Famed co-author of the globally acclaimed marketing book IPA: The Long & the Short of It, Peter Field, is set to lead an investigation ever into what makes Australian marketing campaigns effective.

Industry body Think TV has announced that Field has partnered with fellow independent marketing expert Rob Brittain  to produce a series of Australian studies inspired by The Long & the Short of It and other landmark reports.

Their findings will give marketers and their agencies a comprehensive understanding of what drives advertising and marketing success in Australia through insights gleaned from the Australian Effies database of award-winning marketing campaigns.

The research partnership is the result of a new three-year agreement between The Communications Council and ThinkTV to support and expand the annual Australian Effie Awards program by building a database similar to that used by UK trade body the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA).

The Effie Awards honour Australia’s most significant achievements in marketing communications. Known by advertisers and agencies globally as the pre-eminent awards in the industry, the Effies recognise any and all forms of marketing communications that contribute to a brand’s success. 

Commenting on the research partnership, Peter Field said: “I’m delighted to be involved in this brilliant new venture – something I have encouraged for a number of years.

“Now more than ever, the marketing world needs sound evidence-based thinking to guide best practice and to counter the tsunami of questionable recommendations from powerful vested interests. I look forward to helping to strengthen Australia’s reputation as a thought leader in global marketing.” 

TCC CEO Tony Hale said the research partnership presents an exciting opportunity for the industry: “The Australian Effies database will facilitate an evidence-based approach to reviewing the most effective cases on our shores and bring focus to what is really delivering the most effective return on market investment.”

As part of the new three year partnership agreement, ThinkTV will sponsor the annual reports, the Australian Effie Awards, a series of exclusive member events that model the best cases, including the Effies roadshow and ‘Work Behind the Work’ seminars.

ThinkTV CEO Kim Portrate said the research project will reveal factors that make marketing profitable and expose practices and myths that lead to waste and inefficiency.

“This the first study of its kind in Australia, and while there are no off-the-shelf solutions to a successful marketing strategy, the findings will reveal proven success factors that can be adopted in virtually any product category. We are very excited that the Comms Council has secured the guidance of Peter Field, whose pioneering work with Les Binet has been a huge source of value to brands seeking growth.”

Based on their meta-analysis of IPA’s Databank – a database of advertising case studies submitted to every IPA Effectiveness Awards competition in the UK since 1980 – Peter Field and Les Binet recently developed a report, which challenges the industry to reconsider approaches to efficiency in the changing media landscape.

Field has co-authored highly-respected marketing and advertising texts, including: Marketing in the Era of Accountability, The Long & The Short of It, Brand Immortality, The Link Between Creativity and Effectiveness and Effectiveness in Context.

He is one of the authors of the world’s leading online qualification for advertising effectiveness, the IPA Eff Test, available exclusively in Australia through The Communications Council professional development program.