An orchestrated campaign for the new Effie
Effie How will the new Effie be publicized? This assignment is no small challenge for the PR agency Burson-Marsteller.
Effie How will the new Effie be publicized? This assignment is no small challenge for the PR agency Burson-Marsteller.
The campaign to promote participation in the newly launched BSW leading swiss agencies Effie is being launched this week. The six print ads have been realized by Wirz Werbung and will be placed in the trade press. The advertisements will also be sent to selected agencies and entrepreneurs as a mailing, and this classic campaign will now be flanked by a PR campaign from Burson-Marsteller. As BSW members, both agencies have offered their services to the association at special conditions on their own initiative.
While the advertisements are mainly aimed at advertisers and marketing managers in companies, PR is also intended to cultivate the necessary environment for interest in the Effie. "The Effie only works if the contractor and the client are jointly convinced of its efficiency," explains Marco Greiner, project manager for this key issue at Burson-Marsteller. This is because the clients have to help by providing certain information, otherwise the Effie cannot measure and evaluate market efficiency.
Burson-Marsteller's role now is to ensure that the whole discussion about the efficiency of advertising also takes place in the media. The PR people have a different target group for this, namely the heads of marketing. In most cases, the decision on whether or not to publish sales figures is made directly by the bosses and not by the marketing department. The bosses are also the ones who determine the strategy and sometimes also the marketing mix. It is therefore important to target these decision-makers precisely. "Our job is therefore to try and encourage the most prominent articles possible in the media about the effectiveness of advertising," explains Marco Greiner.
This is difficult in part because the effectiveness of advertising is neither a new nor a particularly marketable topic. Nevertheless, attempts are being made to launch such content. "This works by actually picking up the phone and targeting certain media people. We have selected media that we know are read by the people we are targeting, i.e. the well-known lead media including the Sunday press. This is where we give priority," explains the PR manager. These articles are not primarily written by advertising people, but by experts outside the agencies.
In the longer term, the Effie is also about convincing entrepreneurs that advertising really makes a difference and is very valuable. Of course it is nice when the word Effie appears in an article. But it should be about the power of advertising on the surface - and behind the scenes. It is also clear that the Effie event is still a long way off. It will take place in March 2006, so it is not yet a topic that even specialist editors would immediately jump on. The selected lead media are also unable to deal with such detailed topics. The aim here is to discover social developments and place them in a broader context. If anything, they want a comprehensive story about the entire industry or an interview with an illustrious representative from the wider guild. PR people also have a chance if they can offer renowned guest authors.
Getting laypeople interested in the topic "However, we don't initiate the articles by giving the media ready-made ideas. We explore together what could be interesting for a particular medium - and then we try to offer them something," explains Greiner.
In the specific case of the Effie, the media are already aware that they themselves depend on advertising and advertisements. From this point of view, cooperation would be opportune. However, the print titles also want to obey the market - and advertising is a topic that hardly interests 90 percent of the readership.
The facts about the Effie: Once the current submission phase has been completed, an expert advisory board consisting exclusively of scientists and opinion researchers will assess the Effie in purely quantitative terms.
judge: Is this effective advertising? Campaigns that cannot keep up here are no longer pursued. Only after this phase does the actual jury come into action, which is then also tasked with assessing the creative aspects of the advertising.
"We want to have a factual discussion about this in the media," says Greiner. Marketing managers and advertisers know what is being said here. However, the Effie should also be discussed by those who are not involved in advertising on a full-time basis. Summarized for all media activities, the message is: The Effie is new. Companies should take part. Advertising is effective.
Presentation courses for applicantsThere are still around eight months to go before the Effie is awarded. During the launch phase, companies will be mobilized to submit their campaigns. This work by Wirz Werbung and Burson-Marsteller must now become effective. Later, it will only be possible to attract attention to the event. Then, however, it will be a little easier for communication in terms of PR.
To make it easier to submit entries at this stage, the BSW is running a course in which interested parties can learn how to present their campaign successfully. For the first time this year, submissions will be made purely online. The work will also be evaluated online in this first phase.
"We are not Hollywood "PR for the Effie is currently working on a rolling plan. However, it is clear that in a second phase, the Effie is to be styled as the most important award in the field of marketing and communication in Switzerland, in line with BSW's declared aim.
The aim is to generate ongoing coverage with an event character later on. "Of course, we're not Hollywood, where a lot of money is spent on marketing for the Oscars," says Greiner. Nevertheless, a suspense effect can be created with various milestones around the judging and finally the countdown to March 23, when the big gala takes place. The aim here is to convince the media: The Effie is not just an important prize for advertising, but for everyone.
The PR networkInspiring a PR article in a medium does not necessarily have to be about relationships. More important is the content orientation of a particular editorial team. Most editors are now receptive to good stories. When it comes to advertising in particular, editors are naturally very willing - after all, the interests and income of their publishers are also at stake. But it is also easier than ever to place PR material in a medium. Large titles with a nationwide reach are still very selective. It can also be seen that in the course of the ongoing job cuts in editorial offices, the remaining journalists are developing more ambition to make a name for themselves with their own articles. In addition, responsible media do not like to be instrumentalized. A topic needs to be convincingly topical and relevant to a wider readership in order to be given a chance. There is a catalog of requirements that a story must meet: interesting, current, relevant. Conversely, PR agencies in smaller media can benefit from the fact that many editorial offices are massively underfunded. Such editorial offices are happy to receive ready-made stories because they often don't have time to set the important topics themselves. Anyone offering useful ideas is welcomed with open arms.
In the specific case of the Effie, the basically cooperative and willing editorial teams are challenged to find the most interesting ways possible.
New Effie in detailEntries can be submitted in nine categories:
- Consumer goods Food
- Consumer goods Nonfood
- Consumer goods
- Trade
- Capital goods
- Services
- Financial services
- Media
- Nonprofit organizations
The dates:September 15, 2005
Opening tender online
October 31, 2005
Closing date
End of January 2006
Announcement of nomination
March 23, 2006
Effie Award Ceremony
Sucking up to the boss? No, thank you! Wirz Werbung recommends the Effie as a better way to promote your career.
Andreas Panzeri
The campaign to promote participation in the newly launched BSW leading swiss agencies Effie is being launched this week. The six print ads have been realized by Wirz Werbung and will be placed in the trade press. The advertisements will also be sent to selected agencies and entrepreneurs as a mailing, and this classic campaign will now be flanked by a PR campaign from Burson-Marsteller. As BSW members, both agencies have offered their services to the association at special conditions on their own initiative.
While the advertisements are mainly aimed at advertisers and marketing managers in companies, PR is also intended to cultivate the necessary environment for interest in the Effie. "The Effie only works if the contractor and the client are jointly convinced of its efficiency," explains Marco Greiner, project manager for this key issue at Burson-Marsteller. This is because the clients have to help by providing certain information, otherwise the Effie cannot measure and evaluate market efficiency.
Burson-Marsteller's role now is to ensure that the whole discussion about the efficiency of advertising also takes place in the media. The PR people have a different target group for this, namely the heads of marketing. In most cases, the decision on whether or not to publish sales figures is made directly by the bosses and not by the marketing department. The bosses are also the ones who determine the strategy and sometimes also the marketing mix. It is therefore important to target these decision-makers precisely. "Our job is therefore to try and encourage the most prominent articles possible in the media about the effectiveness of advertising," explains Marco Greiner.
This is difficult in part because the effectiveness of advertising is neither a new nor a particularly marketable topic. Nevertheless, attempts are being made to launch such content. "This works by actually picking up the phone and targeting certain media people. We have selected media that we know are read by the people we are targeting, i.e. the well-known lead media including the Sunday press. This is where we give priority," explains the PR manager. These articles are not primarily written by advertising people, but by experts outside the agencies.
In the longer term, the Effie is also about convincing entrepreneurs that advertising really makes a difference and is very valuable. Of course it is nice when the word Effie appears in an article. But it should be about the power of advertising on the surface - and behind the scenes. It is also clear that the Effie event is still a long way off. It will take place in March 2006, so it is not yet a topic that even specialist editors would immediately jump on. The selected lead media are also unable to deal with such detailed topics. The aim here is to discover social developments and place them in a broader context. If anything, they want a comprehensive story about the entire industry or an interview with an illustrious representative from the wider guild. PR people also have a chance if they can offer renowned guest authors.
Getting laypeople interested in the topic "However, we don't initiate the articles by giving the media ready-made ideas. We explore together what could be interesting for a particular medium - and then we try to offer them something," explains Greiner.
In the specific case of the Effie, the media are already aware that they themselves depend on advertising and advertisements. From this point of view, cooperation would be opportune. However, the print titles also want to obey the market - and advertising is a topic that hardly interests 90 percent of the readership.
The facts about the Effie: Once the current submission phase has been completed, an expert advisory board consisting exclusively of scientists and opinion researchers will assess the Effie in purely quantitative terms.
judge: Is this effective advertising? Campaigns that cannot keep up here are no longer pursued. Only after this phase does the actual jury come into action, which is then also tasked with assessing the creative aspects of the advertising.
"We want to have a factual discussion about this in the media," says Greiner. Marketing managers and advertisers know what is being said here. However, the Effie should also be discussed by those who are not involved in advertising on a full-time basis. Summarized for all media activities, the message is: The Effie is new. Companies should take part. Advertising is effective.
Presentation courses for applicantsThere are still around eight months to go before the Effie is awarded. During the launch phase, companies will be mobilized to submit their campaigns. This work by Wirz Werbung and Burson-Marsteller must now become effective. Later, it will only be possible to attract attention to the event. Then, however, it will be a little easier for communication in terms of PR.
To make it easier to submit entries at this stage, the BSW is running a course in which interested parties can learn how to present their campaign successfully. For the first time this year, submissions will be made purely online. The work will also be evaluated online in this first phase.
"We are not Hollywood "PR for the Effie is currently working on a rolling plan. However, it is clear that in a second phase, the Effie is to be styled as the most important award in the field of marketing and communication in Switzerland, in line with BSW's declared aim.
The aim is to generate ongoing coverage with an event character later on. "Of course, we're not Hollywood, where a lot of money is spent on marketing for the Oscars," says Greiner. Nevertheless, a suspense effect can be created with various milestones around the judging and finally the countdown to March 23, when the big gala takes place. The aim here is to convince the media: The Effie is not just an important prize for advertising, but for everyone.
The PR networkInspiring a PR article in a medium does not necessarily have to be about relationships. More important is the content orientation of a particular editorial team. Most editors are now receptive to good stories. When it comes to advertising in particular, editors are naturally very willing - after all, the interests and income of their publishers are also at stake. But it is also easier than ever to place PR material in a medium. Large titles with a nationwide reach are still very selective. It can also be seen that in the course of the ongoing job cuts in editorial offices, the remaining journalists are developing more ambition to make a name for themselves with their own articles. In addition, responsible media do not like to be instrumentalized. A topic needs to be convincingly topical and relevant to a wider readership in order to be given a chance. There is a catalog of requirements that a story must meet: interesting, current, relevant. Conversely, PR agencies in smaller media can benefit from the fact that many editorial offices are massively underfunded. Such editorial offices are happy to receive ready-made stories because they often don't have time to set the important topics themselves. Anyone offering useful ideas is welcomed with open arms.
In the specific case of the Effie, the basically cooperative and willing editorial teams are challenged to find the most interesting ways possible.
New Effie in detailEntries can be submitted in nine categories:
- Consumer goods Food
- Consumer goods Nonfood
- Consumer goods
- Trade
- Capital goods
- Services
- Financial services
- Media
- Nonprofit organizations
The dates:September 15, 2005
Opening tender online
October 31, 2005
Closing date
End of January 2006
Announcement of nomination
March 23, 2006
Effie Award Ceremony
Sucking up to the boss? No, thank you! Wirz Werbung recommends the Effie as a better way to promote your career.
Andreas Panzeri
