Entries are now open for the 2026 Effie Awards Aotearoa.
This year the programme turns 25, marking a quarter century of recognising marketing effectiveness in New Zealand.
The Effie Awards Aotearoa are run by the Commercial Communications Council in association with TVNZ.
Why enter Effie?
The Effie entry process is demanding. It requires a clear strategic problem, a demonstrated link between the work and the results, and evidence that can withstand detailed judging.
That is the point.
Building an entry forces marketing and agency teams to agree on what the work was trying to achieve, what changed as a result, and whether the evidence supports the claim.
Effie recognises work that worked.
This year’s Convenor of Judges, Murray Streets, has been clear about what he is looking for.
“Effie are the industry's gold standard, not for the campaigns we liked the most or that we thought were the most original, but for the campaigns that achieved the most. I will be asking this year's judges to focus on commercial results, a clear demonstration of causality, and prioritising cases that demonstrate ongoing proof, beyond the short-term, of the work's effectiveness.”
New for 2026
The 2026 programme introduces a new accolade: Effective Advertiser of the Year.
The award recognises the advertiser organisation that achieves the greatest cumulative success across the programme, determined by a weighted points system across Finalist, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Grand Effie wins.
Key dates
Early Bird entries close Thursday 16 July.
The awards ceremony takes place Thursday 22 October at the Auckland Convention Centre.
Enter now: commscouncil.nz/awards/effie/entry
