May 17, 2010 - IC Group is pleased to announce its sponsorship and participation in the upcoming Brandweek webcast titled "Driver Customer Decision Making and Revenue: How to optimize your promotions with consumer intelligence" being held on Thursday, May 27th, 2010, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST.

Interest in customer intelligence is a growing topic of importance for business leaders. Yet, too often customer data is buried somewhere in the direct marketing department and typically viewed as a campaign statistic. How can companies improve how they acquire and retain customers by harnessing the power of customer intelligence?

Attend this online-only event to learn how to:

• How to use interactive and loyalty promotions as strategic tools to understand customer preferences and behaviors.
• How to plan promotional programs with a clear focus on customer intelligence.
• How Kimberly-Clark's HUGGIES brand is using customer intelligence for their CRM strategy.

Speakers include:

• Kelly Crerar, Senior Vice-President, Strategy & Business Development, IC Group
• Stuart Schneider, HUGGIES Senior Brand Director, Kimberly-Clark
• Todd Wasserman, Editor in Chief, Brandweek

Click here for more information and to register for this no charge webcast.

April 12, 2010 - IC Group is pleased to announce its participation in the sponsorship of a Cross-Channel Customer Loyalty benchmark report, written by Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE:HHS), titled "Cross-Channel Customer Loyalty: Rewards, Promotions, and the Battle for ROI". The report serves as a great example of how Best-in-Class companies are achieving results.

"IC Group is very excited to participate with world leading researchers from Aberdeen and sponsor their most recent report on best-in-class loyalty programs and the importance of cross-channel promotion," said Patrick Hayes, Senior Vice-President, CMO, IC Group. "IC Group's Loyalty Rewards programs have proven to drive revenue and results and the Aberdeen report validates the collection of customer data and the use of emerging channels to increase return on investment."

The top pressure retail organizations face around cross-channel customer loyalty is the inability to capture customer data, according to the Aberdeen Group report "Cross-Channel Customer Loyalty: Rewards, Promotions, and the Battle for ROI". Between February and March 2010, Aberdeen Group, surveyed 100 retail organizations to determine the current state of cross-channel customer loyalty.

"The inability for a retailer to capture relevant data poses two problems. First, due to a lack of customer data, customer insights are unavailable to create personalized offers based on prior purchase behavior or demographics. Second, if retailers are unable to ascertain channel preferences for communication delivery, marketing efforts are duplicated across multiple channels, making them ineffective." says Chris Cunnane, primary author and senior research associate, Aberdeen.

In response to this pressure, retail organizations indicated that identifying frequency offers for retaining current customers. "Instead of simply cutting prices, retailers are offering rewards to their loyal customers based on how often they shop. By increasing the frequency of customer visits, the retail organization will gain more selling opportunities," states Sahir Anand, co-author and research director, Aberdeen.

A top capability to emerge from this study is the ability to deliver personalized promotions across all channels. "The ability to use customer data and analytics to develop personal promotions cuts down on the marketing clutter a typical consumer has to decipher when considering a purchase, and can be used to sell similar items at the point-of-sale," says Cunnane.

To improve cross-channel loyalty performance, Aberdeen data has shown that customer data and the use of emerging channels is of utmost importance. Aberdeen's analysis of leading organizations demonstrates that these companies have placed an increased focus on:

• Implementing a CRM application. With a CRM solution in place, these retailers can evaluate customer purchase history, and develop plans to improve recency, frequency, and monetary (RFM) performance across the entire enterprise.
• tilizing social media campaigns. Social media cannot stand alone, and must be combined with the loyalty program to truly involve the customer in the brand experience. Retailers can start their venture into social marketing by setting up an online community as part of an opt-in micro-site, with product information, promotional offers, and web events exclusively for their loyalty members.
• Developing mobile and digital marketing campaigns. By not implementing this technology, retailers are unable to take advantage of location-based promotions, smart posters, 2D barcode promotions, or social media applications within the mobile environment. Changing customer preferences for marketing messaging must be addressed; as these changes are met, retailers can expect to remain top-of-mind, and increase their wallet-share.

All of the above requirements, amongst others, are part of the winning strategy for cross-channel customer loyalty.

March 30, 2010 - IC Group is pleased to announce it has been awarded first place in Promo's 2010 Interactive Marketing Awards program for its SCRABBLE® at SUBWAY® Canada restaurants promotion in the Promotional Web Site (microsites) category.

"We are extremely proud to be recognized for our SCRABBLEreg; at SUBWAY® Canada restaurants promotion by Promo Magazine and this is a great opportunity to share our campaign's vision and creativity with other interactive marketers," said Patrick Hayes, Senior Vice-President of Marketing, IC Group. "Our support of the SUBWAY® brand continues to flourish and we look forward to our continued support of SUBWAY® Canada restaurants as they provide customers with great value and healthy lifestyle choices."

As a winner, IC Group's Interactive Marketing Awards entry will appear in the June/July issue of Chief Marketer magazine and be featured in the 2010 Promo Interactive Marketing Awards Online Gala at www.promomagazine.com in May.

Promo's Interactive Marketing Awards honors the best and brightest in effective interactive marketing-and recognizes the valuable role that interactive campaigns play in motivating consumer response and creating strong, exciting brands.

SUBWAY® restaurants are the world's largest submarine sandwich franchises and leaders in the international development of the quick service restaurant industry. To view a demonstration of the SCRABBLE® at SUBWAY® Canada restaurants promotion, visit our demo here.

IC Group Further Distinguishes Itself by Earning a Microsoft Competency in Data Management Solutions and Networking Infrastructure Solutions

March 26, 2010 - IC Group today announced it has attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program with a competency in Data Management Solutions and Networking Infrastructure Solutions, recognizing IC Group's expertise and impact in the technology marketplace. IC Group has demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and a proven ability to meet customers' needs. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training and support, giving them a competitive advantage in the channel.

IC Group delivers leading-edge Interactive Promotions, Promotional Platforms, Marketing CRM, and Loyalty Rewards programs to the world's top brands and agencies. IC Group's unique, performance-based approach creates the very best in online promotions and proven marketing solutions that activate sales; lower the cost of customer acquisition; create brand recognition and customer engagement solutions; and grow customer lifetime value. For over 20 years, IC Group has helped clients acquire, engage, and monetize their customer databases.

"We are extremely pleased to have attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program. This allows us to clearly promote our expertise and relationship with Microsoft to our customers," said Marc Caron, Chief Information Officer at IC Group. "The benefits provided through our Gold Certified Partner status will allow us to continue to enhance the offerings that we provide for customers."

"Customers are looking for partner companies that can bridge the gap between their business demands and technology capabilities," said Allison Watson, corporate vice president of the Worldwide Partner Group at Microsoft Corp. "They need to trust in a company that can act as an expert adviser for their long-term strategic technology plans. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners, which have certified expertise and direct training and support from Microsoft, can build a positive customer experience with our technologies. Today, Microsoft recognizes IC Group as a new Gold Certified Partner for demonstrating its expertise in providing customer satisfaction using Microsoft products and technology."

As one of the requirements for attaining Gold Certified Partner status, IC Group had to declare a Microsoft Competency. Microsoft Competencies are designed to help differentiate a partner's capabilities with specific Microsoft technologies to customers looking for a particular type of solution. Each Competency has a unique set of requirements and benefits, formulated to accurately represent the specific skills and services that partners bring to the technology industry. Within select Competencies, there are Specializations that focus on specific solution areas that recognize deeper expertise within that Competency. Serving as a specialized path to earning those Competencies, Specializations give direct access to the tools and resources that support that specific area of focus.

The Data Management Solutions Competency is designed for partners that have proven their competency in end-to-end data-management reporting and analysis solutions based on Microsoft technologies, including Microsoft SQL Server, Windows Server, and Microsoft Office System client tools. These partners have also proven expertise in implementing solutions focused on delivering migration tools and services, database- administration tools and services, and performance tools using SQL Server technology.

"Through the Data Management Solutions Competency we can assist our industry partners' proficiency in helping them develop enterprise solutions that range from industry specific line of business applications to next generation Software + Services solutions and applications for the mobile workforce," said Mark Jewett, director of SQL Server marketing at Microsoft Corp. "Only SQL Server 2008 provides dynamic development to accelerate time to solution, supports all data types, and provides pervasive business intelligence, accessible to everyone."

Microsoft partners enrolled in the Networking Infrastructure Solutions Competency have proven their proficiency in implementing solutions based on Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 Operating Systems, or Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008. These implementations may include crafting solutions that connect Windows-based servers, PC locations and the Internet; installing a server farm; or building a small-business Windows Server stand-alone solution that includes file and print capabilities.

"We place tremendous value on our partners, which help us deliver solutions and applications to customers," said Ward Ralston, group product manager for Windows Server at Microsoft Corp. "Solutions competencies provide an integrated partnering framework that recognizes an enterprise's expertise and rewards it for the effect it has in the technology marketplace. It also allows companies to demonstrate for customers their broad knowledge of building wide-ranging solutions based on Microsoft technologies, such as setting up networks using Windows Server 2008 and the Windows Essential Server Solutions product line."

The Microsoft Partner Program was launched in October 2003 and represents Microsoft's ongoing commitment to the success of partners worldwide. The program offers a single, integrated partnering framework that recognizes partner expertise, rewards the total impact that partners have in the technology marketplace, and delivers more value to help partners' businesses be successful.

IC Group's "HUGGIES® Enjoy The Ride Rewards" wins in National Consumer Over $5 Million Category

March 25, 2010 - IC Group is excited to announce today it has been awarded with a prestigious silver REGGIE® award, the highest honour in integrated Marketing, from The Promotion Marketing Association (PMA) for its "HUGGIES® Enjoy The Ride Rewards" promotional campaign.

"We are honoured to be recognized amongst the industries best integrated marketing campaigns with a REGGIE award for our work on the HUGGIES Enjoy the Rides Reward program," said Patrick Hayes, Senior Vice-President of Marketing, IC Group. "We are proud to support Kimberly-Clark's consumer relationship marketing efforts with the HUGGIES loyalty program. Not only is the program a source of brand information and offers for consumers, it is a source for HUGGIES to communicate product news and learn parents' opinions as they begin their journey."

REGGIE® award winners were culled from 339 entries and were announced during the REGGIE® Gala Awards dinner, part of the PMA's Annual Integrated Marketing Conference, at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago on March 24th.

"The REGGIES are an interesting benchmark to view the changing landscape of the industry, with more innovation, more integration, and new ways to combine old and new media. The entries are particularly interesting in view of last year's extremely challenging economy and consumer mindset, and highlight that creativity doesn't require big budgets", said Bonnie Carlson, president of the PMA

PMA represents the over $1 trillion dollar integrated marketing industry and is comprised of Fortune 500 companies, top marketing agencies, law firms, retailers, service providers and academia, representing thousands of brands worldwide. Every year, PMA shines the spotlight on the best integrated marketing campaigns by handing out its annual Reggie awards - the industry's highest honour.

For a complete list of all 2010 REGGIE® Award winners, visit: www.pmalink.org/?reggieawards

To visit HUGGIES® Enjoy The Ride Rewards, go to www.enjoytheriderewards.com.

"We are thrilled to be chosen as a finalist with the industries best integrated marketing campaigns for a REGGIE award for the HUGGIES® Enjoy the Rides Reward program," said Patrick Hayes, Senior Vice-President of Marketing, IC Group. "We are proud to support Kimberly-Clark's consumer relationship marketing efforts with the Huggies loyalty program. The new program is more focused on brand interaction and establishing deeper connections with parents as they begin their journey."

The "HUGGIES® Enjoy the Rides Rewards" program was named a finalist in the National Consumer Programs ($5MM) category with McDonald's® Corporation's "McDonald's Avatar Program" and Digitas' "T.G.I. Friday's®: Woody's Burger Bet" in the National Consumer Programs ($5MM) category.

IC Group is also pleased to sponsor a breakfast roundtable session at this year's PMA Annual Integrated Marketing Conference where Patrick Hayes will discuss promotions, consumer intelligence, and how to leverage consumer data to drive decision making and revenue.

PMA represents the over $1 trillion dollar integrated marketing industry and is comprised of Fortune 500 companies, top marketing agencies, law firms, retailers, service providers and academia, representing thousands of brands worldwide. Every year, PMA shines the spotlight on the best integrated marketing campaigns by handing out its annual Reggie awards - the industry's highest honour.

For more information on the 2010 PMA Annual Integrated Marketing Conference, visit: www.pmalink.org/?reggieawards