Award Categories

1. B2B Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies that provide the best business-to-business marketing solutions which successfully helped clients to achieve their business goals.

2. B2C Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies that provide the best business-to-consumer marketing solutions which successfully helped clients to achieve their business goals.

3. Best Acquisition/Retention Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies that deliver outstanding strategies to retain a long-term relationship with existing clients, and acquire new clients. The awards will go to those who clearly demonstrate the growth of the client base and returning clients.

4. Best Performance-Based Agency of the Year
This category recognises the best performance-based agency that delivers and optimises its performance for achieving the client-desired business results.
5. Best Newcomer

This category recognises the outstanding start-up agencies in the industry that have shown considerable success. The awards will go to the best all-rounder which has been in business for not more than three years in Hong Kong, but has managed to deliver exemplary value and quantifiable results comparable to those of well-established agencies.

6. Boutique Agency of the Year
This category recognises outstanding small-scale agencies with no more than 20 staff within the whole company/group. Awards of this category will go to those who managed to deliver exemplary value and quantifiable results comparable to those of sizeable agencies.
7. Brand & Design Consultancy of the Year (NEW)

This category recognises agencies that have been able to provide 360-degree insights from ideas, brand design to marketing strategies, which helps to build the brand identity, boost brand image and recognition.

8. Content Marketing Agency of the Year
This category recognises agencies that have successfully developed strategies for content across all platforms from online to offline, including websites, social media, e-newsletters, white papers and more.
9. Creative Agency of the Year
This category recognises the creative agencies that provide the most creative and innovative ideas for advertising work across all media platforms from online to offline. Judges will be looking at any state-of-the-art ideas which stand out from others.
10. CRM & Loyalty Agency of the Year
This category recognises the agencies that provide the best ideas and expert insights into customer relationship management and loyalty that helps marketers to strengthen the relationship between brand and customers. Judges will consider both quantitative and qualitative results.
11. Data Analytics Agency of the Year
This category recognises agencies that have shown exceptional skills in marketing analytics and data insights. Awards will go to those who successfully help clients manage and leverage data, and transform them into real-time information for better decision making.
12. Digital Agency of the Year
This category recognises agencies that provide the best market-leading digital solutions to address the disruptions in the digital age. Judges will be looking at branding, online advertising, social media and mobile marketing, mobile app development, UI/UX design and more.
13. E-Commerce Agency of the Year
This category recognises agencies that provide exceptional e-commerce marketing solutions to drive a client’s business performance. Judges will look at the effectiveness and performance on various platforms, apps and/or social media channels.
14. Event Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies that create impressive events which successfully engage the target audience and delivery of the brand message in a dynamic manner. Events can range from small to large, from in person to virtual, from B2B events to customer events.

15. Independent Agency of the Year

This category recognises independent agencies that have thrived in the competitive marketing landscape. Independent agencies are locally owned companies which are not under any multinational giants.

16. Industry Specialist Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies that specialise in specific business verticals or particular industries, including healthcare, sports, talent management, finance, lifestyle/entertainment, tourism, and more.

17. Influencer Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies that provide their clients with ideas, strategies and the execution of marketing and/ or advertising campaigns with social media influencers and key opinion leaders.

18. Innovative Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies that can demonstrate an innovative approach to client needs, for example, the use of new technology, media, marketing, creative, social, communities and consumer intelligence.

19. Integrated Marketing Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies which successfully use integrated marketing solutions on three or more marketing platforms.

20. Market Research Agency of the Year (NEW)

This category recognises agencies which provide accurate and thorough market research initiatives commissioned by a brand.

21. MarTech Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies that provide best marketing technology strategies to develop, deploy and/or refine an integrated MarTech stack for their clients. Judges will be looking at how well the MarTech infrastructure built in archiving clients need.

22. Media Agency of the Year

This category recognises outstanding agencies in the areas of media planning, buying and strategy. This can also include the new areas of programmatic and real-time bidding.

23. Production Agency of the Year

This category recognises agencies that provide excellent pre or post-production work for marketing campaigns which includes event, audio, video productions, and more.

24. Programmatic Agency of the Year (NEW)

This category recognises agencies that make the most effective use of omni-channel buying capabilities. They should demonstrate the successful delivery and performance of programmatic strategies and solutions.

25. Public Relations Agency of the Year
This category recognises agencies that provide strategy and execution for clients in the areas of corporate communications, public affairs, B2B, investor relations or crisis management.
26. Search Agency of the Year
This category recognises agencies that offer search marketing solutions as part of their core offering to brands.
27. Social Media Agency of the Year
This category recognises agencies that offer social media solutions as part of their core offering to marketers. Judges will be looking for an innovative use of social platforms and strategies for engaging consumers in the social space.

Talent Categories

28. Best Agency Culture

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 the entrants implemented effective practices and initiatives to promote employee satisfaction, engagement, and well-being, resulting in a culture that is supportive, collaborative, and promotes employee development.

29. Best Client-Agency Partnership (NEW)

This category recognises the outstanding collaboration and cooperation between an agency and its client that has led to exceptional results and success. Agencies 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.

30. Agency Leader of the Year
This category recognises outstanding stewardship and excellence from an agency chief executive officer / managing director who has demonstrated exceptional and effective leadership and guidance while making a significant impact to their agency’s overall output.

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, and etc. Testimonials for this category are encouraged.

31. Agency Team of the Year

This category recognises excellent performance of an agency team which has made a significant impact to their clients’ overall marketing campaigns, executions, and results. Entrants 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.

32. Rising Star (age below 30) (NEW)

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