For over 50 years, in over 50 countries, the Effie Awards have recognized the very best in marketing effectiveness. Only campaigns that make a real business impact are recognized.
Effie demands strong work. So we require strong judges.
The Effie Canada Jury is a diverse group of marketers from agencies, brands, media and academia. If you're passionate about Creative Effectiveness and are not easily pleased, we'd love to hear from you.
Judging provides you with an unmatched opportunity to see and understand how success works outside of the product/service categories you work on day-to-day. Participating as an Effie Judge also provides an excellent opportunity to network with other industry leaders. We’re seeking experienced brand and agency marketers with diverse backgrounds across industries and disciplines.
Judging for Effie Awards Canada 2026 will take place over two rounds in June and July 2026. Depending on the jury, judging will either be virtual or in-person. More details will be provided if you’re selected to be a judge.
Judges receive cases across a range of categories and evaluate all elements of an entry, written case and creative executions, on a stand-alone basis without comparison to other entries in the category. Each jury member reviews a unique set of cases. Scoring is done confidentially by each juror and each case is reviewed by multiple jury members. In June 2026, Round One judging starts with a virtual, total jury kick-off and information session. Jurors will individually read, review and judge their assigned cases on their own time during the Round One judging period. Judges join a two-hour moderated discussion focused on evaluating cases in general. These sessions are a mix of virtual and in-person. A judge may only participate in one Round One session. Round One judges determine the finalist entries that will move on to Final Round.
Round One Judging dates:
Finalist entries are judged against other finalists within their category, and like Round One, the elements of each case are reviewed and scored by multiple judges. Robust moderated discussion and debate with fellow jurors is part of the Final Round sessions. In July 2026, Final Round judging will start with a virtual, total jury kick-off and information session. Jurors are asked to pre-read their assigned cases prior to their jury session. Jury sessions are structured around categories, scheduled over a one-week period, and generally take four hours each to complete. A judge may only participate in one Final Round session. Judging sessions are a mix of virtual and in-person events.
Final Round Judging dates:
Gold-winning cases are evaluated by a panel of senior industry leaders who determine which campaign has demonstrated truly exceptional effectiveness. This in-person, moderated session takes place in Toronto during the week of August 17, 2026. As with the Final Round, the discussion is dynamic, focused, and debate-driven.
The winner of the Grand Effie will be announced at the Canadian Marketing Effectiveness Summit (CMES), which this year takes place at The Gathering Festival in beautiful Banff, Alberta, from October 20–24, 2026. The week will feature rich programming on marketing effectiveness, including case studies, thought leadership, and live discussion – and will culminate in the Effie Gala on Friday, October 23rd, where we’ll reveal this year’s Effie Canada Award winners. More details to come.
More information about Effie Awards Judging.
Complete the form below to submit your application for Round One and Final Round judging opportunities.
Please Note: Judging is only open to ICA member agencies and their clients. The needs of the Effie Selection Committee change on a rolling basis as we strive to create well-rounded juries that represent both brand and agency expertise across disciplines, industries and regions. For this reason, we cannot guarantee the acceptance of all judging applicants.
More about Effie Awards Canada and the 2025 Effie Awards Canada competition.
