British events and advisory company Ascential plc has agreed a deal to buy the commercial assets of Effie, the global benchmark in marketing effectiveness, the licence rights of which the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI) has nationally. Subject to regulatory approval, Effie will join Ascential’s Lions division, which also champions advertising campaigns that drive growth through creative and effective marketing.
Effie provides insights from over 125 international markets, as well as tools and training.
Ascential proposes to sign up long-term with the not-for-profit organisation, Effie Worldwide Inc, which will become a new entity to be known as the Effie Lions Foundation Inc. The foundation will be dedicated to educating the next generation of talent, offering training for marketing students, especially those considered to be under-represented in the industry. It will also provide a home for Lions’ existing not-for-profit initiatives.
Headquartered in New York, with offices in Beijing and London, Effie currently has a network of 59 partners in 125 markets. Effie will continue to be led by Traci Alford, president and CEO, Effie Worldwide. Charley Stoney (above), chief executive, IAPI, said that as Effie’s Irish rights owner, she was delighted with the deal. “With the scale and reach that Ascential has, there’s no doubt that Effie will become bigger and better for all concerned,” she said.
Stoney added that with companies such as WARC already within the Ascential family, it will provide IAPI with access to thought leadership through fully analysed case studies on a global scale. “Through this partnership, there is huge potential to have standardised and indisputable global statistics that will help marketers and IAPI members state the case for marketing effectiveness.” The proposed deal is subject to regulatory approval in the US.
A decision by New York State is expected later this year.
