Support materials

Please submit two complete sets, as mailed OR if your support materials are too large to ship, please submit on presentation board(s).

All campaigns are limited to 5 unique element samples

Direct mail dimensional, over $5 cost-per-piece

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.

Direct mail dimensional, under $5 cost-per-piece

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.

Direct mail, customer retention

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 needs to take no action (this is an exception to the reply mechanism requirement).

Direct mail, flat

Select one of the following quantities:

• 1-500 pieces
• 501-10,000 pieces
• 10,001-100,000 pieces
• 100,001+ pieces

Standard envelope formats, self-mailers and catalogues soliciting a measurable action. Must include a response mechanism. Does not require special postage, boxes or padded envelopes for delivery.

Print

Support materials

• Print Ads: submit two tear sheets or repros of print ads. Photocopies are not accepted.

• Print Collateral: submit two complete sets of all printed materials

All campaigns are limited to 5 unique element samples

Print ad

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.

Print collateral, non-mail

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.

Digital

Support materials

• Websites/Microsites: required to upload and remain an accessible asset through December 31, 2010
• Banner ads/E-mail: required to upload gif file
• Video: required to upload in wmv format, file size no larger than 15MB, and a play time around three minutes

All materials must be PC and MAC compatible

All campaigns are limited to 5 unique element samples

Branded website

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. Websites will be judged based on overall conceptual strength, including copy, design, information architecture, plus original and appropriate use of technology. NOTE: during judging, if we receive a bad URL and cannot view your entry, it will be disqualified.

E-commerce and Transaction-based Initiatives

Any website whose main purpose is to sell products or services directly off the site. Must include data collection, billing collection, and shipping information. E-commerce websites will be judged on overall design, ease of navigation, extension of main brand, plus appropriate use of technology. NOTE: during judging, if we receive a bad URL and cannot view your entry, it will be disqualified.

Campaign Microsite  

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. Every entry must include a call to respond interactively via an online service or network, or by mail or telephone. Microsites will be judged based on overall conceptual strength, including copy, design, information architecture, plus original and appropriate use of technology. NOTE: during judging, if we receive a bad URL and cannot view your entry, it will be disqualified.

E-mail

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.

Online

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.

Other Media

Support materials

• Print: print materials and collateral samples must include two complete sets, as mailed OR if your support materials are too large to ship, please submit on presentation board(s)

• Digital: digital entries must include all assets (websites, banner ads, e-mails, etc.)

• Websites/Microsites: required to upload and remain an accessible asset through December 31, 2010

• Banner ads/E-mails: required to upload gif file

• Video: required to upload in wmv format, file size no larger than 15MB, and a play time around three minutes.

• Audio: required to upload as an MP3 file, file size no larger than 15MB, and a play time around three minutes

All materials must be PC and MAC compatible

All campaigns are limited to 5 unique element samples.

Agency self-promotion

Any material, in any media, designed to promote or sell the services of an advertising agency. Must include a reply mechanism. NOTE: this is the only category where it is acceptable to present your agency name/logo on the creative and entry form.

Ambient/Guerilla marketing*

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.

Mobile marketing

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

Mobile app

A branded game or application designed specifically for wireless mobile devices like iPhones, iPads, and Androids, designed to market a product, service or event. May or may not have a data capture, commerce or response component.

Viral video marketing

Any video made on behalf of a paying client that became an uncontrollable web phenomenon. Must be unpaid media that premiered on the internet.

Out of home*

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

Radio and Podcast

Any direct response radio or podcast commercial spots that solicit a measurable call-to-action. Must include an address, URL, or 800 number as a direct response reply mechanism.

Retention/Loyalty, non-mail*

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 (this category is an exception to the reply mechanism requirement).

Social media

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.

Direct response TV

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.

*Ambient/Guerilla marketing, Out of home, and Retention/Loyalty, non-mail may submit a video explanation if digital and/or print materials are not available. The video must follow the requirements noted in the entry kit.

Campaigns

Two or more different elements of media

Support materials

• Print: print materials and collateral samples must include two complete sets, as mailed OR if your support materials are too large to ship, please submit two presentation boards
• Digital: digital entries must include all assets (websites, banner ads, e-mails, etc.)

All campaigns are limited to 5 unique element samples

Interactive campaign

Two or more digital elements (e-mails, banner ads, web videos, etc.) that drive to a specific website or microsite, or are used as part of an e-CRM effort. Every element must be digitally based and provide a measurable response mechanism.

Integrated campaign

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.

Launch campaign

For a campaign to launch a new brand or product. Describe how the creative approach was developed, demonstrating how the direct marketing activity has seamlessly worked with elements such as advertising, PR and sales promotion.

Technique

Support materials

• Print: print materials and collateral samples must include two complete sets, as mailed OR if your support materials are too large to ship, please submit on presentation board(s).

• Digital: digital entries must include all assets (websites, banner ads, e-mails, etc.).

• Websites/Microsites: required to upload and remain an accessible asset through December 31, 2010

• Banner ads/E-mails: required to upload gif file

• Video: required to upload in wmv format, file size no larger than 15MB, and a play time around three minutes

All materials must be PC and MAC compatible

All campaigns are limited to 5 unique element samples

Best art direction

Any single or campaign entry using any media type whose creative solution is dependent upon the power of art direction and design. Entries can be submitted on behalf of individuals or a full-agency team of up to three people.

Best copywriting

Any single or campaign entry using any media type whose creative solution is dependent upon compelling copywriting. Entries can be submitted on behalf of individuals or a full-agency team of up to three people.

Creative use of technology

Any effort that uses an online or offline technology in a new and/or innovative way where the creativity was amplified and/or enhanced due to the technology used. Could be a new technology or an existing technology applied in a "new" way and must provide a measurable response mechanism.