4.

Is the ECHO the "results award?"
No, not exactly. The DMA International ECHO Awards recognize the total package: brilliant strategy, breakthrough creative, and phenomenal results. All three matter in the real world, so all three are considered here. We judge these criteria individually and as a whole to determine the best of the best. Some campaigns get awards, the rest get the chair. Because ECHO is the only award in the industry that considers results in the judging, many tend to think of it as the "results award." But that doesn't begin to tell the whole story. You need more than that to get sentenced with an ECHO.

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Must I use the official entry form?
Yes - Properly processed paperwork is crucial to getting a conviction. Luckily, though, the cops in this town are always on the lookout for tomorrow's hardened thug. Therefore, we have made getting and using the official form easier than jaywalking. Just click here and you'll be connected to our Official Entry Form page. Just download it, fill it out, and mail it in along with your payment and creative samples. For those of you who are slow to wake up and smell the computer age, you may call the DMA's Fax-on-demand at (212) 790-1400 and request form #2501.

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What do I do if I'm not sure what category to enter?
Only the real sicko's commit crimes without even realizing what they have done wrong. If this is you, read the descriptions of categories preceding the entry form. The general rule is to try to match your crime to the category and media that most narrowly define your industry, product, or service. If you are having trouble finding your niche (story of your life?), call us and ask for the ECHO department at (212) 768-7277, fax us at (212) 719-5106, or e-mail your questions to echo@the-dma.org. Our counselors will help you see the error of your ways.

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Why has "Automotive" been separated from manufacturing to form a new category?
Over the past several years, the DMA ECHO committee has noticed a substantial increase in entries representing automotive products. These campaigns typically have larger average budgets and somewhat unique response criteria relative to longer sales cycles and lead management strategies. Thus, to ensure that these entries are judged most fairly, and that other entries in the manufacturing category are not inappropriately compared, a separate category was created.

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Is my package still eligible if my target audience was very small?
Absolutely. It doesn't matter how many victims you have, you're going down regardless. Your entry will be judged on its overall merit in achieving your strategy and objectives, regardless of audience size. Indicate your target audience where prompted, and be sure to provide as much additional information as you can to demonstrate the unique effectiveness of your work.

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Do I have a chance entering a piece that had a low cost-per-unit, that isn't sexy, yet produced dynamic results?
Of course, we don't only prosecute sex offenders. Every piece has a chance at an ECHO depending on its successful execution of the total package: brilliant strategy, breakthrough creative, and phenomenal results. And creativity is judged for the originality, effectiveness, and professionalism of the copy and graphics, not the price tag. Just because you swindled a lot of money doesn't mean you'll know how to use it. So, don't think you can walk the streets with impunity just because your campaign didn'y break the bank.

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What will happen if my entry is chosen for an ECHO Award?
You will receive your subpoena in the mail no later than August 30th, and invited to participate in the 2000 ECHO Awards Ceremony, October 15th, at the DMA's 83rd Annual Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans. Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will receive two trophies each, with additional ones available (at a reasonable cost) from the DMA. In many cases, ECHO winners get invited to speak at DMA conferences and have their entries featured in trade publications and local press. But after you relax and enjoy the fanfare for a while, it will be time to get back to the drawing board and start working towards next year's show.

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How are ECHO's judged?
To win, your entry must pass three rounds of brutal judging. First, DM professionals with at least seven years of experience with interrogation in the category you have entered, score your campaign for strategy, creativity, and results. If your project passes round one, you will need to re-submit your entry in a portfolio format along with an additional fee of $150 for round two. In round two (the semi-finals), five industry professionals scrutinize your entry, and your cumulative scores from both rounds determine if you are a finalist for an international ECHO award. By the time this round is done, only the best entries will be left. In round three (the finals), an elite panel of judges, each with seven to fifteen years experience, will make the final decisions about who gets ECHO's and who doesn't. Of course, the score each entry receives also has to exceed a certain minimum benchmark. If no entries meet this standard, then an ECHO is simply not awarded.

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Did the deadline change? Can I still enter?
Well, the deadline is April 10th, but if it's past April 17, 2000, you are out of luck. If it's before then, start getting your entries together and zip on over to our Official Entry Form page for the form you need.

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Do you have to be a member of DMA to enter the competition?
No, but don't you want to be? This competition is open to anyone who feels they can survive the Third Degree. But DMA member or not, make sure you submit your best work, because our judges are tough.

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