THE EFFIES: POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Wellington indie Eightyone was also a Gold winner on the night in the Most Effective Use of Integration category, with its work for National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges Inc. The agency’s Strategist Brendan Sturrock gave us his take on how this year’s results were people powered.
Unfortunately, this year’s Effies was yet another example of not being able to celebrate our work together. A particular shame in this instance because, as highlighted by the Comms Council’s own campaign for the event, effectiveness is often powered by the strength of the client and agency relationship. But, for me, the “metal” showed that people were still at the heart of the show. I saw a common thread across some of the most awarded work of participation inspiring persuasion. Of brands opening up, being generous and working with people. Finding ways to invite them in rather than just talk at them. Campaigns that generated great return on investment by giving people good return on engagement. Which makes sense in a modern marketing world where greater fragmentation of media, and an increasing focus on personal connection and interactivity, is shifting the balance of power from brands towards people.
With that in mind, perhaps it’s no surprise that we saw impressive hauls for campaigns like ‘Friend-vertising’, which gave people the chance to make themselves the heroes of their own stories. That work like ‘Tiny Pub’ succeeded by finely crafting a unique experience around the needs of people just coming out of lockdown – helping them re-emerge to reconnect with people they missed. That, recognising an opportunity to put people more in control, IAG creating a tool, Tally, to help more intuitively work out the value of their stuff. Where ‘Voice of Racism’ inspired people to shape a better Aotearoa by putting them in someone else’s shoes. How our own ‘Safe Nights’ campaign for Women’s Refuge prompted people’s generosity by making them feel they could be part of the solution, helping others to live free from family violence. And, last but by no means least, how ‘Unite Against Covid-19’ was a brilliant example of coordinated behaviour change – ditching fearmongering for the positive promise of participating in society with the people you love.