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HOWARD DRAFT NAMED GENERAL CHAIR OF XXVIIIth ANNUAL JOHN CAPLES INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

Advertising Leader to Oversee 2005-2006 Competition

NEW YORK, NY, June 13, 2005 —Howard Draft, Chairman and CEO of Draft, one of the world's leading marketing services agencies, has been named the 2005-2006 General Chair of the prestigious John Caples International Awards.

“We are extraordinarily fortunate and pleased to have Howard join us as General Chair for the coming year,” said Caples Founder and President Andi Emerson. “With his 28 years in the marketing industry, he is a true leader and visionary. Howard and his agency have been indefatigable allies and advocates of the Caples Awards for many years. We know Howard will have a terrifically positive impact on the Caples organization this year as it continues to grow and evolve.”

The John Caples International Awards were founded in 1978 to honor innovative, creative direct marketing solutions to real-time direct marketing problems. They were named for John Caples, the successful direct response creative pioneer and internationally acclaimed author. The Caples Awards receive advertising entries from the U.S. and more than 45 o the r countries based on rules unique in international advertising. The not-for-profit Caples organization is unique in many o the r ways. It is the only creatively run, independent international awards competition not owned by an association or media company. Importantly, it is sponsored by creative individuals, agencies and o the r companies in the direct marketing industry, run entirely by direct marketing volunteers, and judged entirely by direct marketing creatives. Award winners are solely members of the creative team, as opposed to account or other agency personnel.

“The Caples have long been regarded as one of the most creatively focused award events in the direct marketing space,” explained Draft. “Winners must not only move the sales needle, they have to do it in groundbreaking, innovative, and inspiring ways. As the head of an agency with a lot of Caples on our shelves, we have long been a supporter of this organization. I'm looking forward to working with my fellow professionals to ensure that the creative bar set by the Caples remains inspirationally high.”

Howard Draft is a strong proponent of raising creative standards across all marketing services categories, from retail, to promotions, to direct response, to digital. He was most recently the 2004 Jury President for the Lions Direct competition at the International Advertising Festival at Cannes.

Plaudits for Howard Draft include:

“I am thrilled that Howard Draft has agreed to be the General Chair for the 2005 Caples Awards. Howard is truly a legend in the industry of direct marketing. He is the consummate Chairman and front man for an agency. Smart, energetic, enthusiastic, and tenacious. He set the bar all other thought leaders in the category aspire to reach. I am honored to finally work alongside him.

— Gary Scheiner, EVP, ECD
FCBi , New York , NY
Director — Caples Judging Division

 

"A guy acknowledged by Target Marketing as 'The Best, The Brightest, The Most Powerful' in the field of direct marketing, coming together with the Caples' extraordinary reputation for awarding international creativity — to my mind, it's the perfect fit".

— Duncan Gray
Executive Creative Director
Proximity London
Caples Chief Judge, Europe

 

"This is a mighty coup for Caples. Howard Draft is a giant of the DM industry. For him to align himself with the creativity associated with Caples is an exciting prospect."

— Jim Thomas Creative Director, Clemenger BBDO Direct, Wellington , New Zealand Caples Chief Judge, Pacific Rim

 

"Howard Draft well deserves his excellent reputation as an experienced leader who exhorts direct marketing practitioners to function at the technical and creative forefront of advertising.

Because he practices what he preaches, Caples will benefit greatly this year with Howard as General Chair."

— Alan A. Blose, Mng. Partner/ ECD, Dotglu
Caples Chief Judge, United States

 

About Draft

Founded in 1978, Draft has built a global, behavior-based, communications industry powerhouse that earned the highest rating (five out of five stars) in Advertising Age 's 2005 Agency Review.  Draft's global network spans The Americas, Europe and Asia/Pacific.  It is a valued marketing partner for such clients as Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Bank of America, Computer Associates, CVS/pharmacy, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg, Procter & Gamble, the United States Postal Service and Verizon, among others.

In line with its unique global positioning — The Science Behind The Success ® — Draft combines nearly 28 years of consumer insights with its proprietary Behavior Path Marketing ® process to create seamless marketing communications programs that deliver measurable results across all media.  Its primary integrated services encompass direct, retail, promotions, and interactive marketing.  Draft (www.draftworldwide.com) is a member of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG).

About The Caples Awards

The John Caples International Awards competition and ceremony, now in its 28th year, rewards direct and interactive marketing creative excellence. Regularly receiving in excess of 1,000 entries with the help of a group of more than 42 Caples national and regional chairpersons representing the Awards in more than 50 countries around the world, the Caples competition is then judged by more than 100 creative professionals in three rounds of judging. Critically, these creatives evaluate the creative campaign entries by touching and feeling the actual work – ra the r than viewing digital synopses as in other shows.

The yearly cycle of activities for The John Caples competition includes a Call for Entries created on a pro bono basis by a creative group made available to creatives around the world in the early 3 rd quarter; Caples entry submission deadline of September 30; judging in New York City during the first part of November; and a John Caples Awards Ceremony in New York City. For 2006, the awards ceremony will be held on March 2, 2006 . Location will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit the Caples web site at www.caples.org .