New Zealand promotional marketing agency, The Wow Factor, last week cleaned-up at the 2000 Australasian Promotional
Marketing Awards in Sydney, Australia. The company collected seven gold awards from a total of 16.
General manager, Brent Kennedy says the haul came as a pleasant and rather unexpected surprise.
"We thought we could pull off at least one gold, but seven certainly floored us. The organisers had to give us a big box
to take them all home in.
"Seriously, it was fantastic to have our work recognised to this degree by our industry peers. We have already proven
ours ideas work for the clients represented," says Kennedy.
The Wow Factor, a business within integrated marketing communications group, Beyond DDB, celebrates its third year in
business next month. Starting with two people in 1997, the company now employs 12 staff. Each year the business has
grown by 40 percent.
Mr Kennedy says his company's point of difference is 'ideas that deliver measurable results'.
"Great ideas are one thing, making them work is another. Our success to date has been in our ability to achieve both. We
also believe in pushing the boundaries and trying something new. Dealers' promotion, The Panasonic Cup, was an example
of using new, cutting edge technology while delivering measurable results," says Mr Kennedy.
The Panasonic Cup was designed to leverage the excitement surrounding the America's Cup. A nationwide dealer incentive
running year long, the programme took the form of a virtual yacht race. Each dealership entered its own syndicate and
upon reaching a sales target its yacht moved forward on the course. When a syndicate rounded a buoy, it received prizes.
Syndicates' progress was charted monthly and updated by floppy disc. The race culminated in a big prize for the winner,
a trip to the Hong Kong Sevens.
The programme also included marketing collateral such as registration manuals, teaser packs and merchandise such as
personalised desk yachts and caps.
"All the participants enjoyed the promotion and grew sales in the process, by 27 percent," says Kennedy.
The awards are run annually by industry body the Australasia Promotional Marketing Association. Over forty agencies
across Australasia are eligible for entry. The gold winners of each category will now go forward to the Globe Awards to
be held in Miami, Florida, USA, in October this year.
Awards won:
Best Loyalty Programme - Mobil Max Card
Best Programme to create trial and awareness - Mobil Max Card
Outright Winner in Innovative Strategy - Panasonic Cup
Best Business to Business Programme - Panasonic Cup
Best Dealer Programme - Panasonic Cup
Best use of New Media - Panasonic Cup
Best Direct Response Programme - Nissan
ends
For further information, please contact:
Brent Kennedy Penelope Barr
General manager General manager
The WOW Factor Beyond Public Relations
Tel: + 64 9 306 0970 Tel: + 64 9 306 1801
Fax: + 64 9 306 0974 Fax: + 64 9 302 7169
Mob: 025 246 0644 Mob: 025 835 383
Email: bk@wowfactor.co.nz Email: peneb@beyondpr.co.nz