DMA invites entries for ’08 Echo Awards

By Mickey Alam Khan

January 31, 2008

The Echo Awards honor the best direct marketing campaigns

The Direct Marketing Association is inviting entries for the 2008 International Echo Awards competition.

The awards honor outstanding direct marketing campaigns based on excellence in innovative strategy, creativity and results. Mobile is one of the 12 business media including Web advertising, search engine marketing and direct mail.

“It is very important to understand that all marketing is direct marketing and [the] DMA represents all types of media,” said DMA spokeswoman Sue Geramian.

Campaign entries for this year’s Echo competition will be judged and presented in 12 business categories:  automotive, business and consumer services, communications and utilities, financial products and services, information technologies and insurance.

The categories also include nonprofit, pharmaceutical and healthcare, product manufacturing and distribution, publishing and entertainment, retail and direct sales, and travel and hospitality/transportation.

The deadline for entries is April 24. Entries received before April 14 will get a 25 percent discount.

New York-based DMA said 1,124 campaigns competed for gold, silver and bronze Echo awards last year. More than half were accounted by campaigns in five new categories: email and instant messaging, mobile, search marketing, Web advertising and Web development.

The Echo awards will be announced Oct. 14 at The Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno will host. The awards will add the glamour component to the DMA08 Conference & Exhibition Oct. 11-16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.