Martin Rippon.
As economic pressure tightens, marketing is facing a tougher test: proving not just that campaigns worked, but that they actually grew the business. That shift is reflected in the Australian Effie Awards with new and expanded categories in 2026.
Martin Rippon, Vice Chair of Judging and Partner at Gutthink & Partners, talks with Nicolette Briscoe about the evolving nature of the program, the increased role media agencies are playing, and where effectiveness is heading.
You’ve judged Effie entries for years now. What separates the winners from the rest?
Clarity, brevity and honesty. The strongest cases make it absolutely clear what the business problem was, how the marketing strategy solved it, and how we can see the commercial effect. It doesn’t need to be overwritten. If the thinking and results are strong, they speak for themselves.
The best Effie entries have a clear line of causation from idea to result. They show judges that marketing - not timing or external factors - caused the growth.
How is Australia’s culture of effectiveness evolving, and how do we compare on the global stage?
The standard of Australian advertising is exceptionally high, driven by a culture that values sharp insight, brave ideas, and accountability for results. Effie represents the gold standard of effective marketing, and our awards remain some of the most contested and rigorously judged in the Effie world.
Clients love them as proof that marketing is doing its job, delivering commercial returns or driving behavioural change in the social space.
We’ve seen a real lift in the quality of entries overall, and an interesting divergence in the most popular categories. Short- and Long-Term Effects categories have both grown in the number of entries, highlighting the marketer's dilemma between investing in the brand versus driving immediate sales.
We are also seeing more entries into the Social Change category than ever, and have separated certain categories to ensure these can be judged in their own right.
I’m genuinely looking forward to being wowed again when the 2026 submissions land in June.
Can you share an example of where media thinking helped secure a Gold Effie?
Several of last year's Gold Effie winners had media ideas at their heart. Suncorp’s long-term effectiveness award was driven in part by a series of PR-driving activations, while Lifeblood’s call for donations was driven by a link-up with Channel 7 and the AFL.
Arnott's Gold win in 2024 was in equal parts a re-think of media strategy and a refocus of creative strategy and execution.
These teams clearly defined the business challenge, built a precise media strategy aligned with growth objectives, and delivered tangible results, be that incremental market share, more blood donors across a peak demand season, or incremental profit growth.
That integration is what the judges love to see. It’s not just collaboration for show; it’s a shared focus on effectiveness.
What’s changed this year?
New categories include International Marketing, Health Marketing, Sponsorship Activity and Best New Entrant (sponsored by Google). Expanded categories include Media-Led Ideas, Data-Driven and Performance Marketing, reflecting how much the industry has evolved and that effectiveness today depends on integration.
Media agencies are closer than ever to business performance data, putting them in a powerful position to demonstrate causation and commercial impact. If they can clearly connect their media approach to revenue and growth, 2026 could really be the year they shine.
In opening the categories, we hope to see more entries from agencies and marketers who haven’t previously placed their results in the Effie spotlight. The Best New Entrant award is up for grabs.
With the new categories in place this year, what are your top tips for entrants, especially those looking to collaborate across media, creative, and client teams?
The hard work will have already been done, with most campaigns in market. To turn these into a winning Effie entry, it’s about building the story and ensuring the data proof points are in place.
Gathering the data early is a critical step, as these may come from media, sales, tracking studies or MMM analyses. The team needs to agree on the story to be told, who will do the heavy lifting in writing the first draft, and how to incorporate feedback from the client and other agency partners.
The sooner the first draft is completed, the more time there is to gain approvals and refine the story.
The most effective cases are built on alignment between media, creative and client teams from the beginning - everyone working toward the same goal and capturing proof along the way.
When politics are managed well, joint entries co-written by media, creative and client together should have a significant advantage. The strongest Effie winners show strategic cohesion, clear evidence, and a single, confident narrative.
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Advertising Council Australia is hosting an industry webinar Tuesday, March 24, with judges, experienced entry writers and effectiveness experts sharing their insights on how to craft a standout entry. Find out more here and register here.