Insight, impact and execution: Judges weigh in as Effie Malaysia enters final stretch

The 17th edition of the Malaysia Effie awards is currently underway, with the close of entries and the first round of judging completed, and the second and final rounds of judging commencing soon.

Launched in 1968 in New York as an awards program to honor the most effective advertising and marketing efforts, the Effie Awards are known today by advertisers and agencies globally as the pre-eminent award in the industry.

The judging team for this edition of the Malaysia Effie awards is led by Chief Judge Datuk Lai Shu Wei, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, Sime Darby Property Berhad, and five Heads of Jury including Sulin Lau, Regional Head of Marketing & Brand, Grab; Chanchal Chakrabarty, SEA Market Entry & GTM Advisor for Adtech, Fintech & Entertainment; Tai Kam Leong, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Astro; Andreas Moellmann, Independent Brand & Marketing Consultant, Future Inc.; and Chia Pi Wo, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, IDEALOGIC.

Asked about what sets the Effies apart from other awards, Datuk Lai Shu Wei, Chief Judge, said: “One needs to be very sharp in the written submissions – demonstrating challenges which are brought to life through great execution, driven by insights and impactful results. The Effies sees the best brands from various industries competing for a Gold, Silver or Bronze in the most prestigious and coveted marketing award in Malaysia.”

Meanwhile, when asked about their first impressions of this year’s entries after the first round of judging:

Sulin Lau, Head of Jury, said: “The Effies have celebrated Malaysia’s best and boldest marketing for over 15 years, and the good news is that the thinking is getting sharper. For example, in the Seasonal Marketing category, what used to be mostly just festive films now sees brands tapping into exam stress, sports fever, and every season in between. I like that. Good marketing shouldn’t wait for CNY or Raya, brands are finding their own special moment, and they’re making it matter.”

Chia Pi Wo, Head of Jury, said: “Honestly, there were some nice surprises. A few entries took the kind of brand or business problem we’ve all seen a million times – you know, the usual suspects – and somehow managed to come at it from a completely fresh angle. Those were fun to see. Not because they had the biggest budget or tried to do ‘everything everywhere all at once’, but because they just thought differently. That’s what stood out.”

Chanchal Chakrabarty, Head of Jury, said: “There were a few gems which are rooted in insights & culture and have also been able to create meaningful consumer engagements hence delivering winning market impact. There were also a couple of cases, with undeniably bold and category defying strategic thinking, making them stand out and deliver commercial success.”

When asked about what Agencies need to do to stand out from the pack:

Datuk Lai Shu Wei, Chief Judge, said: “They must keep things simple and easy to understand – utilize mediums with relevant creatives to drive the ideas, you don’t need to do everything – only those that matter and make real impact to the campaign ideas.”

Tai Kam Leong, Head of Jury, said: “Aim higher. One month gains are ok, another million views is acceptable and small percentage point of low bases of side businesses may be good but going for small incremental growth is underestimating the immense potential of insightful, smart ideas engineered for big results.”

Chia Pi Wo, Head of Jury, said: “Know why your work worked. A lot of agencies fall into the trap of thinking ‘we got results, therefore we’re geniuses’. But without understanding why those results happened – the thinking, the strategy, the choices – it’s just guesswork dressed up as insight. If you want to stand out – in the Effies or just in general – tighten your strategy, tell a better story, and measure stuff that actually matters. Know WHY your campaign worked. And most importantly, be braver. Challenge the brief. Ban cliches. Push for ideas that don’t look like everything else. Stop trying to tick every box and do every channel. Just do the right thing, and do it well.”

When asked about where the industry is heading given the current economic climate, geo-political climate, and advances in technology including AI;

Andreas Moellmann, Head of Jury, said: “Agencies today need to be smarter, not commoditised. I believe, clients are now looking for the value that agencies contribute to their businesses. The agencies that will stand out are the ones who can prove they’re contributing to business success – not just winning awards for great work. It will be about moving the business to success. That’s exactly what the Effies are for. They make the value of marketing visible beyond reasonable doubt, and the good news is, it’s never been easier than today to measure impact. We’ve never had more data than today. Agencies need to build the strategic and analytical muscles to interpret that data and turn it into strategy, creative and results. That’s the shift – from campaign thinking to business thinking. It’s a challenge, and the opportunity for those who can envision that future.”

Judging for the second and final rounds for the Effies commences on August 19th with the results to be announced on October 3rd at a gala dinner in Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara.

The 2025 Effie Awards Malaysia are organised by the 4As and supported by the Malaysian Advertisers Association (MAA), Media Specialists Association (MSA) and Malaysian Digital Association (MDA) in association with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).