The prestigious EFFIE awards panel used a modified scoring criteria this year to include a stronger focus on the role of media - another indication that media buyers and planners have more clout than ever in the advertising world and are no longer under-appreciated minions. Based on the new criteria, 70 percent of a campaign's final score was based on background, strategy, creative and media in equal parts, MediaPost reports (via MediaBuyerPlanner). The other 30 percent is based on proving marketing results.

Previously, campaigns were scored based on the brief and the creative, with the brief score counting for two-thirds of the total. New, media-specific categories included Media Strategy, Anything Goes Media, and Third Screen Media.

OMD is the most-awarded media agency in the 2006 EFFIE awards, with 17 winning campaigns to its credit, followed by Starcom MediaVest Group (12 wins) and MindShare (7 wins).