Effie 2026 call for entries announced

“Effie is where effectiveness is defined, tested and celebrated,” said Gillian Rightford, ACA executive director for Effie South Africa. “It sets the standard for what ‘works’ in marketing - recognising the ideas that solve business problems, shift behaviour, and deliver outcomes that can be proven. An Effie entry is more than a story of creativity; it is a disciplined case for impact.”

Eligibility

Campaigns are eligible if they flighted in South Africa between 1 February 2025 and 31 January 2026. For entries submitted in the Sustained Success category, campaigns must have flighted between 1 February 2023 and 31 January 2026.

Key dates to diarise

• How to write a winning Effie entry workshop (online): Thursday, 5 March 2026
  
• Early Bird entries: 1 April – 30 April 2026
  
• On-Time entries: 1 May – 14 May 2026
  
• Last Minute entries: 15 May – 29 May 2026

Agency and client partner teams are encouraged to take advantage of the Early Bird period and submit entries promptly. Acceptance of entries via the Effie Awards South Africa online entry portal will close strictly at midnight on Thursday, 29 May 2026.

How to write a winning Effie entry workshop

To support agencies in preparing submissions, Effie South Africa will host an online How to Write a Winning Effie Entry workshop on Thursday, 5 March 2026. Register here to secure a spot.

For detailed information on entry categories, submission guidelines, and to initiate the entry process, visit the 2026 Awards Entry Information page on the Effie South Africa website.

Effie recognition also extends beyond South Africa: finalists and winners earn points on the global Effie Index, showcasing the strength of local agencies, brands and marketing talent on the world stage. Gold winners further advance to Effie’s Global Best of the Best, where South Africa’s most effective work is benchmarked against top campaigns internationally.

For a reminder of the standard set by the 2025 programme and its winners, view the 2025 Effie SA Magazine

For more information, visit www.effie.org/partners/south-africa.

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