2006 Press Releases
DMW Worldwide and Clients Bring Home Three Coveted Benjamin Franklin Awards for Direct Marketing Excellence, One Honorable Mention
Agency Wins Most Awards, President and CEO Honored 2006 Direct Marketer of the Year
Wayne, PA - August 4, 2006 - DMW Worldwide and clients BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield were each honored with two 2006 Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association (PDMA) Benjamin Franklin Awards for Marketing Excellence (also known as a "Benny").
DMW was the night's big winner, taking home three Benny awards and one honorable mention honor. Additionally, agency president and CEO, Warren Hunter, was named 2006 Direct Marketer of the Year.
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina grows results with "shades of blue" - Winner "Mail: Insurance"
"Shades of Blue" was created as part of an annual campaign for BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina's Medicare Supplement plans. The challenge for this particular interim campaign was that there were no special product features to be leveraged. As a result, DMW attempted to capture the attention of the target audience through the inclusion of a free gift, a reliance on the brand's strength and stability, and an emphasis on the product's value-added discounts.
DMW suggested the inclusion of a packet of planting seeds. But not just any seeds - a custom blend of seeds specifically developed for BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. The custom mix included three types of flowers designed to blossom perfectly in a southern climate from summer to winter. The packet, called "Shades of Blue," was accompanied by a brand-heavy message which included phrases such as "our roots are in your community," "we're the seasoned experts," "you're covered all year long," and "there's a shade of blue that's right for you." The package also included an offer for a free "Guide to Medicare Prescription Drugs."
"Shades of Blue" cost-effectively generated more than 16,000 leads. By comparison, the two direct mail packages that dropped the previous year during the spring interim collectively gathered just 2,761 leads at a cost per lead that was four times the cost of "Shades of Blue."
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina twenty-somethings "See Jane" in a new light - Winner: "TV or Infomercial"
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina relies solely on direct response television (DRTV) to generate sales for its Personal Blue Plan product. DMW was approached with the challenge of creating a DRTV spot specifically targeting the 20-something invincible market - something that BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina had not done before.
The resulting creative sought to beat the control and win market share by targeting a previously untapped market segment. The spot, "See Jane," represented a bold step beyond the traditional direct response insurance commercial with a campy, retro feel designed to appeal to a younger demographic. "See Jane" plays off the character from the popular "Fun with Dick and Jane" books - a throw-back with a modern twist, with Jane represented as a young, active 20-something. "See Jane" beat the control by more than 45 percent, exceeding all expectations.
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield delivers big results with "Big Yellow" - Winner: "Print"
How do you beat a relatively new control at its own game? Answer: Kick up the creative execution a notch or three! That was the challenge proposed to DMW by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield - and the strategy that was employed. The objective - to increase response 20 percent above the control. The solution was to create an "activation" event during which time free information would be sent. A free-standing insert with an overnight carrier look and feel was developed. "Big Yellow" was ripe with urgency and called out in an official tone to the target audience. The creative met client expectations by beating the previous control by 20 percent.
Also created for Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, DMW's "Significant Savings" earned a Benny Award Honorable Mention in the "Mail: Insurance" category. This package was created as part of a multimedia product launch for Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield's Blue Account Health Savings Account (HSA) product. The winning creative was not only rolled out, but has been expanded to other regions.
The Benjamin Franklin Award for Direct Marketing Excellence competition has been a proud Philadelphia tradition for more than 25 years with the "Benny" itself now one of the region's highest honors in direct marketing and advertising. A panel of direct marketing experts judged this year's submissions and awarded more than 25 winners in categories including CRM; catalog; e-mail/FAX; Internet-websites/banner ads; creative/dimensional mail; B-to-B; consumer products; multi-wave, single media; financial-acquisition; health care; insurance; multi-wave, single campaign; non-profit; publishing; technology; communications/utilities; multimedia; print; radio; self promotion; TV or infomercial; and workhorse.
About DMW Worldwide LLC
DMW Worldwide is a full-service direct response advertising agency with offices in Wayne, Pa. and Plymouth, Mass. The agency - which ranked 38th in the prestigious Advertising Age "Top 50 Direct Marketing Agencies" list and 6th in the Philadelphia Business Journal list of "Top 25 Advertising Agencies" - provides strategic planning, creative, database management, broadcast, media, production, fulfillment, and Internet marketing. Industries served include insurance, healthcare, financial services, consumer products, B2B, and non-profit. Warren Hunter, president and CEO of DMW, can be reached at
610-407-0407 or via e-mail at whunter@dmwdirect.com. Visit DMW's Website at www.dmwdirect.com.