Asian Marketing Effectiveness Festival now a part of IAF, Haymarket JV

The International Advertising Festival, organisers of Cannes Lions and Haymarket Media have announced an in principal agreement to extend the JV, which runs Spikes Asia to include the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Festival (AME). The intention of the existing joint venture, Spikes Asia Advertising Festival is to build the AME into the region’s largest forum for marketing effectiveness.

The Asian Marketing Effectiveness Festival will take place on 30-31 March 2011, in Shanghai. During the festival, delegates will have an opportunity to learn and be inspired by the greatest minds in the field, see showcases of the best in marketing effectiveness and honour the winning work at the AME Awards ceremony. The awards competition, now in its 9th year, recognises the role of innovative strategy, creativity and first-rate execution to build brands and deliver solid business results. A jury composed of top international and regional industry experts, from both client and agency backgrounds, will award the coveted AME trophy to the best in each category. The AME Festival will be run by the same management team as Spikes Asia.

Terry Savage, Chairman of Cannes Lions, commented on the move, “We are committed to developing another great event in Asia. Building on the existing relationship between Haymarket and Cannes Lions will allow us to deliver the most compelling event in the effectiveness arena.”

Tim Waldron, managing director of Haymarket Media Asia, said,  “The Asian Marketing Effectiveness awards have come to be recognised by agencies and clients as the region’s most rigorous effectiveness awards competition. We are delighted now to be working with Cannes Lions to build the event into Asia’s largest forum for marketing effectiveness. The decision to work with Cannes Lions in growing the event in the region was an easy one after the success of Spikes Asia.”

Phil Thomas, CEO of Cannes Lions commented, “The Asian Marketing Effectiveness Festival already has significant footing in the region and we look forward to growing the festival into a major force.”