March 6, 2008
For Immediate Release

SHUMSKY HONORED FOR EXCELLENCE IN PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN

Irving, Texas, (January 29, 2008) Shumsky (UPIC: SHUMSKY), received a Silver Pyramid Award during the 50th annual PPAI Pyramid AwardsSM competition sponsored by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI). All winners were recognized during the annual awards presentation at The PPAI Expo 2008, January 16th at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Winners of PPAI Pyramid Awards are recognized for effective use of promotional products in business and institutional marketing programs. The award-winning campaigns feature the creative use of promotional products, packaging and copy to create integrated marketing programs that delivered quantifiable results. These winners were selected by the PPAI Awards Committee and outside industry judges.

“Creativity and effectiveness are key to winning this much coveted award,” said Steve Slagle, CAE, PPAI president. “As these winning programs illustrate, there is no limit to the application of a promotional products program. A very simple program can win a Pyramid Award if it is successful at meeting the client’s objective.”

Shumsky was recognized in the following category:

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS PROGRAMS
$10 Or More Per Recipient
SILVER Shumsky, Dayton, Ohio
Program: City of Dayton, Aviation Department

Program Goal: To attract and retain the attention of travel agents and corporate travel planners.

Execution: Feeling the increased competition from two local airports, the Dayton International Airport designed a promotional products campaign to create top-of-mind presence with area travel planners. Playing up the convenience of Dayton International, the campaign stressed the airport’s accessibility, suggesting that getting to and from the airport was so easy, it was like magic. One hundred fifty area travel agencies received a black magician’s hat containing a stuffed rabbit dressed in an aviator’s jacket and goggles. An information sheet included in the box featured facts such as the number of flights, the quick car-to-gate time, traveler amenities, etc. Additional copy announced the new AirTran service to Tampa, Florida from Dayton, a nice setup for the “TA-DA!” tag. Not only was this an irresistibly creative idea, but the size of the mailer prevented the package from getting lost in the rest of the day’s mail.

Results: Passenger boardings for AirTran were up 22.6 percent over the previous year, and the load factor during the first month was 80 percent. Thus, immediately following the campaign, 80 percent of flights were full.

Media Contact:
Lorie Woods, Marketing Director
lorie.woods@shumsky.com