Agency of the Year Categories

1. Analytics Agency of the Year
Recognises agencies that have shown exceptional skills in web analytics and data science. Awards will go to those who successfully help clients manage and leverage data, and transform them into real-time information for better decision making.
2. B2B Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide ideas, strategies and executions for business-to-business marketing activities.
3. Boutique Agency of the Year
This category is open to small, independent agencies with 30 staff or fewer. The agency can have any specialism and provide any marketing and / or advertising solution for their clients.
4. Brand & Design Consultancy of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide ideas, strategies and executions of brand identity and/or designs for their clients.
5. Consultant of the Year
This category is open to firms and agencies that work with brands to provide marketing innovation and transformation consulting services.
6. Content Marketing Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that create or provide strategic content across channels such as websites, social media, e-newsletters, white papers etc. for their clients.
7. Creative Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide creative ideas, designs and executions for advertising purposes across all media platforms.
8. CRM & Loyalty Marketing Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide ideas, strategies and executions for their clients’ customer relationship management, customer experience and loyalty purposes.
9. Digital Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide digital solutions, strategies and executions for their clients’ marketing and advertising purposes.
10. eCommerce Marketing Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that deliver eCommerce marketing strategies and executions for their clients.
11. Event Marketing Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide event marketing solutions such as exhibitions, conferences, product launches, trade shows, virtual events, as well as other types of B2C and B2B events for their clients.
12. Experiential Marketing Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide experiential marketing solutions such as brand activations, sensory interactions, immersive experiences, audience participation events etc. for their clients.
13. Full Service Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that handle the full-range of marketing and/or advertising solutions, from creative concept to implementation and tracking of results. The Full Service Agency should be able to offer a minimum of three marketing solutions in-house.
14. Independent Agency of the Year
This category is open to any independent agency with any specialism. An agency can be deemed independent when it is not part of an agency network and is not owned by an agency holding company, a conglomerate or any other big agency or parent company. Agencies do not need to have been founded in Malaysia, so long as they are still independent. There is no Local Hero Award for this category.
15. Influencer Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide their clients with ideas, strategies and the execution of marketing and / or advertising campaigns with social media influencers.
16. Integrated Marketing Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide advertising and/or marketing solutions for their clients by successfully integrating three or more marketing channels, be it through their industry partners or in-house. An Integrated Marketing Agency should offer the conceptualisation and management of an integrated campaign across a range of verticals.
17. Lead Generation Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that have firmly met client objectives by generating qualified leads through a smart and cost-effective strategy.
18. 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.
19. Media Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide media planning, buying and strategy services for their clients.
20. Mobile Marketing Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide mobile marketing solutions across a range of mobile platforms for their clients.
21. New Kid on the Block
This category is open to agencies that have recently set up shop in Malaysia, and been in operation here for less than two years from the end of the eligibility period (31 Dec 2022). The agency can be a brand new independent venture, or be part of an expansion by an established agency overseas. There will be a Local Hero award for this category
22. Performance Marketing Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide performance-based advertising services for their clients.
23. Programmatic Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide omnichannel, demand and supply buying capabilities for their clients. They should demonstrate the successful delivery and performance of programmatic strategies and solutions.
24. Public Relations Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that provide strategies and executions for clients in the areas of corporate communications, public affairs, B2B, investor relations or crisis management etc.
25. Social Media Marketing Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies that offer social media solutions as part of their core marketing offering to their clients.
26. Specialist Agency of the Year
This category is open to agencies or units within agencies that specialise in specific business verticals for their clients’ marketing purposes. Business verticals could include areas such as education, healthcare, shopper marketing etc.
27. Video / Production Company of the Year
This category is open to agencies and production houses that offer video and / or pre and / or post-production services for their clients’ marketing purposes.

Talent & Culture Categories

28. 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:

  • Single most important achievement
  • Operational excellence at the agency
  • Leadership and motivation at the agency
  • Strategy and implementation
  • People development and performance under their watch
  • Commercial results against objectives
  • Client retention under their watch
  • Contributions to the industry at large

Testimonials for this category are encouraged.

29. Agency Team of the Year

This category recognises outstanding work from 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, but all work must have taken place within the eligibility period and they must show evidence of:

  • Outstanding achievements in campaigns and project management
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Strategic thinking
  • Excellent execution
  • Successful results against objectives / KPIs
  • Any other exceptional achievements or work that especially merits this award.

Testimonials for this category are encouraged.

30. Best Agency-Client Partnership *NEW*

This award 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. The winner of this award will have demonstrated a strong alignment of goals, a seamless execution of initiatives, and a deep understanding of the client’s business and industry. They should showcase examples of the following areas within the eligibility period:

  • Clear and open communication that ensures both parties are on the same page.
  • How you developed trust and mutual respect to deliver quality work and make informed decisions.
  • How did you ensure an alignment of goals and values to ensure you were committed to the same objectives?
  • Collaboration and teamwork: How did you work together to achieve common goals and make decisions that benefited both parties?
  • Adaptability and flexibility: How did you adjust to changing circumstances and prove you were open to new ideas and approaches?
  • Long-term commitment: How are both parties committed to working together over the long term to achieve shared goals.
31. Best Agency Culture *NEW*

This award 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. Please include examples of the following:

  • Clear and consistent communication: Show how the agency developed open lines of communication, transparent policies and procedures, and/or regular check-ins with employees to help create a culture of trust, accountability and mutual understanding.
  • Employee empowerment: Show how the agency encouraged employee ownership of their work by giving them autonomy, resources and support they needed to succeed.
  • Recognition and appreciation: Show how the agency displayed appreciation for their staff’s hard work and achievements in order to foster a positive and motivating culture.
  • Professional development: Show how the agency invested in the professional development and growth of employees to help create a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
  • Inclusion and diversity: Show how the agency created a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion to help to foster a sense of belonging, respect, and understanding among employees.
  • Work-life balance: Show how the agency encouraged and supported employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance to help to create a culture of well-being and satisfaction.
  • Strong leadership: Show how the agency’s senior leadership team led by example, were transparent, and communicated effectively to help create a culture that aligned with the company’s goals and values.
32. Rising Star

This category recognises outstanding work from an agency talent under the age of 30. To qualify, the entrant must have been 29 at any point during the eligibility period. They should demonstrate how they 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, but all work must have taken place within the eligibility period and they must show evidence of:

  • Outstanding achievements in campaigns and project management
  • Creativity, innovation and the ability to pivot quickly and effectively
  • Strategic, out-of-the-box thinking
  • Excellent execution
  • Successful results against objectives / KPIs
  • Any other exceptional achievements or work that especially merits this award.

Testimonials for this category are encouraged.

NOT FOR ENTRY

33. Overall Agency of the Year (not for entry)

This category will recognise the most successful performing agencies across all categories. The top 5 performing agencies will be shortlisted for the overall Agency of the Year title. Using a points system (1 point for Bronze, 2 points for Silver, and 4 points for Gold) this award will go to the winner with the most points across all categories at the end of the night.

34. Overall Local Hero of the Year (not for entry)

This category will recognise the most successful performing Local Hero agency across all categories. Only independent agencies that were founded in Malaysia are eligible for consideration. Multiple offices in other countries is permitted as long as the agency was founded in Malaysia, with no ownership by parent agencies or holding companies. This award will go to the agency with the most unique Local Hero wins. Ties will be broken using the same points system for determining the Overall Agency of the Year.