A Night That Belongs to the Industry
After eight years, PAS has created something truly special: 539 entries, 32 categories, and an awards process so rigorous it earned global affiliation with Effie Worldwide. Ten years ago, convincing Pakistan’s marketing community to document outcomes with this level of discipline was a real challenge. Now, it’s the norm. That cultural shift is PAS’s biggest achievement, and it deserves recognition above all else.
The Big Winners
Marketer of the Year: PTCL & Ufone
PTCL & Ufone took home eight awards: three Gold, two Silver, and three Bronze, spanning Internet & Telecom, social media, Passion for Pakistan, and Seasonal Marketing. The Ufone 4G ‘Data Bohhaaat Hai’ campaign won Gold in two categories, showing how a simple consumer insight can drive a whole creative system. Adcom Private Limited powered nearly every PTCL Group win and deserves just as much credit for the Marketer of the Year title.
Most Awarded Brand: Cadbury Dairy Milk (Mondelez Pakistan)
Cadbury Dairy Milk won six awards in six different categories: AI, Seasonal, New Products, Snacks & Desserts, Youth Marketing, and Topical. This made Cadbury the most awarded brand of the night and a top-three Grand Prix nominee. The ‘Say it with Cadbury’ Valentine’s campaign, led by Ogilvy Pakistan, was the main driver. When a brand commits to one emotional theme and delivers it consistently, results like this follow.
The Independent That Punched Hardest: Alt Story
Alt Story scored nine wins without backing from a network holding company. They excelled in Beverages, Branded Content, Experiential, Omni-Channel, and Sustained Success, working with clients like PepsiCo, BYD, and Knorr, all without support from WPP, Publicis, or IPG. Their Gold for Pepsi’s ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ was the highlight, but the range of their wins was even more impressive. For clients who usually choose big network agencies for major projects, this night was a reminder to consider independents.
Ones to Watch: AND THE NERVE
AND THE NERVE entered two campaigns and won both. They earned Bronze for Always’ Top secret material’ in Personal Care and another Bronze for ‘Kaante Na Lagao’ for the Center for Human Rights, two very different clients and creative styles. This range shows a clear creative vision, not just luck. For an independent agency, winning with every entry at the Effie’s is a big deal. Remember the name; in 2027, they’ll likely make even more noise.
Fishbowl’s FikrFree campaign won Gold in both Insurance and social media, proving what can happen when a financial product connects emotionally. The AJENCY. also deserves more recognition for winning Small Budget Gold with K-Electric; doing great work with limited resources is a skill the industry often overlooks.
Grand Prix — Campaign of the Year
Foodpanda’s ‘Sambhal Lega’ was a well crafted, culturally sharp campaign. Ogilvy Pakistan and atnr Pakistan took a simple behavioural insight, the friction between old and new ways of ordering food and turned it into something that resonated broadly. It was funny, it was platform-native, and by the numbers it delivered. On the criteria the Effie applies, it was a defensible winner. But here is the honest opinion: foodpanda should not have won the Grand Prix. Bond Advertising’s ‘Awaaz Sub Ki’ campaign should have, created for the National Commission for Human Rights Pakistan and the Legal Aid Society, addressed forced conversions and marriages among religious minorities using digital and SMS messaging in Urdu, Sindhi, and Punjabi. The campaign reached 9.8 million people online and 3.6 million through SMS. A film by Ayesha Gazdar was part of the effort. Most importantly, it led vulnerable people to the SLACC helpline, which had not existed before. This work deserved more than a Bronze or Gold; it was Grand Prix material. Its outcome should spark a real discussion about what marketing effectiveness means in Pakistan.
No Awards Night is Complete Without a Controversy
Ogilvy Pakistan won the most awards of the night, including Cadbury, Gaming SIM X FREEFIRE, foodpanda, and others. Normally, that would mean Agency of the Year. But Ogilvy didn’t attend. The agency boycotted the event; there was no official statement, but everyone knew it was due to concerns about process and governance. The agency most often called to the stage was the one missing from the audience, kind of childish behavior from a network agency. PAS should address these concerns openly. The real risk for the Effie isn’t a dramatic night; it’s losing the trust of the people who make the event matter.
The Verdict: A Successful Year, But Where Was the Awe?
The 8th Effie Awards Pakistan was a clear success. PTCL & Ufone earned their wins. Mondelez showed impressive consistency. Alt Story proved that independent agencies can compete with the best. AND THE NERVE, with two entries and two wins for P&G and the Centre for Human Rights, hinted that they’re just getting started. Bond Advertising delivered the night’s most important campaign. Every award went to campaigns that truly deserved it.
But to be honest, the main feeling was admiration, not awe. The work was effective, smart, and sometimes bold, but the kind of campaign that makes you sit up and wonder, ‘how did they come up with that?’ was rare. Pakistan has the talent; what’s missing is the courage to support risky ideas before they become clearly brilliant. ‘Awaaz Sub Ki’ was the closest example. That’s the standard to aim for. Hopefully, the 9th edition will bring more of that.
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