DMA Kicks Off 2009 International Echo Awards Competition

January 29, 2009 — The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) today kicked off its 2009 International ECHO Awards competition. The awards recognize the world’s outstanding integrated, multichannel direct marketing campaigns based on excellence in innovative strategy, creativity, and results. Deadline for submissions is April 24, 2009.

The 2009 International ECHO Awards Ceremony & Gala will be hosted by Emmy Award-winning Jay Leno during the DMA09 Conference & Exhibition at the San Diego Convention Center, from October 17-22.

The 2009 ECHO call-for-entries campaign was created by True North Inc., and the ECHO website was developed and managed by BKV.

“Brand new to the 2009 ECHO lineup is the Green Marketing Award,” said Barbara Parker, DMA’s awards programs director. “Green marketing is important from a global, social, economic, and ethical perspective — both DMA and the ECHO Board of Governors want to honor that. The Award will honor the most innovative campaign employing environmentally responsible and sustainable marketing strategies and techniques.”

Campaigns submitted for this year’s ECHO competition will be entered and categorized in eleven primary business media: alternative media; catalog; direct mail; email and instant messaging; mobile; print; search engine marketing; telemarketing; television/video/radio; Web advertising; and Web development.

Campaigns will be judged and presented in 12 business categories: automotive; business and consumer services; communications and utilities; financial products and services; information technologies; insurance; nonprofit; pharmaceutical and healthcare; product manufacturing and distribution; publishing and entertainment; retail and direct sales; and travel and hospitality/transportation.

“The ECHO’s are always exciting,” continued Parker. “But this year we can expect even more creativity and competition. Our current economy calls for accountable, measurable marketing forcing even the most unique campaigns to continue pushing the envelope. What will emerge from the 2009 ECHO competition is sure to be inspiring.”

As in past years, judging for the 2009 ECHO Awards will be conducted in three rounds. The first round of judging will take place in three cities around the globe: New York City, Copenhagen, and Melbourne.

In addition to the Gold, Silver, and Bronze ECHO Awards, seven special awards will also be presented: the Diamond ECHO (presented to the single campaign judged to be “best-in-show”); the A. Eicoff Broadcast Innovation Award; the Digital Award; the Henry Hoke Award; the Search Marketing Award; the US Postal Service Gold Mailbox Award; and the new Green Marketing Award.

The ECHO Green Marketing Award recognizes the most creative and strategic use of eco-responsible marketing tactics to deliver outstanding results, from a response or return on investment perspective, while producing impacts that affect the environment in positive ways.

Specifically, the ECHO Green Marketing Award winner will have successfully integrated sustainable, creative and strategic environmental considerations throughout the life cycle of the direct marketing process, all the while delivering outstanding results; inspiring eco-action; promoting green awareness; and/or making a positive impact on the environment.

The new award is open to all ECHO entrants — in any media, market, or channel. However, entrants must demonstrate and support all claims regarding the environmental innovations, impacts, and/or savings and benefits achieved by the direct marketing campaign reported in the entry. The ECHO Green Marketing Award will be chosen from all green marketing entries received, and be judged by the DMA Committee on the Environment & Social Responsibility in cooperation with the DMA ECHO Board of Governors.

Last year, reflecting the increasingly global nature of multichannel direct marketing, DMA presented 92 ECHO Awards to multichannel direct marketing campaigns from the US and 23 other nations. For a full list of last year’s winners, please click here.

To access the 2009 ECHO entry form, please click here. To access the ECHO Green Marketing Award application addendum, please click here.

About DMA’s International ECHO Awards

Introduced in 1929 as the “Best in Direct Mail” contest, the DMA International ECHO Awards honor excellence in creativity, marketing strategy, and response results in direct marketing campaigns. With over 1,000 entries submitted by direct response agencies worldwide, DMA’s annual ECHO Awards recognize every type of media used in direct and interactive marketing campaigns.

For more information about the International ECHO Awards, which will be presented on Tuesday, October 20, 2009, during the DMA09 Conference & Exhibition, please visit www.dma-echo.org. To register or for additional information about DMA09, being held October 17 – 22 in San Diego, please visit www.dma09.org.

About DMA09 Conference & Exhibition

The DMA09 Annual Conference & Exhibition, the Global Event for Integrated Marketing, is the world’s largest gathering of multichannel marketing professionals. DMA09, which will be held October 17-22 in San Diego, will feature keynote presentations, educational sessions, roundtables, case studies, white papers, and research reports. DMA09’s exhibit hall will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies. For additional information, or to register for the six-day multichannel marketing event of the year, please visit www.dma09.org.

For information about DMA09 exhibition and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Donna LoPorto at 212.790.1468 or dloporto@the-dma.org.

DMA provides complimentary registrations for editorial staff of media outlets covering multichannel direct marketing. To request press registration, please email DMA at pressregistration@the-dma.org. For information about DMA’s requirements for press credentials, please click here.

About Direct Marketing Association (DMA)

The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) is the leading global trade association of businesses and nonprofit organizations using and supporting multichannel direct marketing tools and techniques. DMA advocates standards for responsible marketing, promotes relevance as the key to reaching consumers with desirable offers, and provides cutting-edge research, education, and networking opportunities to improve results throughout the end-to-end direct marketing process. Founded in 1917, DMA today represents more than 3,400 companies from dozens of vertical industries in the US and 48 other nations, including half of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as nonprofit organizations.

About BKV

BKV, a full service direct response agency, is solely focused on direct marketing strategy and implementation. Headquartered in Atlanta and founded in 1981, BKV employs a staff of 100+ experts in creative, account service, media, interactive, production, and database services. BKV has created many successful national direct response campaigns utilizing DRTV, interactive, print advertising, direct mail, and radio. The company employs proven techniques for driving response while inventing bold new strategies that deliver record-breaking results. For more information, visit www.bkv.com.

About True North Inc.

True North Inc. (www.truenorthinc.com) is an independent, full-service digital direct marketing agency. Its mission is to integrate ideas, technology and data to provide a constant flow of marketing knowledge. The agency delivers highly effective and efficient marketing at every phase of the process, from strategy and audience development through creative, deployment, tracking and data analysis. In addition to being a leader in online advertising, the agency’s other services include direct mail, print advertising, email, web development and information design for such clients as Pitney Bowes, Condé Nast, Toys “R” Us, ThomasNet, Quorum Federal Credit Union, Goldman Sachs, Disney Channel, ABC, and Walt Disney Studio Home Entertainment.

Along with the New York-based agency, True North List Marketing offers list planning, brokerage, and management for customers using direct marketing as a communication and sales vehicle.

# # #