Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Kristina Gotovac, Komunikacijski laboratorij
On the occasion of the opening of the entries for the Croatia Effie 2019, we talked with Mario Fraculj, member of the organizing committee, who has revealed which market trends have been observed in the winner campaigns so far, what is it that competitors often neglect, and how he personally, as a notable industry figure, would go on about compiling a winning entry. He explained how the new application system works, and gave insight into what the jury of this year’s edition will offer to the participants.
How big is the importance of Effie awards for the advertising industry in Croatia?
Rewarding of creativity in marketing communication has become a tradition both in the world and in Croatia. However, only with the first Effie contest in 2009, the Croatian advertising scene joined a world-renowned system for evaluating and rewarding the effectiveness of marketing communications. Today, there are 52 national, four regional and one global Effie competition, and the Effie Awards are considered to be the symbols of the highest achievements in the marketing industry, a kind of “marketing Oscars”.
Effie is of great importance for marketing industry in Croatia, primarily because of the education of all participants (where research houses also play an important role), exchange of opinions and annual showcase of the most effective marketing achievements. Effie Awards are tangible proof of effectiveness and success in realizing the business goals and are the fruits of the joint work of advertisers and agencies. These awards bolster those partnerships. Since Effies particularly value market results of marketing projects, these awards are not only a recognition of marketing profession, but are also a sign of consumer confidence.
The connection between creativity and efficiency is a complex one, and although in practice it is almost impossible to isolate the influence of communication activities on sales of brands, I am convinced that the evaluation of marketing campaign results leads to more relevant, more functional and therefore more effective creativity. Moreover, in light of increasing business pressures, efficiency is an imperative for all advertisers, and a necessary input for further marketing planning.
What kind of trends have you observed in terms of creating efficient marketing projects?
Over the last 10-15 years, digital transformation has changed the business and marketing world intensively and irreversibly. The convergence of marketing and technology brings us a variety of innovations and business models that create new value by bringing consumers closer to brands and making life easier. Everything has accelerated significantly – access to data, creation and production of content. Social networks have changed not only the lifestyle and behaviour of people, but also the way companies are promoting their brands, trying to produce relevant content and encourage consumer engagement.
One of the most significant trends is media fragmentation. New digital platforms constantly appear, amassing large number of users in increasingly shorter timespans. The essence of communication activities has not changed – find out what motivates people and take advantage of these insights to enhance brand awareness – but these new digital media certainly open up new opportunities and provide a wider arsenal of tools for creative expression.
We can clearly see the evolution of this trend in the structure of the Effie application form. Namely, this year’s format contains a much larger number of offered communication touch points between brands and consumers compared to what we started with ten years ago. Strategies for use of communication channels are getting more and more complex and are gaining importance.
Since the new entry system will open on January 16, are there some useful notes you could share that will help participants when applying their works?
As of this year, entries will be submitted via the electronic system developed by Effie Worldwide, which has been tested and validated in practice in other markets. The system will be available at www.effie.hr and I would advise potential applicants not to wait for the last minute to upload their works, because they can delete and edit parts of their application until they decide to do the final submission. (ie. press the Submit button).
This electronic system also makes it easy to submit applications in multiple categories, without the need for separate input of shared parts.
If you were one of the competitors, what would you particularly highlight in your entry?
One thing that is common to all the campaigns awarded at Effie competitions is that excellent results were achieved not only in relation to the set goals (because there is a possibility for post-rationalization – adjustment of the goals to the results) but also in the context of the actual market situation and the competitive environment.
It is therefore key to define the strategic challenge because it shapes other elements of the application and provides a perspective for assessing the appropriateness and ambition of the set goals. The reader has to understand where the goals came from and why that activity was undertaken. Goals must be quantified, time-bound and linked to business and communication challenges, and the results, in order to be properly valorised, must be benchmarked, ie presented in relation to the relevant context (category, previous year, similar previous activities, activities of competitors, etc.).
Furthermore, entries often don’t include insights, or they only note expectations from the category, which makes them flawed. Campaigns whose communication strategy is based on innovative insights into the consumer behaviour deserve more points. In addition, the application has to be concise, consistent and compelling, and it should engage a reader just like an interesting story. This storytelling element must not be neglected, because it often makes a difference in a sea of entries with similar results.
Is there some aspect you consider particularly important, yet contestants sometimes neglect it?
When selecting projects to enter to Effies, participants often think about large integrated campaigns, forgetting that efficiency comes in various shapes and sizes. Big is not always beautiful. All types of marketing communications that contribute to the brand’s success are eligible for Effies, regardless of the scope and duration of the activity. It is important that the communication challenge and the goals make sense in the context of the brand situation and market reality.
Business results and sales are influenced by a variety of factors whose impact is very difficult to isolate and quantify (one who succeeds in doing this deserves a Nobel Prize for Marketing). Therefore, competitors basic task is to convince the jury that the communication strategy described in the application was responsible for the brand’s growth, and that the results achieved are not the result of product modification, price reductions, enhanced distribution, withdrawal of the main competitor or favorable weather conditions.
Finally, I would advise applicants to be concise, honest and brave in their entries, because strong Effie contests actually reward ambitious tasks and achievements beyond expectations.
According to Ipsos survey of 2016, advertisers consider Effie the most important award in the industry of market communications. What can participants expect from this year’s edition, and especially from the jury?
During the first decade of the Croatian Effie, the number of entries and participants grew with each consecutive year. We’ve been trying to improve Effie in all aspects, especially in the jury education segment, and the results of this Ipsos research make us very proud. However, we are aware that there is room for further improvement and that much work is still ahead of us. Therefore, we plan new initiatives, expanding of the board, and intensified promotion of the project in the marketing community.
This year’s jury will be the largest ever and will consist of some of the most prominent and experienced marketing experts on the Croatian market, with different profiles and specializations. In order to be able to fulfil their demanding task, they will undergo detailed training in the preparatory period, and will get acquainted with the rules of competition, the market dynamics of the categories in which the works are reported, and consumer and retail trends.
As of this year, applicants will be able to get not only jury comments on their submissions, but also structured feedback as a special service, with analysis of strengths and weaknesses, as well as constructive advice and inputs for improving future entries.