A-1. Building, Real Estate

Commercial and residential real estate, construction, development, includes all related products, materials, tools and services of real estate.

A-2. Government & Public Service

Municipal or state economic development, lotteries, utilities, civil, diplomatic or armed forces, parks, libraries, public services, etc. Includes political and patriotic campaigns, state campaigns and programs.

A-3. Pet care

Animal care products and services of all types, including food, toys, veterinary and boarding services, training, breeders.

A-4. Delivery Services

Overnight delivery, package tracking, international service, etc.

A-5. E-commerce

Online stores, e-commerce services, etc.

A-6. Electronics

TVs, radios, mobile devices, home entertainment, laptops, tablets, cameras, computer hardware, game consoles, drones, external or integrated VR/AR devices, sound systems, etc. Electronic devices may be aimed at consumers or businesses.

A-7. Health & Pharma

Pharmaceutical and medicinal products, medicines, healthcare services (OTC, consumer/DTC, devices, professional healthcare, hospitals, HMOs, health insurance companies, referral services, dental and medical care services, pharmacies or chronic care facilities).

A-8. Gaming & E-Sports. NEW

All forms of e-sports and single and multi-player video games, including virtual reality, arcade, console, mobile, online & computer games.

A-9. IT, Software, Apps

Software, groupware, operating systems, SaaS/IaaS and Cloud based services, software/apps stored locally on a computer/tablet/mobile device, etc.

A-10. Beauty & Personal Care

Includes cosmetics, fragrances, hair products, nail products; soap, dental products, face & body lotions and cleansers, cotton swabs, deodorants, feminine hygiene products, razors, shaving cream, etc. Includes services such as salons, spas, etc.

A-11. Culture & The Arts

Museums, plays, music organizations and festivals, concert series, cultural festivals, theater festivals.

A-12. Media & Entertainment Companies

TV networks, streaming services, websites (entertainment, lifestyle, news, trade, etc.), magazines, newspapers, consumer or trade media, radio stations etc.

A-13. Fashion & Accessories

Jewelry, brands of clothing, handbags, accessories, eyewear, shoes, etc. Includes style services etc.

A-14. Beverages – Alcohol

Beer, champagne, liquor, wine, hard seltzers, wine coolers, etc.

A-15. Beverages – Non-Alcohol

Diet and non-diet soda, coffee, tea, juices, milk, milk substitutes, bottled water, sparkling water, etc.

A-16. Non-Profit. NEW

Not for profit organizations of all types – includes charitable, social, civic, religious, etc. Includes fundraising, recruitment, etc.

A-17. Education & Training

Educational institutions/organizations, development programs, development centers, language schools, etc.

A-18. Household Supplies & Services (incl FMCG)

Cleaning products, detergents, floor-care products, fabric softeners, paper products, domestic services, mowers, fertilizers, lawn care, gardening services.

A-19. Travel & Tourism

Cruises, hotels, resorts, amusement parks, travel websites and booking services, travel tours, tourism campaigns, etc.

A-20. Products & Services For Children

Includes baby food, cosmetic and personal care, clothing, toys and other goods and services for kids.

A-21. Food

Fresh, packaged and frozen foods, snacks & desserts etc.

A-22. Professional Services

Includes Business/Professional services such as accounting, consulting, legal, employment, etc.

A-23. Self Promotion

Self promotion for advertising agencies only.

A-24. Restaurants, Hotels, Catering

Any type of restaurant may enter. Hotels. Catering services.

A-25. Entertainment, Sports, Leisure & Lifestyle

Includes all forms of entertainment, e.g. video games, movies, TV shows, podcasts, games, toys, entertainment apps, etc. Sporting events such as the Super Bowl, sports teams, etc. Leisure & Lifestyle: Products and services aimed at hobbies, leisure, and recreation, including, but not limited to: dating services/apps, personal development/improvement programs/apps, genetics/ancestry testing services, sporting and camping goods/services, etc.

A-26. Retail

Open to all retail companies with general or specific merchandise. E.g., department stores; clothing, shoes or jewelry stores; food stores; book stores; discount/bulk retailers; pet care; toy stores; specialty stores; etc.

A-27. Agricultural & Industrial

All related products, materials, tools and services.

A-28. Insurance

Communications promoting specific products or services related to insurance and the capabilities of financial institutions offering these services. All types of insurance are eligible (home, auto, financial, life, travel, business, health insurance companies etc).

A-29. Telecom & Internet

Mobile network providers, high speed internet access services, online services, bundled communications (internet, telephone, and TV), etc.

A-30. Home/Office Furnishings & Appliances

Kitchen and laundry appliances, air conditioners, carpeting, furniture, decorator’s supplies, paint, wallpaper. Office: Printers, copiers, supplies, office furniture, etc.Office: Printers, copiers, supplies, office furniture, etc.

A-31. Automotive – Vehicles

Cars, trucks, motorcycles, vans. Both brand and model advertising.

A-32. Automotive – Aftermarket

Gasoline, motor oil, tires, batteries, paint, quick-lube, oil change, muffler, transmission, windshield wipers, enhancements, etc.

A-33. Transportation & Logistics

Air, train, bus, taxi, rideshare services, subway systems, bike shares, car rentals, ferries, etc.

A-34. Finance

Financial products and services including: communications promoting overall image and capabilities of a financial institution; specific products or services including credit/debit cards, reward/loyalty cards, financial planning, mobile payment services, retirement funds, investment, home banking, loans, mortgage, mutual funds, etc.

A-35. Fitness & Wellness

Products/services focused on consumer health and/or promoting a healthy lifestyle. Includes digital health products, fitness trackers, health/fitness apps, exercise equipment, nutraceuticals, vitamins, energy bars and drinks, etc.; fitness studios; weight loss and fitness programs/camps, training camps and facilities, etc.

A-36. Other Products & Services

Any products/services that are not included into a list of Products&Services categories.

B-37. Business Challenge/David vs. Goliath

This is an award for smaller, new, or emerging brands making inroads against big, established leaders and for established small brands taking on “sleeping giants.” Companies that moved into a new product/service field with large, well-established competitors are eligible; however, your brand cannot be a sub-brand of a larger company. Entrants must detail the business challenge, the competitive landscape, and how their business succeeded despite the odds. You are required to define your competitive landscape, including the market difference between the David and Goliath to demonstrate why your brand was a David. Judges will deduct from your case if you do not sufficiently prove that your brand is a David in the situation. Winners (at any award level) in the previous year’s competition in this category are not eligible to enter the subsequent year.

B-38. Branded Content & Branded Utility

Branded content is for efforts that effectively reached their audience through the creation of original branded content that is not advertising. The award honors branded content led ideas that are the heart of the communications program. Entrants must detail the content created, how it related back to the overall brand and business goals, how it was distributed to, and shared by, the audience, and the results it achieved for the brand and business. Branded Utility honors marketers who are creating a product, or more likely a 'service’, in response to the marketing or business challenge faced that is NOT being sold, but is part of the marketing program itself; the intention being to reflect and reinforce the central beliefs of the brand by providing utility to consumers. Entrants must detail the product/service created in response to the challenge, explain its role and objectives, how it was communicated to the audience, and obviously, the results it achieved. Examples: Free access to power at airports from a tech company, a training app for a sports brand, new/unique online or offline content or services that compliment the brand, hosting a community that provides shared wisdom and relief to anxious parents from a 'mothers' brand.'

B-39. New Product/Service Introduction

For a campaign which has achieved a highly successful product or service launch. The marketing communications must have been key to the success of the launch.

B-40. Celebrity Sells

For campaigns in which celebrity is successfully used for attraction of attention and generation of consumer interest to brand. It is necessary to demonstrate effectiveness using of celebrity identity in campaign. Effectiveness of campaign is directly related to brand association with celebrity.

B-41. Data-driven/Programmatic

Data-driven/programmatic media is the application of data and technology to identify and match the right audiences to the right media at the right moments. These efforts should prove how they optimized media to business or brand KPIs and ROI based on the value of a custom audience. The best examples of data-driven/programmatic recognize the interplay and application of automated technology platforms and human intelligence to deliver to a precise audience and achieve the best results. To enter, your case must detail the role a programmatic media strategy played in achieving the brand and business goals.

B-42. Social Media

The campaigns must show how the brand used social media at the core of the campaign to communicate campaign messages to its target market, understand how it impacted them, whilst also evaluating both the paid and organic reach that was achieved.

B-43. Short-term Effectiveness

Activation campaigns that may take effect over one day, or up to four weeks. Maximum of 3 months data permitted. Participants should determine relevance between entry and its' category depends on product and the campaign objectives. In the jury process will be account factor of achieve results in a shorter time, or compared to the usual similar campaigns.

B-44. Single Communication Channel

Use of single communication channel ( TV, outdoor, magazines, radio etc.).

B-45. Cross Media Storytelling

The brand builds up the communication area through the usage of 3+ marketing tools, creates a loud informational occasion around itself and receives a viral effect (earned media). Communication should coincide with the global values of the brand as much as possible, and the content should be relevant to the target audience. This is a large-scale integrated campaign that brought business results, and also formed an image in the long term perspective. The category does not include shopper/trade marketing campaigns, promo sale activation. Participants should describe the idea in detail, eco-system of the campaign, organicity, efficiency and further development of communication.

B-46. Small Budget

The important driver is the limited budget (for other brand campaigns, competitors' budgets, benchmarks in the category). Participants should determine relevance between entry and its' category depends on product and the campaign objectives.

B-47. Media Innovation/Idea

Showcase outstanding effectiveness as a result of media-led ideas. The line between what constitutes a creative idea and a media idea is blurring. There are occasions when the media idea drove the entire effort. Of course, media cannot exist without the content, but this award is intended to recognize those cases that were led by the media thinking – where the integration of media and message led to success. The award will go to those who reached out of the conventional approach to grab their audience and effectively engage with them.

B-48. Youth Marketing

This category will honor those efforts that successfully communicate to teens & young adults. Your entry should be written in a way that identifies how the case was created and specifically directed to this audience and how it succeeded.

B-49. Native Advertising

Examples of effective campaigns, implemented in digital, and as well in the other media/environment, successfully integrated into the main content and became interesting for consumer from the point of view of the content itself. Promoted content.

B-50. Media Content Partnerships

This category focuses on efforts based on partnerships between a brand and a media owner/platform to create and activate original media content beyond traditional advertising. The winners of this award will represent those advertisers and media partners that knew exactly where and how to connect with their audience via the assets and creativity of a media company. These partnerships demonstrate the innovative consumer connections that media companies can develop for advertisers via integrated communication channels centered on creative and strategic content. Each activation channel is critical to delivering the overall effectiveness and impact of the campaign and shows the value media companies can deliver.

B-51. Target Audience Reach In Media Campaign

This category are evaluated the depth of analysis and understanding of the brand role and media in the life of specific groups of consumers, including their needs, lifestyle, values and interests. The reach of target audience should insure a success of campaign in general.

B-52. Timely Opportunity

This category is looking for those brands that had the insight to know how and when to “throw a stone into a pond” and maximize the ripple effect from that initial throw. The cases entered into this category will show how to put a brand or product in an intensely bright spotlight to create immediate and measurable impact. Winners will represent those who had the insight and creativity to craft those unexpected and unconventional moments for a brand. The best examples will see live experiences, moments, stunts, and tactics, online & off line, perhaps amplified through PR, sponsorship, social media, digital engagement, or even the use of content created in the moment to fuel brand communication. This category spotlights those effective strategic efforts that were able to generate real desired results as a direct outcome from a single significant moment of activity.

B-53. Rebranding

Campaigns that succeeded in renewing an older brand, reversing a declining brand or re-staging a brand (rebranding) to reach new audiences and contemporize its relevance in the category or marketplace.

B-54. Seasonal Marketing

Summertime activities, holiday gatherings, back to school – seasons, holidays and events impact shopping behavior and allow marketers the opportunity to build strategic communications based on the time-based interests of their target audience. This category will honor those efforts that effectively capitalized on a season, holiday or cultural event to drive results for their business.

PLEASE NOTE! Entrants may submit into either Seasonal Marketing or Topical Marketing – the same case cannot be entered into both categories.

B-55. Engaged Community

This category is about managing effective, engaged communities. Entrants will be brands that are creating content, experiences, platforms, news, etc. that get their communities to grow, engage, share, act or amplify messaging in a way that directly relates to the brand’s goals. Entrants will need to state clearly how they managed the community, how they defined effectiveness around the community, what they specifically achieved, and why the engaged community was significant for the development of the brand/business.

B-56. Business-to-Business

This category is for marketing efforts from businesses targeting other businesses. Business-to-business efforts for any type of product or service, from any marketplace segment, are eligible to enter.

B-57. Brand Experience: Live, AR/VR/Digital, Live + AR/VR/Digital

Including Live, AR/VR/Digital, Live + AR/VR/Digital. This category is not for efforts that focused on TV, radio or print ads to connect with an audience. It is meant to showcase how you can create a brand experience beyond traditional advertising. Only work that truly brought a brand or product to life – either literally or virtually – and interacted with a specific audience to achieve desired objectives should be entered. You may have re-invented the product demo, re-imagined the pop-up store, or led a “brick and mortar” retail overhaul; you could have created a new game or interactive film experience that effectively showcases a new product or brand personality – it could have been anything. As long as you can prove it truly came alive and worked.The winners of this award will be the work that shows how advertisers are reaching out to their audiences to establish meaningful relationships, memorable, engaging experiences, and unique connections with their brands. Entrants in the Brand Experience category must address how the brand experience related back to the overall brand strategy.

B-58. Brand Integration & Entertainment Partnerships

This award will honor those brands that have effectively reached their audience via strategic integrations & entertainment partnerships. Submissions should detail how the brand was seamlessly interwoven within the right content in an engaging way. Detail the strategic reasoning behind the partnership – why was this partner chosen over others? Clearly detail the selection process of the partner, and explain how this partnership led to the results that met the objectives of the brand.

B-59. Crisis Response

This award is for brands that created positive change by effectively pivoting their marketing program or business activities in response to significant structural and cultural shifts (e.g. Covid 19, election, etc.) in the current landscape. Entrants will need to demonstrate the effectiveness of the action for the brand. Examples can include a pivot in positioning, a change in portfolio management, a digital acceleration, etc.

B-60. Direct to Consumer

This category is for effective marketing efforts from direct to consumer (DTC) businesses. DTC efforts for any type of product or service, from any marketplace segment, are eligible to enter.

B-61. Influencer Marketing

Use of influencers, brand ambassadors, including but not limited to unique content created by an influencer to drive business results.

B-62. Marketing Disruptors

This award is for efforts that grew their business/brand by changing the marketing model in ways that drive the industry forward. A marketing disruptor of any size can enter. This can be new entrants, or existing players who have had to disrupt themselves and take a significantly new approach to their product, servicing or marketing in order to survive the onset of challengers. Entrants must detail the marketing challenge, the competitive landscape and how they succeeded by changing the existing marketing model for the brand/category.

B-63. Marketing Innovation Solutions

In this category, single marketing activities or entire marketing programs will be awarded. You can submit any action or business idea that has had an exceptionally positive impact on the market position of a brand, product or service. If communication was a significant element of marketing mix, work should be submitted in another competition category of Effie. Examples of eligible activities in this category include: product innovation; change in packaging, both in terms of its appearance and size; design, technology or ux innovation; consumer involvement in product development; introduction/change of a loyalty program, introduction of a new distribution channel, etc. Note: There is a special entry form for the category.

B-64. Performance Marketing. NEW

This category recognizes the most effective performance marketing efforts. To participate your effort must be led by performance marketing and you must demonstrate how your effort drove results for the business using performance marketing KPIs.

PLEASE NOTE! Download the special entry form for this category – PERFORMANCE MARKETING ENTRY FORM

B-65. PR, Corporate Reputation

This category is for communications that promote corporations, not exclusively their products. Includes sponsorships, image & identity. In addition to presenting metrics related to the reputation, entrants are encouraged to also address how these metrics relate to the business of the brand and why they are important.

B-66. Topical Marketing (Current Events)

This category is for cases that effectively leveraged immediate relevance, interest or importance via a targeted marketing/PR strategy around current events (e.g. elections, World Cup, Olympics, economics, etc.).

PLEASE NOTE! Entrants may submit into either Seasonal Marketing or Topical Marketing – the same case cannot be entered into both categories.

B-67. Sustained Success

Products or service communications efforts that have experienced sustained success for more than 3 years are eligible for entry. Entries must have a common objective in both strategy and creative executions; with a continuation of core executional elements (e.g., spokesperson, song, theme, tagline, etc.) that demonstrates effectiveness over time.

PLEASE NOTE! Download the special entry form for this category - SUSTAINED SUCCESS ENTRY FORM

C-68. Loyalty

This category will highlight efforts that were designed with loyalty as the driver for the effort. Entrants must detail how the program effectively targeted and engaged their target by developing an ongoing relationship between the shopper and the retailer or brand, while increasing loyalty.

C-69. Multi-Brand Shopper Solution. NEW

Shoppers are looking for ways to tackle everyday challenges, whether it’s what to prepare for dinner or how to maintain a beautiful lawn – they want all-in-one solutions. This award will celebrate multi-brand/product/manufacturer solutions that came together to address exactly what their target shopper needed. Entries into this category must address the rationale behind the creation of these differentiated shopper solutions. Brands may be from a single manufacturer or multiple manufacturers.

C-70. Multi-Retailer Program. NEW

For campaigns that ran with a central idea and executed that idea via dedicated rollouts to three or more different retail chains. Cases in this category will highlight and explain both the cohesive thread working at each retailer, and the specific customizations that were done for each retailer. Entrants should outline the specific barriers and challenges in tailoring their solution to each retailer – elaborating on the nuances among the shopper segment and insights at each retailer, differences in retail environments, etc.

C-71. Omni-Channel Shopper Solution. NEW

In a time when people have more choices than ever, delivering an effective omni-channel experience to shoppers is key to sustained business success. This category will look for cases that exemplify the manufacturers and retailers who have ensured an effective, connected shopper journey. This category is meant to showcase how manufacturers and retailers are connecting the dots in their engagement strategies to ensure simple, seamless, effective experiences across the shoppers’ path to purchase. In-store, online, customer service, loyalty programs, mobile apps, delivery services, social media, aisle disruption… it could entail anything - as long as you can show how it was all connected to provide a fully-integrated “shopper journey” from beginning to end. Winners in this category will represent the best examples of manufacturers and retailers committed to providing effective omni-channel shopper programs.

C-72. Shopper Marketing

Jury will look for integrated campaigns specifically designed to engage the shopper and guide his or her purchase process towards a desired end result. Eligible campaigns include those for single or multiple brands as well as for retailers (I.E., category solutions). All media channels are eligible for inclusion: mobile, TV, video displays, magazines, social media, sampling programs, in-store signage and displays, etc. The campaign must demonstrate at least two touch points working in concert to push the shopper along the path to purchase. The award will be given to the campaigns that best demonstrated how, driven by a true shopper insight, they effectively connected with the shopper, influenced her along the path to purchase, and inspired her to become a buyer.

C-73. Single-Retailer Program. NEW

Mass Merchants, Supermarkets, Drugstores, Other (includes warehouse clubs, value chains, pure-play e-commerce stores, specialty stores including those for consumer electronics, DIY, hardware, office, pet, sporting goods, etc.) For campaigns that ran with a tailored, retailer-specific idea and executed that idea at a single retail chain. The work in this category will provide insights as to how an effort was effectively designed to work with the particular retailer and the shoppers of that retailer. Entrants should elaborate on the specific shopper barriers affecting their brand at that retailer and how they addressed those issues in a customized way for that particular retailer.

D-74. Positive Change – Environmental: Brands

Recognizing brands with marketing programs that have measurably shifted audience (B2B or B2C) behavior toward more environmentally sustainable choices, and/or grown demand for more sustainable products and services by incorporating environmentally conscious messaging into their marketing communications.

PLEASE NOTE! Download the special entry form for this category - POSITIVE CHANGE ENVIRONMENTAL ENTRY FORM

D-75. Positive Change – Environmental: Non-Profit

Recognizing non-profit organizations and associations with marketing programs that have measurably shifted audience (B2B or B2C) behavior toward more environmentally sustainable choices, grown demand for more sustainable products and services, and/or measurably drove positive impact for their cause by incorporating environmentally conscious messaging into their marketing communications.

PLEASE NOTE! Download the special entry form for this category - POSITIVE CHANGE ENVIRONMENTAL ENTRY FORM

D-76. Positive Change – Social Good: Brands

Recognizing brands that are making the world a better place by using the power of their communications platforms for "good." This category celebrates for-profit brand efforts that effectively combined business goals with a social cause (health, education, community, family, etc) and successfully related that cause back to the company's overall brand strategy, resulting in positive business and social impact.

D-77. Positive Change – Social Good: Non-Profit

Recognizing non-profit organizations and associations whose communications efforts have effectively driven positive change for society and successfully contributed back to the organization's purpose. Campaigns must show measurable impact and proven results in support of the cause.