New York, NY (November 9, 2007)—Honoring the best in design, editorial and strategic initiatives for B2B and consumer custom publications, the Custom Publishing Council (CPC) feted 27 companies with bronze, silver and gold awards at New York City’s Rainbow Room last night. The 4th annual Pearl awards were presented to an audience of 140 custom publishing executives by Dr. Samir Husni, chair, Journalism Department at University of Mississippi and Mediabistro founder Laurel Touby.

Winning publications represent a wide range of industries and organizations—from For The Cure for the Susan G. Komen Foundation (D Custom) to Lexus (Story Worldwide), which tied with Sherwin-Williams’ Stir (Hanley Wood Marketing) for gold in “Best in Custom: Overall Excellence.” This year’s 572 entries mark a 21% increase from 2006, reflecting the overall strength of the custom publishing industry.

“We look forward to this program’s continued growth as the industry delivers more beautiful and compelling editorial products,” said Lori Rosen, executive director, CPC. “It’s an exciting time to be in custom publishing.”

Simon Kelly, president of Story Worldwide, was presented with the John Caldwell Lifetime Achievement Award recognizing his impact and contribution to the industry in North America. Through his vision and leadership, Kelly was responsible for forming the Custom Publishing Council in 1998, when he convened a team of custom publishing industry executives and developed a partnership with the Magazine Publishers of America. In 2002, the CPC became independent.

Greensboro, NC’s Pace Communications swept the Pearls with 18 awards, followed by 11 for Washington, DC’s The Magazine Group. Seattle and New York-based Story Worldwide took home eight Pearls and New York’s Time Inc. Content Solutions and Leverage Media each garnered seven Pearls.

Winners are listed by category, title, custom publisher and client (if not evident in the publication name).

DESIGN | Best New Publication/Magazine

Bronze: —Tie—

One, McMurry, Aon
SIGnature, Pace Communications, Bluetooth

Silver: Cellier, Transcontinental Media, Societe des Alcools due Quebec

Gold: Gear Head, Marketing Matters, AVAD

DESIGN | Best New Publication/Newsletter

Bronze: Connect, DCP, WebEx

Silver: For the Cure, D Custom, Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Gold: The x Potential, The Magazine Group, K12

DESIGN | Best New Publication/Other

Bronze: Bank of America 2006 Annual Report, Story Worldwide

Silver: Chevy Onserts, Campbell Ewald

Gold: Patton Boggs 2006 Annual Review, Leverage Media

DESIGN | Best New Publication/Web

Bronze: DeliverMagazine.com, Campbell Ewald, USPS

Silver: —Tie—

US AirwaysMagazine.com, Pace Communications
SpiritMag.com, Pace Communications

Gold: EndlessVacation.com, Story Worldwide, RCI Timeshare

DESIGN | Best Cover | Less than 250,000

Bronze: Cleveland Clinic Magazine, The Magazine Group

Silver: Proto, Time Inc. Content Solutions

Gold: —Tie—

The Ritz-Carlton, McMurry
in, Spafax LAN Airlines

DESIGN | Best Cover | More than 250,000

Bronze: Deliver, Campbell Ewald, USPS

Silver: Amp'd-the Magazine, Magner Sanborn

Gold: Sky, Pace Communications, Delta Airlines

DESIGN | Best Overall | Less than 50,000

Bronze: The Advertiser, The Pohly Company, ANA

Silver: —Tie—

JetStyle, Ink Publishing Corporation, MAXJet Airways
Renaissance, Pace Communications, Inc.

Gold: —Tie—

Logistics, Kircher Burkhardt, Deutsche Bahn AG
SIGnature, Pace Communications, Bluetooth

DESIGN | Best Overall | 50,000 – 250,000

Bronze: in, Spafax

Silver: Proto, Time Inc. Content Solutions

Gold: —Tie—

STIR, Hanley Wood Marketing, Sherwin-Williams
Momentum, Journal International Verlags, Glashütte Original Watches

DESIGN | Best Overall | More than 250,000

Bronze: Spirit, Pace Communications, Southwest Airlines

Silver: Lexus, Story Worldwide

Gold: Pure Canada, Spafax, Canadian Tourism Commission

DESIGN | Best Use of Illustration | Less than 250,000

Bronze: Capital Acumen, Custom Solutions from SmartMoney, US Trust

Silver: Little Brown Book, Rodale Custom Publishing, Bloomingdale’s

Gold: Proto, Time Inc. Content Solutions

DESIGN | Best Use of Illustration | More than 250,000

Bronze: US Airways Magazine, Pace Communications

Silver: American Way, American Airlines Publishing

Gold: Deliver, Campbell-Ewald

DESIGN | Best Use of Photography | Less than 250,000

Bronze: enRoute, Spafax, Air Canada

Silver: Real Estate Portfolio, The Magazine Group, National Association of REITS

Gold: Living Outdoors, Edelman, Laneventure Furniture

DESIGN | Best Use of Photography | More than 250,000

Bronze: Rouge, Javelin Custom Publishing, Procter & Gamble

Silver: Sky, Pace Communications

Gold: Lexus, Story Worldwide

DESIGN | Best Tie-In with Other Corporate Marketing Objectives

Bronze: The x Potential, The Magazine Group

Silver: Voyageur, Pace Communications, Carlson Hotels Worldwide

Gold: WebMD the Magazine, The Magazine Group

DESIGN | Most Improved | Less than 250,000

Bronze: Crain's Life, Leverage Media

Silver: Lowe's Moneyworks, Campbell Ewald, Lowe’s Home Improvement

Gold: MCom, McMurry

DESIGN | Most Improved | More than 250,000

Bronze: Dodge, Meredith, Daimler Chrysler

Silver: New Outlook, Redwood Custom Communications, Sears Canada

Gold: Investor, Custom Solutions from SmartMoney, T. Rowe Price

EDITORIAL | Best New Publication/Magazine

Bronze: --Tie—

Cellier, Transcontinental Media
You 24, Rodale Custom Publishing, 24 Hour Fitness

Silver: Your Business, Meredith, DEX/Data Exchange Corp Gold: Return on Equities, Doubledown Media, Merrill Lynch

EDITORIAL | Best New Publication/Newsletter

Silver: The x Potential, The Magazine Group, K12

Gold: Connect, DCP, WebEX

EDITORIAL | Best New Publication/Other

Silver: Bank of America 2006 Annual Report, Story Worldwide

Gold: Patton Boggs 2006 Annual Review, Leverage Media

EDITORIAL | Best New Publication/Web

Bronze: Product Source, PRISM Media Group, Dallas Market Center

Silver: USAirwaysMagazine.com, Pace Communications Gold: SpiritMag.com, Pace Communications

EDITORIAL | Best Cover Lines Bronze: Sky, Pace Communications

Silver: On Investing, Custom Solutions from SmartMoney, Charles Schwab

Gold: WebMD the Magazine, The Magazine Group

EDITORIAL | Most Improved

Bronze: Secured, McMurry, IBM

Silver: Ed Tech, Focus on K12, The Magazine Group, CDW

Gold: Destination, Journal International Verlags, Marriott Hotel

EDITORIAL | Best Overall | Less than 50,000

Bronze: Smart Decisions, Leverage Media, Thomson West Coulter/Cranston

Silver: Centurion, Journal International Verlags, American Express

Gold: synnovation, D Custom, EDS

EDITORIAL | Best Overall | 50,000 – 250,000

Bronze: enRoute, Spafax

Silver: Proto, Time Inc. Content Solutions

Gold: The Ritz-Carlton, McMurry

EDITORIAL | Best Overall | More than 250,000

Bronze: You 24, Rodale Custom Publishing

Silver: Spirit, Pace Communications

Gold: Lexus, Story Worldwide

EDITORIAL | Best Special Feature | Less than 50,000

Bronze: Fed Tech “Tag and Release,” The Magazine Group, CDW

Silver: Renaissance “Pure Power,” Pace Communications, Wachovia

Gold: Renaissance “A Girl Named Maria,” Pace Communications


EDITORIAL | Best Special Feature | 50,000 - 250,000

Bronze: in “Latin American Art,” Spafax

Silver: nyse magazine “Developing the Future,” Time Inc. Content Solutions

Gold: Big Ideas in Technology “Spy v. Spy,” Leverage Media, CoulterCranston

EDITORIAL | Best Special Feature | More than 250,000

Bronze: Callaway Golf, “Inside Arnie’s Workshop,” MacDUFF

Silver: diane “If I Could Close My Eyes,” Rodale Custom Publishing, Curves

Gold: all animals “American Tragedy,” Time Inc. Content Solutions, Humane Society

STRATEGY | Best Achievement of Corporate Objectives

Bronze: Cleveland Clinic Magazine, The Magazine Group

Silver: —Tie—

Merrill Lynch Advisor, Time Inc. Content Solutions
URmagazine, Rogers Publishing, Ltd., Rogers Wireless

Gold: Patton Boggs 2006 Annual Review, Leverage Media

STRATEGY | Best Distribution Strategy

Bronze: CollegeReady, Pace Communications

Silver: Capital Thinking, Leverage Media, Patton Boggs Law

Gold: Washington Flyer, The Magazine Group, Metropolitan Washington Airports

STRATEGY | Best New Launch or Re-launch

Bronze: Connect, DCP

Silver: Endless Vacation, Story Worldwide

Gold: usaa.com magazine, McMurry, Inc., United Services Automobile Association

STRATEGY | Best Proof of Return on Investment

Bronze: onAir, Spafax

Silver: My Ford, Time Inc. Content Solutions

Gold: Chevy Onserts, Campbell Ewald

STRATEGY | Best Tie-In with Marketing/Multimedia Campaign

Bronze: Spirit, Pace Communications

Silver: Amp'd—the Magazine, Magner Sanborn, Amp’d Wireless

Gold: Little Brown Book, Rodale Custom Publishing

BEST IN CUSTOM : HONORING OVERALL EXCELLENCE

The Best in Custom Award recognizes products that achieve overall excellence in the following categories: editorial, design, strategy, distribution, and fulfillment of the client’s marketing objectives.

Bronze: Amp’d—the Magazine, Magner Sanborn

Silver: Spirit, Pace Communications

Gold: —Tie—

Lexus, Story Worldwide
STIR, Hanley Wood Marketing

The editorial and design award categories focus on the best new, ongoing, and improved publications, while the strategy categories look at how well the publications complement the sponsoring organization’s integrated marketing campaigns, how well they achieve the organization’s goals, how well they prove a return on investment, and how innovative and effective a distribution strategy they employ.

The CPC is the leading professional organization representing custom publishers in North America. Founded in 1998, the organization has seen its membership more than double in the last two years. All custom publishing companies, including independent custom publishers, divisions of larger publishing houses, advertising agencies, and other media conglomerates—whether or not they were currently members of the CPC—were invited to enter the competition. J udges were key marketing executives, academics, journalists, designers, corporate strategists and publishers.