For Immediate Release Contact: Linda Barba, Project Marketing, Inc., 610-889-2036 or via e-mail at lbarba@projectmarketinginc.com DMW WINS THREE  PROFESSIONAL INSURANCE MARKETING ASSOCIATION (PIMA)  MARKETING METHODS AWARDS

January 19, 2005 – Wayne, PA – Warren Hunter, president of DMW, a full-service direct response advertising agency based in Wayne, PA, announced the agency has received three Marketing Methods awards. The prestigious Marketing Methods awards, which honor the “best of the best” in insurance direct marketing, are presented annually by the Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA). The 2004 awards presentation was made at PIMA’s MarkeTTechSM Symposium held in Alexandria, VA. 

DMW and AIG American General won a Gold Award in the “Mail Solicitation for Simplified-Issue Product” category for the American Bar Association’s “Member Notice.” In an effort to improve response and conversion for disability insurance to American Bar Association members, DMW created a two-effort mailing to members selected using a predictive model. Within this universe, product offers and marketing materials were versioned based on age and existence of disability coverage. Current insureds were offered an increase in coverage while non-insured members received solicitations to provide them with disability insurance. 

A test package was versioned and encouraged members to purchase insurance by clear presentation of the product offer, reasons for purchasing disability insurance, and overcoming perceived obstacles derived from focus group research of association members. The test package produced an 81 percent increase in response and a 119 percent increase in paid sales over the control package. The simplified-issue segment of the campaign provided a 31 percent increase in response and a 124 percent increase in paid sales over the control. 

DMW and client BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina earned an Honorable Mention in the “Multiple Effort Marketing Campaign” category for “Colorful Coverage.” To gain the attention and overcome the objections of a younger healthcare market, this campaign deploys a bright, eye-catching palette with an emphasis on affordability, prominent need and benefit copy, and a simple plan comparison chart. The newspaper insert focuses on the affordability message. Continuity of message and design in the fulfillment package keeps prospects on track with a sell sheet that convincingly expands the value proposition. A personalized rate quote is colorful and simplistic. “Colorful Coverage” captured a 48 percent higher response than the previous campaign. 

In the “Self Promotion/Corporate Continuity Marketing” category, DMW earned an Honorable Mention for its “5 Ways to Insure” ad. This conference program ad was created to break through all other advertising, vendor pitches, and ho-um “we do direct marketing, too” messages and drive conference attendees to DMW’s booth. As a result of running “5 Ways to Insure,” DMW had more “buzz” than other direct marketing suppliers and 55 percent more traffic than ever before. DMW also landed work from two prospects directly attributable to this effort, which immediately returned more than 700 percent return on investment. 

About PIMA

The Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA), celebrating its 30th anniversary year and still growing, is the nation’s premier association for insurance marketers and consists of third-party broker administrators, insurance carriers, and allied business partners involved in the direct marketing of insurance products. Founded in 1975 as a not-for-profit organization, PIMA provides educational conferences, legislative updates, networking opportunities, publications and manuals to all those whose primary business is insurance marketing. 

Entries in the Marketing Methods Awards competition are judged equally on three elements: marketing strategy, creative strategy, and results, and entries fell into ten categories designed to evaluate a wide range of insurance marketing programs. The gold winners in each category become participants in the playoff competition for “Best of PIMA Award for Excellence in Marketing” to be presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting, February 10-13, 2005, at the Loews Ventana Canyon in Tucson, Arizona. 

About DMW

DMW is a full-service direct response advertising agency with offices in Wayne, PA and Plymouth, MA. The agency provides strategic planning, creative, database management, broadcast, media, production, fulfillment, and Website promotion. Industries served include consumer products, financial services, B2B, non-profit, healthcare, and insurance. Warren Hunter, president 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.