New York, NY (November 12, 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, Chief Operating Officer 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.

Pace Communications (Greensboro, NC) swept the Pearls with 18 awards, followed by 11 for The Magazine Group (Washington, DC). Story Worldwide (Seattle, New York and Norwalk, CT) 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 name, included in parentheses.



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 (Bank of America)

Silver: Chevy Onserts, Campbell Ewald (Chevrolet Motor Division)

Gold: Patton Boggs 2006 Annual Review, Leverage Media (Patton Boggs LLP)

DESIGN | Best New Publication/Web

Bronze: DeliverMagazine.com, Campbell Ewald (USPS)

Silver: —Tie—

US AirwaysMagazine.com, Pace Communications (US Airways)
SpiritMag.com, Pace Communications (Southwest Airlines)

Gold: EndlessVacation.com, Story Worldwide (RCI Timeshare)

DESIGN | Best Cover | Less than 250,000

Bronze: Cleveland Clinic Magazine, The Magazine Group (The Cleveland Clinic)

Silver: Proto, Time Inc. Content Solutions (Massachusetts General Hospital)

Gold: —Tie—

The Ritz-Carlton, McMurry (The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company)
in, Spafax (LAN Airlines)

DESIGN | Best Cover | More than 250,000

Bronze: Deliver, Campbell Ewald (USPS)

Silver: Amp'd-the Magazine, Magner Sanborn (Amp'd Mobile)

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 (Wachovia Wealth Management)

Gold: —Tie—

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

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

Bronze: in, Spafax (LAN Airlines)

Silver: Proto, Time Inc. Content Solutions (Massachusetts General Hospital)

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 (Lexus)

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 (Massachusetts General Hospital)

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

Bronze: US Airways Magazine, Pace Communications (US Airways)

Silver: American Way, American Airlines Publishing (American Airlines)

Gold: Deliver, Campbell-Ewald (USPS)

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 (Delta Airlines)

Gold: Lexus, Story Worldwide (Lexus)

DESIGN | Best Tie-In with Other Corporate Marketing Objectives

Bronze: The x Potential, The Magazine Group (K12)

Silver: Voyageur, Pace Communications (Carlson Hotels Worldwide)

Gold: WebMD the Magazine, The Magazine Group (WebMD)

DESIGN | Most Improved | Less than 250,000

Bronze: Crain's Life, Leverage Media (Crain's New York Business)

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

Gold: MCom, McMurry (MCom)

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 (Societe des Alcools due Quebec)
You 24, Rodale Custom Publishing (24-Hour Fitness)

Silver: Your Business, Meredith (Dex Yellow Pages and Internet Advertising)

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 (Bank of America)

Gold: Patton Boggs 2006 Annual Review, Leverage Media (Patton Boggs LLP)

EDITORIAL | Best New Publication/Web

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

Silver: USAirwaysMagazine.com, Pace Communications (US Airways) Gold: SpiritMag.com, Pace Communications (Southwest Airlines)

EDITORIAL | Best Cover Lines Bronze: Sky, Pace Communications (Delta Airlines)

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

Gold: WebMD the Magazine, The Magazine Group (WebMD)

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, (CoulterCranston Thomson West)

Silver: Centurion, Journal International Verlags (American Express)

Gold: synnovation, D Custom (EDS)

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

Bronze: enRoute, Spafax (AirCanada)

Silver: Proto, Time Inc. Content Solutions (Massachusetts General Hospital)

Gold: The Ritz-Carlton, McMurry (The Ritz-Carlton)

EDITORIAL | Best Overall | More than 250,000

Bronze: You 24, Rodale Custom Publishing (24-Hour Fitness)

Silver: Spirit, Pace Communications (Southwest Airlines)

Gold: Lexus, Story Worldwide (Lexus)

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 Wealth Management)

Gold: Renaissance “A Girl Named Maria,” Pace Communications (Wachovia Wealth Management)

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

Bronze: in “Latin American Art,” Spafax (LAN Airlines)

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

Gold: Big Ideas in Technology “Spy v. Spy,” Leverage Media (Goodwin Procter LLP)

EDITORIAL | Best Special Feature | More than 250,000

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

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 (The Cleveland Clinic)

Silver: —Tie—

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

Gold: Patton Boggs 2006 Annual Review, Leverage Media (Patton Boggs LLP)

STRATEGY | Best Distribution Strategy

Bronze: CollegeReady, Pace Communications (Wachovia)

Silver: Capital Thinking, Leverage Media (Patton Boggs LLP)

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

STRATEGY | Best New Launch or Re-launch

Bronze: Connect, DCP (WebEX)

Silver: Endless Vacation, Story Worldwide (RCI Timeshare)

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

STRATEGY | Best Proof of Return on Investment

Bronze: onAir, Spafax< (Air Canada)

Silver: My Ford, Time Inc. Content Solutions (Ford Motor Company)

Gold: Chevy Onserts, Campbell-Ewald (Chevrolet Motor Company)

STRATEGY | Best Tie-In with Marketing/Multimedia Campaign

Bronze: Spirit, Pace Communications (Southwest Airlines)

Silver: Amp'd—the Magazine, Magner Sanborn (Amp’d Mobile)

Gold: Little Brown Book, Rodale Custom Publishing (Bloomindale's)

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 (Amp'd Mobile)

Silver: Spirit, Pace Communications (Southwest Airlines)

Gold: —Tie—

Lexus, Story Worldwide (Lexus)
STIR, Hanley Wood Marketing (Sherwin-Williams)

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.