17th Malaysian Effie Awards: MBCS wins Agency of the Year, Grab wins 5th consecutive Brand of the Year

The 17^th edition of the Malaysian Effie Awards saw Grab named “Brand of the Year” for the fifth consecutive year, while MBCS won “Agency of the Year” for the first time.

Showcasing campaigns that met and exceeded marketing communications objectives with a focus on effectiveness, the 2025 Effie Awards Malaysia featured the theme “Unmatched, Unrivaled, Undeniable”. One Gold, 12 Silver, and 14 Bronze were awarded from a shortlist of 58 campaigns.

The only Gold award presented was to the campaign “How speaking Gen Z helped a small start-up disrupt the period care category”, created by VML for the brand Blood.

Grab was named Brand of the Year with three Silver awards and four Bronze awards for the campaign “Grab: Social-first to make lunch stick” with Grab Creative Studio, and the campaigns “#WargaEmasBoleh bersama Grab” and “Grab’s Teeny-Tiny Subway Takeover” with Fishermen Integrated.

MBCS was named Agency of the Year with four Silver awards, seven Bronze awards and four Finalists, with one Silver and six Bronze for campaigns “Cracking the Secret Language: Ketibas, Ketibus, Ketitam”, “#Sembur, Play, Slay: Designed for Their Pace, Fit For Every Moment”, and “From Skincare to Self-Belief: SAFI’s Scholarship Sparked a Raya Revolution”, created for the brand Safi. Other wins were attributed to work across Mattel and U Mobile.

IPG Mediabrands network agencies Initiative and Universal McCann also fared strongly, claiming the 7th and 8th spot. Overall, the agencies took home 4 Silver, 7 Bronze and 6 Finalist Awards.

Stanley Clement, Chief Executive Officer of MBCS & Ensemble said, “The Effie Agency of the Year isn’t just a trophy; it’s a symbol of our relentless pursuit to redefine the game, alongside great partners that push us for excellence. Our intent has always been about creating work that matters, and the team have dared to be braver and bolder, with laser focus to deliver unparalleled impact. This is validation of that purpose, and I am truly honoured and humbled at this achievement.”

“I would like to take a moment to thank all our clients for their continued partnership and confidence in us. The synergy and trust we’ve built have helped us shape true excellence, and we’re excited to do more together. Underpinning this, a special acknowledgement goes out to our IPG Mediabrands network agencies Initiative, Kinesso and Universal McCann. Their strong team play in driving integrative efforts was integral in helping us win collectively. I am deeply grateful for this interconnected collaboration that has helped us reach this pinnacle of success.”

Kevin Le, Executive Creative Director said, “This was an epic win for the team. For us, it’s never been about volume, but about the resonance. We’re driven to create work that doesn’t just win awards, but moves the needle, sparks change, and leaves a lasting legacy. Here’s to overcoming business problems with the powerful alchemy of smart insights and fearless creativity.”

This year’s Awards saw the introduction of the Speciality category Artificial Intelligence (AI) which recognized outstanding campaigns where AI was a pivotal tool in driving meaningful business outcomes, showcasing how the effective use of artificial intelligence led to enhanced customer engagement, operational optimization, increased sales, or other measurable business objectives.

Other new categories included 3 Industry categories and 8 more Specialty categories including Health & Wellness – Rx – Consumer/DTC, Health & Wellness – Rx – Devices, Health & Wellness – Rx – Professional, Category/Aisle Evolution, Challenger Brand Solution, Crisis Response/Critical Pivot, Single-Retailer Program, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Disease Awareness & Education: Charitable/Research Funding, Disease Awareness & Education: Non-Profit, and Disease Awareness & Education: Pharma/Corporate.

Organised by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia (4As), the 2025 Effie Awards Malaysia were led by Organising Co-Chairpersons Mr LV Chong, Regional Managing Director at Monster Interactive, and Dr Milan Agnihotri, Head of Growth and Strategy at Dentsu Malaysia.

Mr LV Chong said, “In today’s economic climate, there is increasing pressure within our industry from clients demanding more accountability than ever. Marketing is rightly expected to be a primary engine for business growth, and every dollar spent must be justified with a tangible return. Against this backdrop, the Effie Awards’ role as the gold standard for marketing effectiveness has never been more critical.”

“With this year’s theme, ‘Unmatched’ speaks to the rigorous methodology used to evaluate each campaign’s marketing effectiveness, ‘Unrivaled’ refers to the Effies legacy of being the global benchmark for 17 years in Malaysia and 57 years worldwide, and ‘Undeniable’ is the promise that an Effie-winning campaign presents irrefutable proof that an idea has delivered significant business outcomes,” Mr Chong added.

Dr Milan Agnihotri said, “The aim of Effie is to ensure that the marketing profession remains creative, effective and open to everyone. As co-chair, I was keen to re-establish and reiterate the value of marketing and communication ideas towards long-term brand building. Given the uncertainties surrounding the global business environment, the disruption in media platforms, tsunami of social and live commerce commoditizing most consumer categories and very importantly the rising cost of living, building long-term value of the brand has never been more critical.”

The 2025 Effie Awards Malaysia were judged by panels comprised of more than 72 diverse and illustrious industry leaders, led by Chief Judge Datuk Lai Shu Wei, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, Sime Darby Property Berhad, and five Heads of Jury including Sulin Lau, Regional Head of Marketing & Brand, Grab; Chanchal Chakrabarty, SEA Market Entry & GTM Advisor for Adtech, Fintech & Entertainment; Tai Kam Leong, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Astro; Andreas Moellmann, Independent Brand & Marketing Consultant, Future Inc.; and Chia Pi Wo, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, IDEALOGIC.

First launched in 1968 in New York, the Effie Awards are recognised internationally by agencies and advertisers as the communications industry’s pre-eminent award for marketing effectiveness.

The Effie Awards Malaysia are organised by the 4As and supported by the Malaysian Advertisers Association (MAA), Media Specialists Association (MSA) and Malaysian Digital Association (MDA)  in association with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).