NZ Companies Shine At DMA Echo Awards

New Zealand direct marketers and their agencies garnered four top prizes, including the Gold Mailbox Award for most innovative use of direct mail advertising, at the Direct Marketing Association (The DMA) 70th International ECHO Awards competition. Awards were presented at a gala event opening The DMA 82nd Annual Conference & Exhibition October 24 in Toronto, Canada.

Bank of New Zealand Posts a Double Winner

To take away the Silver and the Gold Mailbox Award, Bank of New Zealand (Auckland, New Zealand) and its agency Aim Direct Limited (Auckland, New Zealand) delivered a hefty 1.8 meter-long wooden fence post - weighing 10 kilograms -- to 600 farmer prospects and 200 rural banking professionals.

Attached to each post was a regionalized and personalized brochure packet, detailing the bank's unique dedication to rural banking structure and services.

The unusual approach was successful: the "Fence Posts" campaign generated an outstanding 83 per cent response rate, attracted substantial spin-off media attention, and brought in NZ$42.6 million (US$66 million) in new business.

Telecom New Zealand is Two for Two

Two creative flat mail advertising packages by Telecom New Zealand Limited (Wellington, New Zealand) pulled in Bronze ECHOs at The DMA competition: "Centrex Service Programme," produced by the agency Robbins Brandt Richter Ltd. (Auckland, New Zealand); and "Retail 'Scratchy'" campaign, by Saatchi & Saatchi (Wellington, New Zealand).

The DMA International ECHO Awards are unveiled each fall during The DMA Annual Conference & Exhibition. Campaigns in 10 media categories are evaluated based on response results, marketing strategy, and creative components. The DMA International ECHO Awards started in 1930, making 1999 the 70th year of competition. The ECHO Awards CD-ROM and the ECHO Awards Online are available, featuring Gold, Silver, and Bronze Winners, Leaders, Finalists, and Semi-Finalists from the 1999 competition.

The DMA is the largest trade association for businesses interested in interactive and database marketing, with nearly 4,600 member companies from the United States and 53 other nations. Founded in 1917, its members include direct marketers from every business segment as well as the non-profit and electronic marketing sectors. The DMA Web site is http://www.the-dma.org.

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