CATEGORIES OF ENTRY — BUSINESS CATEGORY EXPLANATIONS
The 2013 Direct Marketing Association International ECHO™ Awards are categorized, judged and presented by 15 Primary Business Categories.
Determine the Primary Business Category that Best Fits Your Entry
The creative elements of your campaign or program can be entered more than once in the competition. Please choose the business category(s) that most accurately describes the product or service promoted in your campaign. The ECHO™ Committee reserves the right to reassign entries to proper categories as necessary.
Choose from ONE of these 15 business categories:
- Automotive: Programs designed to generate automotive dealer traffic, promote brand/model loyalty and/or market new or used vehicle sales or leasing, parts or accessories. Includes programs developed by manufacturers and marketing organizations, fleet operators, leasing companies, dealer groups or individual dealerships.
- Business and Consumer Services: Programs to market non-product offerings. This encompasses home and office maintenance and security, employee recruitment, postal/delivery services, government programs, professional services and educational programs, including student recruitment and enrollment.
- Communications/Utilities: Programs initiated by communications or utility companies, such as telecommunications carriers, electric or gas power companies, satellite or cable TV franchise operators or Internet and broadband service providers.
- New! Consumer Products: Programs to market merchandise or other items of common or daily use, ordinarily bought by individuals or households for private consumption.
- New! Education: Programs to market educational products and services to consumers or businesses.
- Financial Products and Services: Programs to market banking, securities, investments, loans, real estate, credit cards or other financial products or services. Does not include insurance marketing, which is a separate category.
- Information Technologies: Programs to market computer hardware, software, accessories, services and/or upgrades, including educational programs sponsored by companies that market IT products.
- Insurance: Programs that support the marketing of insurance products and services to consumers or businesses. Includes agent support programs, health benefits/maintenance plans and third-party insurance offers.
- Not-for-Profit: Programs generated by a not-for-profit organization, such as charitable foundations, cultural institutions, trade associations or political/advocacy groups. Includes fundraising, public health and safety, public service and social action educational programs.
- Pharmaceutical/Healthcare: Programs created by pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers such as hospitals and clinics, government-run health initiatives and manufacturers of health-related items to promote products and services that benefit the general health.
- Product Manufacturing and Distribution: Programs initiated by manufacturers or their non-retailing intermediaries This includes packaged goods offerings such as food/grocery products, beverages, personal care products (not pharmaceuticals or medications), industrial products and cleaning supplies. Does not include automotive, telecom, computer and technology manufacturers or distributors as other specific categories apply to these business segments.
- New! Professional Services: Programs created to generate new business, identify new opportunities, developing services that align with the changing needs of clients and building relationships that ensure a flow of profitable engagements.
- Publishing/Entertainment: Programs to generate single sales or subscriptions for printed or electronic publications like books, magazines, newsletters, e-newsletters, podcasts, periodicals, subscription-based research services or websites; drive ticket sales or traffic for films or theatrical events; promote sports teams or sporting events, encourage the viewing of television programming; promote electronic games and software; or stimulate lottery participation.
- Retail and Direct Sales: Programs created by retail establishments or non-retail direct-order Enterprises to generate traffic, inquiries, sales or loyalty, or to enhance employee relations. Includes businesses such as department stores, specialty shops, equipment dealers, auto parts stores (but not auto dealerships), restaurants, health clubs/spas/grooming establishments, catalogers, mail order companies, continuity plans, membership programs and buying clubs. Includes online and TV shopping enterprises.
- Travel & Hospitality/Transportation: Programs to generate inquiries, sales or traffic for marketers of travel and transportation services, such as airlines, hotels, car rental firms, mass transit systems, tourism boards, cultural attractions, sports/entertainment venues and timeshares/vacation properties. Includes retail and online travel agencies and services. Does not include programs from automobile manufacturers, dealers or fleet operators.
