The Commercial Communications Council launches the 25th annual Effie Awards Aotearoa

Entries are now open for the 2026 Effie Awards Aotearoa, as the programme marks 25 years of recognising marketing effectiveness.

Celebrating a quarter-century milestone alongside long-standing partner TVNZ, the Effie Awards Aotearoa continue to set the benchmark for strategic rigour and proven impact across the industry.

This year’s Convenor of Judges, Murray Streets, says: “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.”

The 2026 programme also introduces a new accolade: Effective Advertiser of the Year. This award recognises the advertiser organisation that achieves the greatest success across the awards, determined by a weighted points system based on Finalist, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Grand Effie wins.

With entries now open, agencies and marketers are invited to submit campaigns that demonstrate clear thinking, strong strategy, and measurable business results.

The 2026 awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 22 October at the Auckland Convention Centre.

The awards are now open, with Early Bird entry deadlines on Thursday 16 July.

To find out more about the Effie Awards Aotearoa, visit https://commscouncil.nz/awards/effie

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