BMF takes out the Effective Agency of the Year title at the 2017 Effie Awards; AJF Partnership wins Grand Effie for Dare Iced Coffee campaign

BMF has been named Effective Agency of the Year at the 2017 Australian Effie Awards, held tonight at ICC’s Parkside Ballroom in Darling Harbour, Sydney.

The agency has scooped one Gold, one Silver and one Bronze for Football Federation Australia’s ‘You’ve gotta have a team: Bringing the next generation of fans into the Hyundai A-League’, three Silver for Australian Government – Department of Social Services’ ‘The campaign that got millions of Australians to help prevent violence in future generations’, two Silver for ALDI Australia’s ‘The ALDI Christmas campaign that sold-out its Effie winning predecessor’, and one Silver for TAL Insurance’s ‘Launching a brand nobody has heard of… in a category nobody likes’.

Two Golds were presented to Leo Burnett, Melbourne for Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation’s ‘Reword: Changing Online Bullying Behaviour’, one Gold went to Affinity for Flordis’ ‘Don’t Ignore a Cough’ and one Gold to AJF Partnerships for Lion Dare Iced Coffee’s ‘How not thinking straight led to long-term growth’, which also claimed the coveted Grand Effie, making it the only Australian agency to ever receive two Grand Effies, the first being in 2014.

Dare successfully took on Australian iced coffee brands international pick-me-ups by creating a new consumption occasion: becoming the habitual choice for whenever people are not thinking straight. The judges said the strategic challenge was significant given the breadth and strength of the competition in the category. The objective was both clear, ambitious and delivered outstanding growth and ROI.

AJF Partnership partners Adam Francis and Josh Stephens agree the agency is immensely proud of its Effie’s success.

Says Francis: “As an agency, we’re driven by creating work that achieves real business outcomes for our clients so it’s really rewarding to be recognised for this.”

AJF Partnership was the only agency to have two finalists in the Long Term Effects category for work that must demonstrate sustained success over a minimum two years.  AJF Partnership’s work for both Dare and Officeworks – its client of more than five years, was shortlisted in the category.

Darryn Wallace, marketing and innovation director Lion Dairy and Drinks said the relationship with AJF Partnership proved that sticking to a relevant and consistent brand theme pays off.

Says Wallace: “The awards were great recognition that the combination of building a strong and sustainable agency partnership alongside the commitment to a long term compelling brand idea can be a winning model for all involved.”

The ceremony delivered a further 22 Silver and 15 Bronze Bronze awards, bringing the total number of agencies awarded for outstanding measurable results to 25 and the number of clients to 24.

The Effective Advertiser of the Year award was presented to ANZ Australia. The jury said: “ANZ’s entry very clearly expresses the steps they take to achieve advertising effectiveness. There may be nothing unique in their processes but ANZ is a great example of a large Australian marketing team intent on achieving best practice, The effectiveness and creative awards they have achieved are testament to the culture and approach of the team at ANZ.”

Says Jaimes Leggett, chair, The Communications Council: “Now in their ninth year, the Effies have become one of the most important dates in our industry’s calendar. Each year, the quality of the cases raises the bar for great creative and strategic thinking that delivers real value to clients’ businesses. These awards have one of the most rigorous judging processes, led by Chairman of Judges Colin Wilson-Brown through three stages of judging with 175 agency and marketing leaders. So, even to become an Effies finalist is a huge achievement – to take home metal is outstanding. Congratulations to all of our winners and finalists.

“I’d like to also thank the effectiveness godfathers, Peter Field and Les Binet, for speaking at the awards ceremony tonight, and our marquee sponsor, research driven, marketing and technology development company Think TV for their support.”

The full list of Gold Effie winners by category is as follows:

Most Original Thinking

● Leo Burnett Melbourne – headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation – Reword: Changing Online Bullying Behaviour

Insight & Strategic Thinking

● BMF – Football Federation Australia – You’ve Gotta Have a Team: bringing the next generation of fans into the Hyundai A-League

● Leo Burnett Melbourne – headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation – Reword: Changing Online Bullying Behaviour

Use of Data

● AFFINITY – Flordis – Don’t Ignore a Cough

Long Term Effects

● AJF Partnership – Lion – Dare Iced Coffee – How not thinking straight led to   long-term growth

All case studies will be online at  www.effies.com.au from 1 September  2017.

VIEW THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS – 2017 Effie Award Winners.xlsx – effie.pdf