AMA Announces Finalists for the 13th Annual Mark of Excellence Awards

New York Capital Region Businesses Vie for Coveted Marketing Trophy

ALBANY, NY (06/27/2007)(readMedia)-- The New York Capital Region chapter of the American Marketing Association today announced the finalists for this year's Mark of Excellence Awards. The nine finalists were chosen by a distinguished panel of marketing professionals from across the country.

“The finalists announced today demonstrate the Capital Region’s diverse and talented businesses that continue to raise the bar in highly effective marketing concepts,” said Nichole Eisenzopf, co-chair of the 2007 Mark of Excellence. "All of the finalists are winners in their own areas, but perhaps more importantly they are setting the standards for others to follow."

In the next phase of judging, the nine finalists will be further evaluated by a distinct panel of nationally recognized marketers for final decision. Unlike many marketing award programs, the Mark of Excellence is based on both creativity and demonstrated results.

"The Mark of Excellence awards recognize the leaders in what is a highly competitive and rapidly changing industry,” said Margherita Petti Krug, co-chair of the 2007 Mark of Excellence. “As consumers we are becoming increasingly demanding and these finalists and their campaigns are meeting and exceeding these demands through delivering highly effective marketing programs.”

For the past twelve years, the American Marketing Association’s Mark of Excellence Award has been presented annually to showcase highly effective marketing campaigns from all-sized companies, agencies, organizations and educational institutions within the Capital Region. This year, the awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at the Albany Marriott on Wolf Road. For more information, visit www.nymarketing.org.

The 2007 Mark of Excellence Finalists (In alphabetical order)

Campaign: Bellevue is Here To Stay! Bellevue Woman's Hospital

Campaign: Cornell Marketing Optimization System Cornell University Johnson School Executive MBA Programs Marketing Partner: Media Logic

Campaign: Downtown Albany Restaurant Week Downtown Albany Business Improvement District

Campaign: I’m So Excited! Berkshire Bank Marketing Partner: Tracey Edwards ONeil

Campaign: Raising Regional Awareness of the Technology Roadmap Center for Economic Growth (CEG) Marketing Partners: Sawchuk Brown Associates, Zone 5, The Business Review

Campaign: SI Group – RezExtendTM Marketing Program SI Group Marketing Partner: Media Logic

Campaign: Up, Into, Attract State University of New York College at Plattsburgh Marketing Partners: Media Logic, Working Pictures, Inc.

Campaign: Where’s Alby? Young Alumni Program Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Marketing Partner: Overit Media

Campaign: Yankee Trails World Travel, 50th Anniversary Celebration Yankee Trails World Travel Marketing Partners: Yankee Trails World Travel, Gramercy Communications, Mercury Web Solutions About American Marketing Association American Marketing Association (AMA) is the world's largest and most comprehensive professional society of marketers, consisting of nearly 50,000 worldwide members in 72 chapters throughout North America. Since 1992, the New York Capital Region Chapter of the American Marketing Association has been committed to recognizing and encouraging the best practices in the field of marketing and helping to elevate the profession. The chapter provides an opportunity to learn from and network with more than 400 marketing professionals in the Capital Region.

In addition to the annual AMA Mark of Excellence Awards program, the chapter holds luncheons featuring nationally recognized speakers addressing a range of marketing topics; breakfast roundtable programs; and other special programs to benefit marketing practitioners, educators, and students.

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