Clearly this year's group of finalists and winners has shown their ability to be multitalented. With so many changes in our industry, the economy and the world, everyone is being asked to do more with less in more disciplines. Plus we needed to figure out how to become social.

The John Caples International Awards has been the premiere celebration of the very best creative ideas that drive direct marketing campaigns by teams and individuals around the world for 32 years.

For Conect Pay TV Thematic Council, Shackleton tapped an unknown, never-advertised-on-TV product and launched an advertising campaign only on Pay TV. The unknown product: An actual village, Miravete de la Sierra, "where nothing ever happens."

Family cars usually have "baby on board" stickers on the back, but the typical macho man wants to have "fun" in the backseat. The campaign featured the tagline, "Baby made on board," and invited prospects to test the backseat of the Dodge Journey.

Best Copywriting, one of two new Caples categories, focuses on a technique that shapes the best campaigns. Auckland, New Zealand's The New Zealand Herald newspaper needed a different approach to convince media buyers to place more ads in its Herald on Sunday edition. Draftfcb research revealed that the average Herald reader spent an hour perusing the Sunday edition of the paper.

Best Art Direction, a new Caples category, focuses on a technique that is core to the creative advertising process. A Cirque du Soleil campaign takes top honors. The show's primary sponsor, Optus Communications, an Australian telecommunications company, wanted to bring live, 3D circus experiences to the Web.

The Irving Wunderman Award is named after the inspirational copywriter and agency founder. The award is given to a person who has developed talent, imagination, curiosity and passion into a creative body of work over time. This year's winner, Alfonso Marian, executive creative director of direct and digital at Shackleton, Madrid, now stands among them.

The Andi Emerson Award, named for the Caples' founder, is presented each year to an individual who has contributed outstanding service to the direct marketing community. This year's winner, Ron Jacobs, president of Jacobs & Clevenger, a direct and digital marketing agency, has spent a good portion of his career creating a legacy of education.

For the Caples Student Campaign of the Year competition, students were asked to create an integrated marketing campaign for Sony Corp. that drove interest and purchase intent among fellow students for the Sony Reader. Marketshare for the Sony Reader lags behind its competitor, the Amazon Kindle.

Two or more elements in a minimum of two different media, all developed from the same brief/strategy/objective and all driving to the same call-to-action. Every element must include a reply mechanism.

Two or more digital elements (e-mails, banner ads, Web videos, etc.) that drive to a specific Web site or microsite. Every element must be digitally based and provide a measurable response mechanism.

Any material, in any media, designed to promote or sell the services of an advertising agency. Must include a reply mechanism.

Any mail effort that includes premiums or other three-dimensional components mailed in a tube, carton or other non-standard carrier. Must solicit a measurable action. Cost-per-piece is determined by a rollout budget that includes all in-the-mail costs except postage, delivery, creative development, and agency fees. Costs for paper, printing, list rental, merge/purge, computer processing, and letter shop are included.

Any mail effort that includes premiums or other three-dimensional components mailed in a tube, carton or other non-standard carrier. Must solicit a measurable action. Cost-per-piece is determined by a rollout budget that includes all in-the-mail costs except postage, delivery, creative development, and agency fees. Costs for paper, printing, list rental, merge/purge, computer processing, and letter shop are included.

Any mail effort targeting an existing customer file for the purpose of enhancing customer loyalty. Includes thank you gifts, service announcements or communication of customer benefits, in exchange for which the customer need take no action. (This is an exception to the reply mechanism requirement.)

Letters, self-mailers, and/or packages, soliciting a measurable action. Must include a reply response mechanism. Does not require special postage, boxes or padded envelopes for delivery.

Letters, self-mailers, and/or packages, soliciting a measurable action. Must include a reply response mechanism. Does not require special postage, boxes or padded envelopes for delivery.

Letters, self-mailers, and/or packages, soliciting a measurable action. Must include a reply response mechanism. Does not require special postage, boxes or padded envelopes for delivery.

Any solicitation intended for a target audience with a measurable call-to-action but which is not delivered via mail. May include take-ones, door hangers, handouts, posters, POP, etc. Must include a reply mechanism.

Display or classified advertisements soliciting a measurable call-to-action in magazines or newspapers, including preprints or freestanding inserts. Must include an address, URL, trackable coupon, or toll-free number as a reply mechanism.

Any legally placed message on a site or search engine including banner ads, search and web videos. Must include a measurable call to respond interactively via an online service or network, or by mail or telephone. Banner ads will be judged based on overall conceptual strength, including copy and design, plus original and appropriate use of technology, if employed. Describe the uniqueness or creativity of the placement, databases or targeting.

An individual web page or cluster of pages which are meant to function as an auxiliary supplement to a primary web site. May be used to enhance a specific marketing effort. The microsite's main landing page most likely has its own URL. Must include a benefit requiring interaction with the site or a solicitation for another measurable action.

Any e-mail messages soliciting a measurable action. Entries will be judged on overall conceptual strength, including subject line, body copy, design, plus original and appropriate use of technology, if employed. Please describe anything unique or creative about your choice of the target audience.

Efforts involving the use of online social media channels to support measurable marketing objectives. Includes placements or campaigns on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, Friendster, etc. Must include a response mechanism.

Digital commercial message with direct response component delivered through portable device such as mobile phone, PDA, PSP, tablet, GPS systems, MP3 and iPod players. Can include SMS programs with or without digital signage, audio and video podcasts, mobile gaming, couponing or QR (Quick Response). Must solicit a measurable action with an effective call to respond interactively via online service or network, or by mail or telephone.

The main home of a marketer or campaign. Must include a benefit requiring interaction with the site or a solicitation for another measurable action. Every entry must include a call to respond interactively via an online service or network, or by mail or telephone. Web sites are judged based on overall conceptual strength, including copy, design, information architecture, plus original and appropriate use of technology.

Any direct response TV commercial or infomercial soliciting an inquiry donation or order. Must include a postal address, URL, or toll-free number as reply mechanism.

Any effort targeting an existing customer file for the purpose of enhancing customer loyalty. Single media efforts include e-mail, online messaging, print collateral, and other non-mail media. Multi-media efforts can include mail as part of the overall campaign.

Any effort that utilizes street teams, pop-up stores, sidewalk art, and other non-traditional media found in the real world where consumers are forced to interact with it. Must include a response mechanism or measurable call-to-action.

Any billboards, transit signage, multi-sheet posters, bus shelters, phone kiosks, mobile panels, wallscapes, etc. Must include a reply mechanism.