Direct Mail Single.

BEST OF THE BEST AWARD ABAMN 2004 AD Awards Contest

Cold Shoulder

Institution: North Middlesex Savings Bank, Ayer, Mass.

Assets: $300 million; five locations

Agency: McDougall & Duval Advertising Inc., Amesbury, Mass.

This campaign's goal was to open 250 new deposit accounts. The resulting mailer generated a response of close to 5 percent and produced 485 new accounts, greatly surpassing the target.

Dan Duval of the agency says that the secret of direct mail success is to "work with an agency that has a good understanding of bank products and the resources in place" to produce the most cost-effective campaign.