The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and Pitney Bowes Inc. today invited marketers around the world to submit entries for the inaugural Personal Connections ECHO Award.  The award recognizes companies and marketers that lead the way in customer communications by using customer insights and marketing to create personal, long-lasting consumer relationships.  Winners will be announced at the DMA2012 Conference and Exhibition, which will take place October 13-18 in Las Vegas. 

“In today’s relationship-marketing era, data is the lifeblood of marketing,” said Larry M. Kimmel, DMA’s CEO.  “This new award gives us the opportunity to recognize the people and the organizations that are doing the world’s best data-driven personalized marketing.  We are excited to be partnering with Pitney Bowes this year on the Personal Connections ECHO Award.”

“As today’s customers gain more control over the information they receive, it is more important than ever for marketers to use relevant, targeted communications to reach them,” said Murray Martin, chairman, president and CEO for Pitney Bowes.  “The Personal Connections ECHO Award will recognize companies and marketers who are creating highly personalized experiences to build customer loyalty.”

Evaluation of the Personal Connections ECHO Award submissions will focus on companies and marketers that build long-term, lasting customer relationships, and apply data and market insights to make their customer communications more relevant and personal.  The deadline for submissions is July 16, 2012.  To access the 2012 ECHO Awards entry form, please visit: www.echoconnections.org.