Two awards programs recognizing creative effectiveness have been combined, as the Institute of Communication Agencies announced today that the CASSIES are becoming part of Effie Worldwide.

As a result of the new partnership, Effie North America will be split into two separate awards programs: Effie Canada and Effie United States.

The eligibility rules for Effie Canada will be the same as in other territories, meaning campaigns can be entered in the program representing the market they ran in. So, Canadian agencies with work that ran in the U.S. can enter their work into Effie United States. Similarly, agencies from other countries whose work was made for the Canadian market will be able to enter their work into Effie Canada.

The ICA will run Effie Canada with support from Quebec’s Association of Creative Communications Agencies (A2C). Effie Worldwide will run Effie United States. A call for entries for both programs is expected in the fall.

The CASSIES were first established in 1993 when Rupert Brendon, then the CEO of DMB&B and later president and CEO of the ICA, saw the need for an awards program similar to the Effie Awards for the Canadian market. Both programs have aimed to recognize creative work that delivers on ROI and against key business goals for clients. The ICA has been presenting the CASSIES with the A2C (previously AAPQ) and Association des agences de Publicité du Québec (AAPQ) and the program was produced by strategy magazine. The magazine and parent company Brunico Communications will not be involved with the production of the Effie Awards Canada.

“It was great to partner with former ICA president Jani Yates, and more recently A2C CEO Dominique Villeneuve and Scott Knox, to help build the CASSIES into a successful effectiveness program,” says Mary Maddever, SVP, editorial director and publisher of strategy. “The rigor and passion the many juries, benchmarkers and advisors put into shaping and curating a unique Canadian recognition platform over the years was inspiring.”

Scott Knox, president and CEO of the ICA, told strategy that making the CASSIES a part of the Effie Awards gives local marketers and agencies the chance to be honoured for their effectiveness with an award that is recognized internationally.

“Canadian marketing should be more recognized on the global stage and Effie Canada will deliver that pathway to bring more work into the country,” Knox says. “After our record year at Cannes, our agencies continuing to win Effie North American awards, now is our time to shine globally. Whether in independent or network-owned agencies, excellence in marketing communications resides in this country.”

On the part of the Effie Awards, the organization said in a press release that a dedicated program for the Canadian market will help it to extend its reach to more marketers here, as well as “add a new dimension” to the regional rankings of the Global Effie Index thanks to the expanded pool of case studies, juries and marketers.

The winners of this year’s CASSIES in February can be seen here, while the Canadian winners at this year’s North American Effie Awards gala can be found here.