas that work. Held in conjunction with the 4th Awards was the inaugural APAC Effie Forum 2017, a collaboration with the Singapore Advertisers Association. 

Winners and finalists will contribute points towards the ranking on the 2017 Effie Effectiveness Index, the global ranking which identifies and ranks the most effective marketers, brands by analysing finalist and winner data from worldwide Effie competitions.