2013 EFFIE EFFECTIVENESS INDEX: UNILEVER, COCA-COLA, NIKE, WPP AND JWT ARE MOST EFFECTIVE MARKETERS IN MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Mindshare (Dubai) and Interesting Times (Beirut) top individual agency rankings
Effie Worldwide reveals the companies that created ideas that worked globally

NEW YORK, NY (July 31, 2013) – Effie Worldwide announced today that Unilever and Coca-Cola tied for first as the most effective marketers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) according to the 2013 Global Effie Effectiveness Index. Coca-Cola also tied with Nike as the most effective brand in the MENA region. WPP is the most effective holding company, while JWT is the most effective agency network in MENA. Mindshare (Dubai) is the most effective individual agency office, and Interesting Times (Beirut) held onto its number one ranking as the most effective independent agency in the region. Unilever, Coca-Cola and WPP also ranked the highest in the global rankings of the Effie Index.

Now in its third year, the Effie Index recognizes the architects of the most effective marketing communications ideas from around the world, determined by their success in the Effie Awards 40+ national and regional programs. It is produced in partnership with the global marketing intelligence service, Warc.

With 34 points, Unilever and Coca-Cola top the most effective marketer ranking in the MENA region, followed by Nike, PepsiCo and Reckitt Benckiser. Four brands - STC, McDonald's, Dove and Gulf News tie for third, behind Coca-Cola and Nike, as the most effective brands in the region. The top three most effective holding companies in MENA are WPP Group, Publicis Groupe and Omnicom, while JWT, MindShare Worldwide, Leo Burnett Worldwide, OMD and Starcom MediaVest Group are the five most effective agency networks in the region. The Dubai offices of Mindshare, JWT, Starcom MediaVest Group and OMD are the top individual agency offices in MENA, while Interesting Times (Beirut) and Face to Face (Dubai) are the most effective independent agencies.
“Now that the Global Effie Index is in its third year, shifts and trends can be studied and leveraged on a global and regional basis for maximum impact and learning,” said Carl Johnson, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Effie Worldwide and Co-Founder of Anomaly. “With over 40 programs focused on effectiveness worldwide, the Effie Awards add a healthy element of competition amongst the industry's top performers.”

Each ranked company in the Effie Index has undergone rigorous evaluations of their case studies and work by industry-expert judges to prove that their marketing achieved compelling results. For more information on the most effective agencies, marketers and brands globally, regionally, in specific countries, and different product categories visit
www.effieindex.com.

“The Effie Index benchmarks the brands, marketers and agencies that are consistently delivering ideas that work and identifies the companies that are changing the game, said Louise Ainsworth, CEO of Warc. “It is a resource and an inspiration for marketers from various business categories and areas of the world.”

About Effie WorldwideEffie Worldwide stands for effectiveness in marketing communications, spotlighting marketing ideas that work and encouraging thoughtful dialogue about the drivers of marketing effectiveness. The Effie network works with some of the top research and media organizations worldwide to bring its audience relevant and first-class insights into effective marketing strategy. The Effie Awards are known by advertisers and agencies globally as the pre-eminent award in the industry, and recognize any and all forms of marketing communication that contribute to a brand's success. Since 1968, winning an Effie has become a global symbol of achievement. Today, Effie celebrates effectiveness worldwide with the Global Effie, the Euro Effie, the Middle East / North Africa Effie and more than 40 national Effie programs. For more details, visit www.effie.org. Follow @effieawards on Twitter for updates on Effie information, programs and news. The Effie Effectiveness Index identifies and ranks the marketing communications industry's most effective agencies, advertisers, and brands by analyzing finalist and winner data from Effie Worldwide competitions.