PORTLAND, Ore. – April 15, 2008 – Clackamas County Tourism & Cultural Affairs (TCA) has been honored for creating one of the best advertising campaigns in the nation, announced Executive Director Linda Bell. TCA is the tourism destination marketing organization for Clackamas County, Oregon, which is known as “Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory”.

TCA’s “Visiting Friends & Relatives” integrated marketing campaign won a Gold 2008 Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) David Ogilvy Research Gold Award. The award was presented at the Ogilvy Awards Gala Dinner, held earlier this month at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square in New York.

The ARF Ogilvy Awards, presented to the best research-driven advertising campaigns, annually celebrate advertising legend David Ogilvy’s spirited advocacy of using research for making good advertising better. The winning campaigns achieved significant business results based on the research insights they incorporated.

TCA, which won the top award in the “Government, Public Service & Not-For-Profit” category. Winners in other categories include Ford Motor Company, Frito Lay, Goodyear, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, and TD Ameritrade.

“We’re extremely proud our ‘Visiting Friends & Relatives’ campaign has been recognized as the best of its kind in the country,” Bell said. “The research clearly revealed the importance of the ‘visiting friends and relatives’ segment to the tourism industry, and the marketing campaign was successful in assuring county residents that it’s OK -- even desirable -- for visitors to spend some or all of their stay in a hotel, motel or bed and breakfast."

The “Visiting Friends & Relatives” campaign was developed for TCA by Turtledove Clemens, a Portland marketing communications firm that has worked with TCA for more than 12 years. BNResearch provided consumer research that guided Turtledove Clemens’ creative development of the campaign.

“We’re honored to be in such good company, and have our work and Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory recognized nationally,” said Jay Clemens, president and CEO of Turtledove Clemens. “More important, we’re pleased the campaign produced strong results for our client.”

“TCA has researched the ‘visiting friends and relatives’ market segment for years,” Clemens noted. “Having visiting friends or relatives spend part of their stay at a hotel or other commercial property has always seemed to be a taboo subject. So, we recognized a huge opportunity when we found Expedia research that showed a large percentage of visitors and hosts both felt the visit would be more enjoyable and convenient if the visitors spent some or all of their stay at a commercial lodging.”

“Additional research conducted on behalf of TCA produced more surprising results,” explained Hal Wright, CEO of BNResearch. “Specifically, it showed that a significant percentage of visitors to Clackamas County visit friends and family, and that many Clackamas County residents take visitors to attractions outside of the county because they are not aware of all the things to see and do in their own backyard."

Utilizing the research findings, Turtledove Clemens created an integrated campaign – including television, radio and newspaper advertising; a mobile visitor information center; direct mail; interactive website; email newsletters; contests; and the new, and increasing popular, hobby of geocaching – to educate residents about recreational and visitor opportunities in the county and assure them that it is acceptable for guests to spend at least part of their visit in commercial lodging.

About the David Ogilvy Research Award

The ARF Ogilvy Award is named after the legendary David Ogilvy and based on his belief in the role of research in crafting great advertising. Having begun his career as a researcher, Ogilvy believed that behind every great advertising campaign stands a great research story. Sustaining Ogilvy’s convictions, each year the ARF puts the spotlight on winning marketing teams for their excellence in translating superior research and planning into high-impact marketing communications. More information at www.thearf.org/awards/ogilvy-awards.html.

About Clackamas County Tourism & Cultural Affairs

Clackamas County Tourism & Cultural Affairs (www.mthoodterritory.com) is the tourism destination marketing agency for Clackamas County, Oregon. The organization’s annual marketing budget of approximately $1.8 million is funded through a transient room tax charged on all overnight stays in the County.

About Turtledove Clemens

Turtledove Clemens (www.turtledove.com) is an integrated marketing communications agency providing a wide variety of local and regional clients with advertising, interactive, media buying, graphic design, and public relations services. The firm, which recently celebrated 65 years of continuous operation, is headquartered in Downtown Portland’s historic Jefferson Station building and also owns and operates a full-service agency in Seattle.

About BNResearch

BNResearch (www.bnresearch.com) has 60 years experience in discovering the customer’s voice through qualitative and quantitative market research. We bring a clear understanding of brands, customers and competitors to our clients in many industries. Your success is our goal as we blend proven techniques and innovative new practices in creating and conducting your market research.

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