Publicis Dialog and Purina One strike gold at US Echo Awards

26 October 2005

New Zealand direct and interactive agency Publicis Dialog has won Gold at the prestigious International Echo Awards, in the United States.

The gold award has been awarded for the agency's Purina ONE 30 Day Challenge campaign.

Scott May, Head of the Echo Committee described the campaign as "highly sophisticated (and) brilliantly executed... a very high benchmark for integration of conventional and digital media."

Purina ONE was also runner-up for the Platinum Echo Award for "Best In Show" at the Atlanta awards. The result was a split decision with the final judging going the way of a campaign from Ireland for Guinness.

Publicis Dialog General Manager Simon Morgan says the agency is delighted by the outcome.

"We're hugely proud to have achieved a result of this calibre," he says.

"The international recognition is a direct reflection of the effort we've made to develop multi-channel marketing campaigns that really engage consumers.

"To win a gold Echo is awesome, but to achieve the number two direct marketing campaign globally is great recognition for the team involved."

Auckland-based marketing automation company Touchpoint provided the technology platform supporting the Purina ONE 30 Day Challenge campaign, including database management system, online registration and data collection, communications and campaign reporting.

Touchpoint Managing Director Steve Shearman says the wider acceptance of digital channels enables marketers to deliver richer brand experiences.

"As customers embrace new channels, the lines between sales, marketing and even customer management start to blur. Marketers are now able to keep customers involved across the entire buying cycle.

"We're delighted that Publicis Dialog has received this international award. It shows the difference digital channels can make when they are put at the heart of a campaign, rather than approached as simply another advertising medium," Shearman says.

Publicis Dialog has also been invited to present a case-study of their winning entry at the concurrent DMA conference.

The US DMA Conference is an annual event, this year attracting over 11,000 delegates from all over the world to a huge trade-show, presentations and the main event - the Echo Awards with well over 1000 attendees.

For more information please contact:

Simon Morgan
General Manager
Publicis Dialog
Phone: 09 357 4520
Mobile: 021 63 63 73
Email: simon@publicisdialog.co.nz

About Publicis Dialog
Publicis Dialog (formerly Publicis Rainger) is a specialist direct and interactive agency and part of the Publicis Mojo Group of companies in New Zealand.

Over the last 15 years the agency has built an impressive list of campaigns and is a leading practitioner of DM/CRM, interactive and multi-channel marketing in New Zealand.

The agency's reputation for specialist focus and outstanding work has been widely recognised. It produced the most awarded campaign at the 2005 Marketing Association RSVP awards, and Grand Prix wins have come twice in the past ten years. Recent awards include a One Show Pencil for interactive, Silver and Bronze Lions from Cannes for both direct and interactive work and most recently a Gold Echo.