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Tag: Effie 2014

  • Effie 2014 saw Ogilvy & Mather as 'Agency of the Year' and Hindustan Unilever as 'Client of the Year'

    Ogilvy flag flies high as India’s Most Effective

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    It was a victory that was sweeter than ever before. For, after having been beaten by Lowe Lintas last year, taking away the ‘Agency of the Year’ title at Effie 2014 was a huge morale-booster. While Ogilvy has always prided itself as one of the most creative advertising agencies in this part of the world, awards for effective advertising that are the most coveted. For, while good advertising by definition ought to be effective, creativity has traditionally been regarded as more cool.

     

     

    Creativity v/s Effectiveness… what’s more important?

     

    Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director, Ogilvy:

    I ‘ve said this many times, we aren’t artists, we are commercial artists. We’re paid by somebody to do a certain job for them . We use creativity to make them look better. I’ve never forgotten that in my life and I never will. The day I want to mash mangoes and stick then on my wall because I love them, I will do that but I’ll do that in my house, but not on someone else’s money.

     

    My creativity is meant to make someone attain that objective that I’m being paid for. My creativity is useless if the person’s job doesn’t get done. Someone is paying and they must get the result. That’s the business I chose to be in. 

     

    Rohit Bhasin, Vice President (Skin Care) – South Asia: 

    If creativity is not effective, it ‘s not great. I have never seen a great creative which is not effective because I don’t define advertising as that. Advertising – if effective – is very creative, not the other way round.

     

    Historically , Unilever has been a company that has made iconic advertising. Whether it is the Lalitaji of Surf or Bhala Uski Sari Meri Sari Se Safed Kaise for Rin to the work we’re doing now… it has always been based on a strong human insight. What I’m trying to say is that if advertising is based on strong human insight, it would be creative and effective. 

     

    “The Effies are the gold standard in effective communication. This year’s judging was extremely stringent in accordance with the global Effie standard set by our counterparts in New York,” said Pratap Bose, President, The Advertising Club on the awards as he kicked off the event’s proceedings.

     

    “I think creativity is extremely important but the importance of ideas is paramount – and that is what Effie stands for,” said Ajay Kakar, Chairman of the Effie Committee. When asked what is it that makes both Lowe and Ogilvy participate in the Effie given that they been staying away from the Abby creative awards, Kakar, who has been heading the award for four years, said matter-of-factly: “Effectiveness has won, so therefore Effie has won.”

     

    Added a senior industryperson requesting anonymity, “The fact that there is no controversy and it sees participation from 60-plus agencies with all the big ones participating and the clients themselves in attendance at the award speaks a lot about the awards. One only hopes that the Creative Abby too sees an equally enthusiastic participation.”

     

    The Effie is not just for the agencies alone and advertisers are also awarded jointly. Said Samir Singh, Executive Director, Personal Care, Hindustan Unilever Ltd: “It feels good to be the Client of the Year because this is the second time for Unilever in succession.”

     

     

    Effie 2014 has indeed been big for Ogilvy given that the parent Ogilvy & Mather India has come up tops with 173 points and younger sibling Soho Square was #5 with 34 points including the Grand Effie for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) election campaign.

     

    Last year, in Effie 2013, Lowe Lintas was ahead of Ogilvy by 35 points, and this year the difference was similar: 31 points as Lowe Lintas generated 142 points (See Table). This year, in line with international Effie standards and in discussion with all participating agencies, marks were added for Finalist and Contributing Agency The heartening news for Lowe Lintas is that it won seven of the total 11 golds awarded at the Effie.

     

     

    What next? Hindustan Unilever and Singh in particular are looking forward to a hat-trick of wins next year. Ogilvy should be hoping that the top slot will also see the global rankings go up.

     

    Meanwhile, all eyes are on the Abby Awards hosted by the Advertising Club which are part of the Goafest to be held in April this year. Will Ogilvy and Lowe participate in that? As of today, the answer is “unlikely”, but, then, you never know.

     

    Big Story main image and all photographs by Abhinav Kocharekar/Courtesy DNA

     

  • Ajay Kakar, chairman and custodian of Effie India, presents a preview of the 14th edition of the ad effectiveness award to be held tomorrow

    465 entries, 214 judges… it’s Effie time!

     

    By Ajay Kakar

     

    It has now been 24 years since I joined Ogilvy and Mather. And a decade since I left the agency. And yet, while writing this article I remember something I heard during my Ogilvy stint – the spirit David Ogilvy believed in – the spirit of Divine Discontent.

     

    Now how’s that for “effectiveness”!

     

     

    Effie 2014 in Numbers

    14th Year of Effies in India

    465 Entries

    60 Participating Agencies

    214 Judges

    Rs 25,900 Entry Fee

     

    Today, I write this article not only as a client, but as the chairman and custodian of Effie India. And I do believe that the spirit of Divine Discontent best describes the journey and jihaad undertaken by The Advertising Club‎, to promote the cause of effectiveness in Indian marketing.

     

    As you may well know, Effie 2014 will be the 14th year ‎of our hosting this unique recognition, in India. Effie is a worldwide franchise.  It is the only award that recognises and rewards work that works in the market place. Effie is the only award that recognises and rewards both the client and agency. Effie is the only award in India judged by clients and agency representatives; not the creative leaders, but the thought leaders and business leaders.

     

    We celebrated Effie 2013 with great pomp and glory, in the presence of over 1,200 members of the advertising, media and marketing fraternity. We had received an all-time high number of entries, 419, from 52 participating agencies.

     

    And just when we thought that we have reached the peak, the response this year has overwhelmed us even further. We have received 465 entries, representing work from over 60 agencies. And the number of entries must be seen in the context of the Rs 25,900 entry fee, which is higher than the fee charged last year ie Rs 23,000.

     

    It is so gratifying to see the industry’s growing interest and commitment to effectiveness. Guess the Effies are a response to the now famous quote‎, “I know that 50% of my advertising works. But the problem is that I don’t know which 50%”.

     

    Our Effie judging process is worthy a mention. It is entirely paperless. And is conducted in Mumbai and Delhi, across two rounds. With such large number of entries, we like to ensure that each entry gets its due time and attention. I remember the days ‎when each jury member had to wade through 80-odd entries. And now we try to cap it at less than half that number. We aim to have at least 10 jury members go through every entry, comprising of at least 50 per cent clients.

     

    To give a sense of the magnitude, the Round 1 judging in Mumbai, this year, witnessed approx 63 judges, divided in 6 groups, screening 240-odd entries. While 52 judges did the same in Delhi, for 170-odd entries.

     

    So what differentiated this year’s Effie from the years gone by? A lot of the new facets were introduced to bring Effie India closer to the norms of the worldwide Effie franchise:

    – the campaign period for which entrie‎s were accepted, was increased to 15 months, to make it similar to that of Effie APAC

    – in keeping with recent trends in campaign creation, the provision to attribute entries to a Primary Agency and a Secondary Agency was introduced

    – this year, recognition will not only be given in the form of metals; Gold, Silver or Bronze, but also Finalists ie. those entries that move to Round 2, but do not win a metal

     

    On the eve of the 2014 Awards night, I look back with joy and pride. We do seem to have come a long way! So, is this the peak? The end of the road?

     

    The spirit of Divine Discontent assures me that the best has yet to come. Yes, it is true that the Effie is a marquee event from The Advertising Club of India. It has become the gold standard of awards in India. It has become the most credible and sought after award. Supported and respected by clients and agencies‎.

     

    But looking ahead, I am confident that the need and hunger for effectiveness will keep propelling this property‎ to greater highs, year after year. Budgets are scarce. And as against the spray and pray approach of the past, it is the sniper approach that we now look out for, where every bullet counts. And every bullet is expected to hit the bull’s eye, no less. Creativity is good. But creatives and campaigns that work, well that’s where any marketer will always prefer to put his buck.

     

    Ajay Kakar is CMO – Financial Services, Aditya Birla Group