This category recognises agencies that provided their clients with ideas, strategies and the execution of marketing and/or advertising campaigns with social media influencers. Judges will be looking at how effectively agencies leveraged influencer partnerships to drive brand awareness and engagement. Entries should showcase innovative campaigns that successfully connected brands with target audiences and their contributions to influencer marketing.

This category recognises agencies that demonstrated an innovative approach to client needs, for example, the use of new technology, media, marketing, creative, social, communities, and consumer intelligence. Judges will be looking at groundbreaking ideas that set new standards in the industry. Entries should highlight the agency’s ability to think outside the box and drive impactful results.

This category recognises agencies which successfully used integrated marketing solutions on three or more marketing channels for their clients. Judges will be looking at how effectively they combined multiple channels and tactics to deliver cohesive solutions. Entries should show the conceptualisation and management of an integrated campaign across a range of verticals.

This category celebrates agencies that provided the best marketing technology strategies to develop, deploy and/or refine an integrated MarTech stack for their clients. Judges will be looking at how effectively agencies leveraged technology to enhance marketing effectiveness. Entries should showcase the innovative approaches that drove results through technology integration.

This category recognises outstanding agencies in the areas of media planning, buying, and strategy. Judges will be looking at how effectively they optimised media strategies to maximise reach and engagement, including the new areas of programmatic and real-time bidding. Entries should demonstrate effective media solutions that delivered measurable results for clients.

This category recognises agencies that specialise in out-of-home advertising. Judges will be looking at how effectively they created impactful OOH campaigns that reached and engaged target audiences. Entries should showcase successful strategies that drove brand visibility.

This category recognises agencies that excel in performance-based marketing strategies. Judges will be looking at how effectively they delivered and optimised their performance for achieving the client-desired business results. Entries should highlight the successful campaigns that demonstrated the agency’s impact on client performance.

This category recognises agencies that provided excellent pre or post-production work for marketing campaigns which includes event, audio, video productions, and more. Judges will be looking at the effectiveness of their visual and audio content in communicating brand messages. Entries should showcase the agency’s production expertise and creativity.

This category celebrates agencies that made the most effective use of omni-channel buying capabilities. Judges will be looking at how effectively agencies leveraged data and technology to optimise digital advertising campaigns. Entries should showcase innovative programmatic strategies that drove engagement and results.

This category recognises agencies that provided strategy and execution for clients in the areas of corporate communications, public affairs, B2B, investor relations or crisis management. Judges will be looking at how effectively they managed brand reputation and drove positive media coverage. Entries should illustrate the successful PR campaigns that enhanced client visibility and their impact on brand perception.

This category recognises agencies that offered social media solutions as part of their core offering to marketers. Judges will be looking at how effectively they created engaging campaigns that built brand communities. Entries should illustrate the agency’s ability to connect with audiences across social platforms.

This category recognises the outstanding efforts of an agency in fostering a positive and inclusive work environment for its people. Judges will be looking at how their culture drove employee satisfaction, engagement, and wellbeing, resulting in a culture that was supportive, collaborative, and promoted employee development. Entries should showcase initiatives that promoted a supportive and engaging environment.

This category recognises the outstanding collaboration and co-operation between an agency and its client that led to exceptional results and success. Entries should select one client and demonstrate the mutual trust, communication, and dedication that have been key factors in achieving a mutually beneficial partnership. Winners of this category will have demonstrated a strong alignment of goals, a seamless execution of initiatives, and a deep understanding of the client’s business and industry.

This category recognises outstanding stewardship and excellence from a leader who has demonstrated exceptional vision, leadership, and guidance while making a significant impact on their agency’s overall output. Judges will be looking at their contributions to their agency’s success and the industry as a whole.  

Entrants can nominate themselves or be nominated by others; this category is limited to CEO/MD-level positions and should show evidence of business impact in the following areas within the eligibility period: their achievements, operational excellence, professional leadership skills, commercial results, their contribution to the agency, etc. Testimonials for this category are encouraged.

This category recognises the excellent performance of an agency team which has made a significant impact on its clients’ overall marketing campaigns, executions, and results. Entries can use one particular campaign as a case study of evidence to form their entry or can use aspects from various projects. All work must have taken place within the eligibility period.

 Judges will be looking at the team’s scope of work, strategic thinking, creativity, and excellence in execution. Entrants should also showcase their exceptional achievements, and successful results against objectives/KPIs. Testimonials for this category are encouraged.

This category recognises an outstanding performance from an agency talent under the age of 30, who has demonstrated their ability in generating a significant impact to their clients’ overall marketing campaigns, executions, and results. To qualify, the entrant must have been 29 at any point during the eligibility period. 

Entrants can use one particular campaign as a case study of evidence to form their entry or can use aspects from various projects, but all work must have taken place within the eligibility period.

They must show evidence of their outstanding achievements in the campaigns, their creativity, their out-of-the box thinking, excellent executions, successful results against objectives, and any other exceptional achievements or works, etc. Testimonials for this category are encouraged.

This category will recognise the most successful performing agencies across all categories. The top five performing agencies will be shortlisted, and the winner will be revealed in the big finale at the AOTY gala dinner celebration.

The overall winner is decided based on the following weightage. The entrant who scores the highest points will be crowned the overall winners:

Gold – 4 points

Silver – 2 points

Bronze – 1 point

Tie-Breakers:
Most Gold: If total points are tied, the agency with the highest number of Gold awards wins.
Most Silver: If Gold awards are also tied, the agency with the highest number of Silver awards wins.
Highest Average Score: If a tie still persists, the agency with the highest average score percentage (as assigned by the judges across all their winning entries) will win.

This category will recognise the most successful performing Local Hero agency across all categories. Only independent agencies that were founded in Hong Kong are eligible for consideration. Multiple offices in other countries is permitted as long as the agency was founded in Hong Kong, with no ownership by parent agencies or holding companies.

The overall winner is decided based on the following weightage. The entrant who scores the highest points will be crowned the overall winners:

Gold – 4 points

Silver – 2 points

Bronze – 1 point