The following categories have been created to address specific circumstances that surround a campaign. Briefs should be written in a way that address how these circumstances provided a unique marketing challenge to the campaign.
Yearly Topical Category for 2011 - "Recession Marketing"
This is an award for cases that faced a significant challenge as a result of the recession and overcame it. Identify how did the recession impact your business and how did it shift what you were doing?
African-American
Any effort whose primary audience is the African-American community or a subset of that community. If the entry had multiple audiences, it is necessary to demonstrate results for the African American community. Your entry should be written in a way that identifies how the entry was created and directed to this audience and how it succeeded. Identify cultural nuances wherever applicable.
Note: You must add a 1 page (150 words max.) “Creative Viewing Guide” to your entry form for this category. Use this page to identify the elements present in the creative work you submit that are specifically directed to the African-American community and the significance of these elements. Judges will use this page when viewing your creative reel.
Boomer+
For effective marketing to the Boomer-plus demographic.
The Boomer-plus market makes up 41% of the US population and controls 75% of the nation’s wealth. Boomers continue to challenge traditional ideas about age, work and leisure activities.
The Boomer+ award will honor marketing communications across any category (retail, fmcg, automotive, beauty, health, financial, entertainment, luxury, services, products, etc.) that have proven effective in genuinely reaching out to this group.
Any effort which has, as one of its primary audiences, the Boomer-plus community or a subset of that community can be entered. Efforts must have communications specifically created for this audience as part of the overall work, not reused general market work.
For example both of the following situations would be eligible to enter:
• If your case directly communicated with the Boomer-plus as its primary audience
• If your case directly communicated with the both Boomer-plus and another demographic as its primary audience, with specific messages and products or services aimed at each group. In this case you would need to demonstrate the results against the Boomer-plus group.
If your case targeted everyone including Boomer-plus with general communications it is not eligible to enter this category. As with all Effie entries, the marketing effort must honestly and effectively connect with its designated audience and not be misleading or deceptive in its content.
This category is sponsored by 
Business Challenges
- David v. Goliath
- New Product & Service
- Renaissance
Brand Experience
This category is not for efforts that focused on TV, radio or print ads to connect with a consumer. It is to showcase how you can create a brand experience beyond traditional advertising.
Only work that truly brought a brand or product to life—either literally or virtually—and interacted with a specific target to achieve desired objectives should be entered.
You may have re-invented the product demo, re-imagined the pop-up store, or led a bricks and mortar retail overhaul; you could have created a new game or interactive film experience that effectively showcases a new product or brand personality – it could have been anything. As long as you can prove it truly came alive. And worked.
The winners of this award will be the work that shows how advertisers are reaching out to their audiences to establish meaningful relationships, memorable, engaging experiences, and unique connections with their brands.
Tip: Entrants to the Brand Experience category must address how the brand experience related back to the overall brand strategy.
Note: As with all Effie categories, you can enter whether your work in bringing the brand to life constituted the entire marketing effort or was part of the larger marketing program.
Children's Products & Services
Products & services marketed to children 12 and under. E.G. Toys, games, dolls, gifts etc. Also leisure products and services aimed at children.
Global
Communication efforts eligible for this award must be for a single brand idea running across multiple countries. All entries are required to provide objectives and proof of results on a country-by-country basis. Your entry does not need to have run in the US or Canada to enter the Global Effie.
Note: There is a special entry form for the Global Effie Award. You are required to use this form to enter.
GoodWorks Effie
The GoodWorks Effie is for communications programs proven effective in addressing a social problem or in expanding an existing program in ways that benefit our society or our planet. Any effort that sets out to give back in some way for the greater good is eligible to enter.
Maybe it was for profit, maybe not. Maybe you got paid, maybe you didn’t. Any and all marketing communications efforts, whether full campaigns or unique efforts within a campaign are eligible to enter as long as measurable results exist.
• GoodWorks Effie – Brands
For marketing communications efforts undertaken by for-profit entities that are ‘doing well by doing good.’
• GoodWorks Effie – Non-Profit
Designed for communications of a public service nature for a non-profit organization or association.
For full details and eligibility information, please review the GoodWorks section here.
Note: Marketing cases that would have been eligible for the Green and Non-Profit categories may enter to compete for a GoodWorks Effie Award.
This category was created in partnership with 
Hispanic
Any effort whose primary audience is the Hispanic community or a subset of that community. If the entry had multiple audiences, it is necessary to demonstrate results for the Hispanic community. Your entry should be written in a way that identifies how the case was created and directed to this audience and how it succeeded. Identify cultural nuances wherever applicable.
Note: You must add a 1-page (150 words max.) description of elements of the work featured it may be helpful for judges not familiar with the audience to have an explanation of. Also provide a translation for any non-English materials not subtitled on the 4-minute video. (One page recommended. If you need more than one page for translation, this is fine.) Judges will use this page when viewing your creative reel.
Influencers
Brands that connect and establish relationships with their target’s key influencers are the ones to learn from. Having this powerful micro target spread positive influence over a brand’s potential buyers equals success. This category is for influencers who have an exponential effect (one to many) vs. one to one influencers.
This category spotlights efforts that took on the challenge to properly identify the ultimate influencers and turn them into brand enthusiasts.
However the connection occurred – tell your story on how you managed to get a brand or product’s most important target to spread the word.
LGBT Community
Any effort whose primary audience is the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Efforts could appear in either mainstream or LGBT media outlets. If the entry had multiple audiences, it is necessary to demonstrate results for the LGBT community. Your entry should be written in a way that identifies how the entry was created and targeted to this audience and how it succeeded. Identify cultural nuances wherever applicable.
Note: Provide a 150 word maximum description (Creative Viewing Guide) to identify the elements present in the creative materials you submit that are specifically targeted to the LGBT community and the significance of these elements. Attach this as an eighth page on your entry form.
Media Awards
- Media Idea
- Single Media Company Activation
- Media Innovation
Small Budgets
Cases eligible for this category must represent the only communications for this brand during the qualifying time period. To be eligible, an entry may not be for a line extension, a sub brand, or have an overarching brand campaign to support it. Local efforts working with a budget of $1 million or less, Regional efforts working with a budget of $2 million or less and National efforts working with a budget of $5 million or less are eligible for entry. Value of donated and non-traditional media as well as activation costs must be included.
Sustained Success
Products or service communications efforts that have experienced sustained success for FIVE or more years are eligible for entry. At a minimum, the case results must date back to August 31, 2005 and you must include the current year’s results. Entries submitted for competition must have a common objective in both strategy and creative executions; with a continuation of core executional elements (Ex.-spokesperson, song, theme, tagline, etc.) that demonstrates effectiveness over time. To enter you must be able to provide data about the case in its first year, an interim year and the most current year. The current year’s results must be included.
Note: There is a special entry form & creative submission requirements for the Sustained Success Award. You must use this form to enter.