Effie 2021 | Finalists

​​To view the finalist list click here.

The advertising and marketing industry’s pre-eminent award ceremony is drawing closer, as the first round of judging for the 2021 Effie Awards in association with TVNZ is completed and finalists are announced.

This year’s theme for the Effie Awards celebrates the impact that winning an Effie has on Client/Agency relationships, and how effective advertising draws the client and agency closer together. Rupert Price, Chief Strategy Officer DDB Aotearoa, and member of Effie’s Aotearoa Steering Committee says “Nothing better proves a client and agency are on the same page better than winning an Effie. It shows both partners are pushing in the same direction; using the power of creativity to drive exceptional business or behavioural outcomes for the brand.”

A panel of over 120 industry peers judged the preliminary round online during L4 lock-down. The quality of entry’s this year impressed the judges, making the selection of just over 115 finalists across 20 Effie categories that much harder. The category judging follows in early October, and 8 panels of judges will determine the Bronze, Silver and Gold Effie contenders, and identify which campaign is up for the title of ‘The Hardest Challenge’.

This year’s highly qualified Executive Judges who will be leading the final judging rounds are:

• Jonathan Waecker – Chief Customer Officer at The Warehouse Group
• Sarah Williams – Head of Brand, Communications, and Experience at Spark
• Luke Rive – Director or Marketing at McDonald’s
• Jonathan Symons – Director at TVNZ
• Helen Fitzsimons – Head of Brand Marketing at Sky New Zealand
• David Thomason – Brand Planner and Advertising Strategist
• Lisa Divett – Executive Strategy Director at Clemenger BBDO
• Lauren Cooke – Senior Manager at NZTA.

All Gold Effie category winners will be eligible for the Grand Effie® sponsored by TVNZ, which is awarded to the campaign that achieved the most extraordinary commercial results for its client.