MDA’s d AWARDS 2020
Malaysian Digital Association introduces four new categories for d awards 2020 to widen recognition and honour rising innovative digital players
KUALA LUMPUR, DECEMBER 18, 2019 – Four new categories in Malaysian Digital Association (MDA)’s d Awards 2020 will further expand industry-wide recognition and encourage industry players to continue to increase the value of Malaysia’s digital economy.
In extending appreciation to innovative digital practitioners in the country, the MDA is unveiling the Best in E-Commerce Marketing Campaign, Best Influencer of the Year, Best Influencer Marketing Campaign and Rising Star awards – which is a subcategory of the Digital Person of the Year award. The MDA hopes that they will act to inspire these individuals.
The introduction of these categories resonates with the constant evolution of d Awards, the only award event in Malaysia that appreciates and honours brands, agencies, publishers and technology companies for their use of digital media to create and develop standout campaigns, services and products.
“In the last edition of d Awards, the MDA unveiled three new categories and we go one better this year – which also marks the 10th anniversary of our association – to acknowledge the contributions of our digital players in an advancing digital ecosystem.” explained MDA President Mr. Serm Teck Choon.
“The MDA is fully supportive of the government’s digital-first economy – as outlined in Budget 2020 – to enable the talent in the industry to respond to disruptions in business and to foresee and seize opportunities that arise from them.” Serm, who is the Malaysia Country Head of CtrlShift, said.
MDA President Mr. Serm Teck Choon explained that the thorough pitching process to finalise the two partners entailed input from a Selection Committee comprising senior leaders from amongst agencies, publishers and digital service providers, who are also the MDA council members.
“With Comscore as our measurement partner for Audience Currency, we provide a trusted currency to the industry for planning, transacting, and evaluating media across platforms. Meanwhile, SimilarWeb, who is our newly added measurement partner for Market Insight, will give us multi-device granular insights to understand and track digital market share of various brands and publishers.” Serm, the Malaysia Country Head of CtrlShift, added.
The MDA’s endorsement of an audience currency partner stretches back to 10 years ago – when the body was founded – and is a result of an initiative under their Audit and Research Council in 2009.
“As the industry continues to rapidly evolve and churn out so much datasets in such a complex ecosystem, the MDA realise that it is the right time to not only expand the endorsement beyond audience currency but also to include market insight.” Serm said.
Serm Teck Choon
Nicholas Sagau
“For example, the Rising Star category, a spin-off from the Digital Person of Year category which honours individuals above the age of 30, is created to stimulate and cultivate under-30 professionals in the digital industry to assist in the government’s efforts to strongly position us in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
In underlining this point, d Awards 2020 Organising Chairman Mr. Nicholas Sagau Tony Ngimat elaborated that the MDA has been adding various key categories such as Best Use of Digital Innovation, Best Platform Development, Best Tech Developer and Best Digital Publisher of The Year since 2018 towards this objective.
“These new categories are added to d Awards to also reflect a shift towards a more inclusive approach in recognising industry practitioners with the capacity to innovate and contribute to Malaysia’s digital economy.” Nicholas, who is also the Group General Manager of Media Prima Digital, elaborated.
“Our digital economy is increasing annually and we must meet the corresponding demand for a digital-centric workforce that is vital to sustain this impressive expansion. It is the MDA’s hope that d Awards will help accelerate marketers’ adoption of the latest technology to create value through technology.”
All campaigns, projects and products that were executed and developed in Malaysia between January 1 and December 31, 2019 are eligible for submission. The early bird submission deadline is set for December 30, 2019 while the final deadline is January 7, 2020. Details on the rules, entry kit and sponsorship are available on www.d-awards.com.my. Kindly contact the MDA Secretariat, c/o Macomm Management Services Sdn Bhd, Unit 706, Block B, Pusat Dagangan Phileo Damansara 1, No. 9, Jalan 16/11 Off Jalan Damansara, 46350 Petaling Jaya, Selangor at 03-7660 8535 or email Amy Tan at amy.tan@macomm.com.my for additional information.
