You deserve the applause: entry deadline for 2007 ABA Financial Marketing Awards set for May 18.

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Imagine the feeling. After devoting yourself to creating an innovative ad campaign for your financial institution, you submit the campaign as an entry in the annual ABA Financial Marketing Awards. Before long, you are standing in a room full of your peers. Images from your campaign are flashed on an overhead screen. You are called to the stage and handed an award. Everyone applauds.

It's only a dream. But you might be able to turn it into a reality by submitting an entry to the 2007 contest. Awards will be presented in September at the ABA Marketing Conference in Baltimore.

The ABA Marketing Network, which--along with ABA--sponsors the event, has announced that the deadline for submissions to the 2007 contest will be May 18, 2007.

This will be the contest's 35th year. The competition is the best known and most prestigious in the industry. Last year, financial institutions and advertising agencies submitted more than 350 entries, of which, 51 received honors.

The first-place winners in each of the categories receive a solid crystal sculpture, suitable for displaying on a desk or shelf.

The awards are the only competition strictly for financial marketers. All financial institutions--including banks, savings and loans, trust companies, savings banks, insurance companies, brokerage firms, investment firms and credit card companies--and their advertising agencies and ABA service members are invited to compete.

Entries must have been published, printed or broadcast for the first time between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2006. Annual reports from both 2006 and 2007 are eligible. Syndicated programs are not.

Financial institutions will compete with other institutions their own size in three asset-size categories:

* Under $500 million.

* $500 million to $1 billion.

* Over $1 billion.

Entries consist of discrete campaigns in whole or in part. These campaigns can consist of TV and radio spots, print, Web pages, direct mail, outdoor--and anything else that can be downloaded onto a compact disk.

The campaign categories:

* Brand

* Customer acquisition marketing.

* Customer retention marketing.

* Community service.

* Diversity (reaching out to minorities and women).

* Financial education.

* Humor.

* Inspiration (hitting emotional buttons).

* Internal branding (targeting employees).

* Annual report.

Financial institutions can enter as many categories as they see fit. For example, if a retention campaign is also humorous, it can be entered separately under both categories.

Questions? Contact Koya Bakare toll-free at (800) BANKERS or [phone], extension 5355. E-mail: [e-mail].

Welcome, New Members!

Susan Armstrong

Armstrong & Shank

Haysville, Kan.

Deborah s. Berner

Commercial and Savings Bank

Millersburg, Ohio

Jenny Brown

Mutual Federal Savings Bank

Muncie, Ind.

Ingrid Campbell

Washington Trust Bank

Spokane, Wash.

Mary E. Carpenter

Gateway Bank & Trust

Ringgold, Ga.

Bill Denehy

Androscoggin Savings Bank

Lewiston, Maine

Scott Gassner

MSI, Marketing Solutions Inc.

Birmingham, Ala.

Kathy Martin

First National Bank

Litchfield, Con..

Shamus McConomy

Bank of Tampa

Tampa, Fla.

Stephanie Ursino

Columbia State Bank

Tacoma, Wash.