PARAMUS, N.J -- NAPL, the not-for-profit management association for business excellence in the printing and graphic communications industry, announces the winners in the first Marketing Excellence Awards Program.  The program solicited entries in 10 key marketing categories from Market Research to Digital and Green Marketing initiatives. In total, 15 companies received 24 honors including 7 Gold, 9 Silver and 8 Bronze awards. 
 
The Marketing Excellence Awards were started by NAPL this year and made possible through a generous sponsorship by Xerox.  The 24 awards represented a small portion of the total entries received, indicative of the increasing importance marketing plays throughout the industry.
 
"With increased attention on transitioning to marketing service providers, and the need to effectively position printing particularly in this economy, this was the perfect time to launch this much needed program," states Joe Truncale, NAPL President and CEO. "Especially during these difficult times, it's important that NAPL assist members to provide positive performance information to their customers. The awards are just one of our current services to help members differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace."
 
NAPL members and Xerox Premier Partners received three free entries to the program.  Additional entries could be submitted at a discounted fee. Non-members could also enter for a fee. Entry involved a two-step process: Filling out a short questionnaire worth 40% of a score, and submitting an entry with a short narrative about the goals and results of the program. The narrative portion counted for 60% of the scores.  A panel of judges reviewed and deliberated over the wealth of entries during a three-day period with two judges reviewing and scoring each application.
 
"I was impressed with the quality of the entries," states Susan Wittner, former Marketing Director at AGFA and one of the program judges. "What became apparent is that many companies are investing great talent, energy and dollars to their marketing programs.  That said, some of the winners submitted very simple programs that, through defined metrics, proved their effectiveness and ability to reach their intended audience."
 
The NAPL Marketing Excellence was designed to look at a company's overall marketing commitment and assess an effort against stated goals and achieved results.  "When points were lost it was generally for lack of a marketing plan to support the rationale for an effort, or the omission of stated goals and measurements to determine ROI," notes Rhona Bronson, SVP Marketing for NAPL and program administrator. "Our goal is to encourage the industry to improve marketing efforts overall and use marketing effectively to meet business profit and growth goals."
 
Awards will be presented at the upcoming NAPL Top Management Conference in Tucson, AZ during a special marketing luncheon on Tuesday, March 17 moderated by Mark Potter, publisher of Canvas Magazine.  Award presentations will be followed by a panel discussion featuring David Pitts, President, Classic Graphics, North Carolina and Niels Winther, Chairman and Co-owner, Think Patented, Dayton, OH.  Both Classic Graphics and Think Patented have earned 2009 Gold Awards.  A full list of award projects and winners by category follows:
 
Market Research
Gold: Customer Pulse, Allegra Print & Imaging, Portage, MI.
Silver: Survey, Allegra Print & Imaging, Scottsdale AZ
Bronze: Satisfaction Survey, Dome Printing, Sacramento, CA
Bronze: Get In The Game, All Ways Graphics, Wilmington, NC
 
Data Management
Gold: Doc Listen, Classic Graphics, Charlotte, NC
Silver: 8 Habits, Classic Graphics, Charlotte, NC
 
Direct Mail
Silver: Intelligent Marketing, Classic Graphics, Charlotte, NC
Bronze: POW!, Suttle-Straus, Waunakee, WI
 
Other Media Marketing
Bronze: Holiday Wrapped Tin, The YGS Group, York, PA
 
Web Positioning
Gold:  euservices.com, EU Services, Rockville, MD
 
Digital Marketing
Gold: Uncoated/Uncovered, Classic Graphics, Charlotte, NC
Silver: ACME, Suttle-Straus, Waunakee, WI
Bronze: Finding Your Perfect Prospect, Quantum Digital, Austin, TX
 
Community Events
Gold: EU University, EU Services, Rockville, MD
Silver: Sweet Sixteen, Allegra Print & Imaging, Louisville, KY
Bronze: AGS University Campaign, Associates Graphic Services, Wilmington, DE
 
 
Green/Sustainability
Silver: re:think, CL Graphics, Crystal Lake, IL
Bronze: Desk Calendar, AGC, Cleveland, OH
 
Sales Support
Gold: Simulated Travel, Think Patented, Dayton, OH
Silver: Let AGS Take You, Associates Graphic Services, Wilmington, DE
Silver: Finding Your Perfect Prospect, Quantum Digital, Austin, TX
Bronze: JDA, The Mahoney Co., Santa Clara, CA
 
Advertising
Gold: Holiday Wrapped Tin, The YGS Group, York, PA
Silver: Print Buyer's Guide, Dome Printing, Sacramento, CA