Effies locks media out

The organisers of the Malaysia leg of the Effie Awards have taken the unusual step of banning all trade press from tonight's event with the exception of a local media sponsor in a move that bucks the international franchise's trend of media inclusiveness.Edtorial staff of marketing-interactive.com were told today they would not be welcome at tonight's award despite giving the lead up to the event extensive coverage.Marketing-interactive.com was told it was banned from the event at the request of a media partner, a direct competitor which recently launched with an identical brand to a magazine owned by marketing-interactive.com's owners.Editorial director of Lighthouse Independent Media, owners of the magazines Marketing Hong Kong and Marketing Singapore and the soon to launch Malaysia version, as well as marketing-interactive.com, Tony Kelly, said his company had a long relationship with the Effies and has always covered the event in Singapore and Hong Kong."We find it very strange. The Effies is an extremely important and well run franchise and we have had nothing but open relationships with the organisers in Hong Kong and Singapore so to be told we aren't welcome at the Malaysia event is baffling," Kelly said."The original Marketing magazine is the highest circulating marketing, agency and media title in the region and marketing-interactive.com the highest trafficked site in the region in the category, so to effectively shut our readers out seems counter intuitive."We have a great deal of respect for the Effies as a global event and certainly hope the organisers will review the decision before next year's event as it will be a hole in our coverage when we cover it extensively in all other editions of our magazines."Traditionally the Effies has had an open door policy with publicity, particularly among trade magazines which are seen as strong supporters of the awards around the world.