Industry readies for most fiercely contested Effie Mena Awards yet

Entries up 47 per cent from 2012 as submissions from the UK and Singapore intensifies competition

Effie Mena Awards 2013 shortlist announced

Dubai, November 10, 2013 - The Effie Mena Awards 2013 – the region's premiere marketing awards hosted by GMR – will be the most fiercely contested yet.

Today, GMR formally announces the entries that have won over a stellar list of judges to become finalists in the Effie Mena Awards 2013. The final winners, drawn from every corner of the region, will be announced during the awards ceremony on November 20 in Dubai.

There are 17 award categories and the shortlist is decided by a mix of votes and judged decisions. This year's judging panel is made up of leading figures across the marketing industry.

The number of entries for the sell-out event has doubled from last year and builds on the 47 per cent increase registered in 2012.

Wider geographical participation is also at its highest with the Netherlands, the UK and Singapore submitting entries for the first time.

The UAE, however, leads, submitting 60 per cent of all entries followed by Saudi Arabia – which increased its participation from last year – Egypt and Lebanon.

Qatar, Iraq, Tunisia and Oman also increased their participation.

“These awards, in their various incarnations from the original GEMAS in 2003 through to The Effie Mena Awards, are celebrating their tenth anniversary, so we're delighted that it has also turned into a record-breaking occasion,” says AlexandreHawari, co-CEO of organisers, Mediaquest Events and publisher of GMR.

“We're delighted not only to attract more such a large number of entries, but that they come from all across theMena region and beyond. This is a testament to the credibility and prestige of the awards.”
 
The entries are filtered through a highly rigorous adjudication process by a jury of expert marketers from across the Middle East.
 
“Winning an Effie is never easy, but now it's even more difficult, which can only benefit the marketing community even more as it continually pushes the bar of excellence higher,” adds Hawari.
 
The winners can go onto be cited in the Effie Effectiveness Index, which ranks the most effective agencies and advertisers points based on finalist and winner data from 40 worldwide Effie Award competitions.

“This gives local marketers the chance to compete against international ones,” says Hawari. “It allows marketers in the Middle East to benchmark their work against global, as well as regional achievement and is a superb way of sharing best practice and knowledge.”

Choueiri Group is the main sponsor of the Effie Mena Awards 2013. Cadillac is the strategic sponsor.  Category sponsors are: Yahoo!, Fox International Channels ME, Sky News Arabia, Sephora, Al Aan, Zee Aflam, Group Plus, Ipsos, HyperMedia, Al Shuala Media.Media partners are Thomson Reuters and Communicate magazine.

The awards presentation ceremony takes place at MusicHall, ZabeelSaray Dubai Palm, on November 20. Choueiri Group sponsors the after party.To view the complete Effie Mena Awards 2013 shortlist, visit www.effiemena.com