MSA takes home three ADDY® awards

PRLog (Press Release) - Mar 03, 2008 -
MORRISVILLE, N.C. – MSA, a full-service marketing communications firm and division of Kowabunga!® (AMEX:THK), received three prestigious ADDY® awards from the American Advertising Federation Raleigh-Durham chapter during the awards ceremony held on Friday, February 29. The agency was recognized for all three entries submitted, featuring work on both the UNC Health Care and SUBWAY® restaurants accounts.

“We are honored to have our work recognized by industry leaders,” Dennis Wipper, MSA vice president, creative director said. “We are thrilled to share this honor with our clients and achieve additional recognition for them.”

MSA was awarded two ADDYS for television spots created for UNC Health Care, including a Gold ADDY for its entry in the “Television Campaign” category and a Silver ADDY for the single spot entitled “UNC Health Care Cancer Research.” The Gold winner automatically advances to the regional ADDY award competition.

Directed by Steve Colby of Atlanta’s Pogo Pictures and edited by Bright Idea Studios, MSA’s audiovisual production house, the spots featured UNC doctors and patients to achieve an authentic voice in telling the UNC Health Care story. Wipper added, “These spots are part of an integrated campaign designed to reinforce UNC Health Care’s position as one of the country’s premier public academic medical centers. The most effective way to emphasize that message was to have actual doctors and patients speak for themselves.”

MSA also received a Bronze ADDY for the SUBWAY® restaurants television spot entitled “Brisket Blow’d Up,” which targeted a non-traditional market for the quick-service restaurant chain. Bold graphics, a rugged, humorous voiceover and savory, warm hues were merged to appeal to the 18 to 30 year old male with a large appetite.

“From concept to production, the entire MSA team strives to reach each client’s audience in a way that’s clear and resonates with them,” Wipper said. “We believe these spots are proof that we achieve that goal. We feel the ADDY awards reaffirm that belief.”

MSA was one of more than 75 organizations that submitted nearly 600 entries to this year’s ADDY awards. To view the agency’s award-winning spots, visit the MSA Web site at http://www.thinkmsa.com.

For more information about MSA or Bright Idea Studios (http://www.brightideastudios.com), contact Lia Luisi at (919) 463-9680 or at lia.luisi@kowabunga.com.

About MSA
MSA, is a division of Think Partnership, Inc. d.b.a. Kowabunga!® (AMEX:THK), an international leader in interactive performance-based marketing and related Internet technologies. Established in 1991, MSA is a full-service, integrated marketing and communications firm providing traditional and online advertising, audiovisual production, public relations, branding services and mystery shopping. Ranked as the third largest agency in the Triangle region by the Triangle Business Journal, MSA’s diverse client list include UNC Health Care and SUBWAY® Restaurants among others. For more information, contact MSA at (919) 463-9680 or visit http://www.thinkmsa.com.

About Kowabunga!® Inc.
Think Partnership Inc. is now doing business under the name “Kowabunga! Inc.” and will seek formal shareholder approval to change its legal name to Kowabunga! Inc. later in 2008.  Kowabunga Marketing Inc. will continue as a subsidiary, operating its affiliate network and related products.

Kowabunga! Inc. is the leading provider of interactive performance-based advertising networks and technology platforms. Kowabunga! provides a comprehensive and integrated set of scalable and cost-effective marketing solutions for both advertisers and publishers. These solutions increase customer retention and revenues through a diverse set of related marketing channels, including affiliate marketing, click-fraud-protected pay-per-click advertising, lead generation, interactive direct marketing, integrated offline advertising, campaign management, public relations, and branding. Kowabunga! also operates several direct-to-consumer services including online dating, online education, and home business opportunities. High-profile brands include ValidClick AdExchange™, MyAP™, PrimaryAds™, BabyToBee™, Second Bite® and MSA.  For more information, visit http://www.kowabunga.com.

About The ADDY® Awards
The ADDY® Awards are the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, recognizing creative excellence and the very best advertising worldwide. The ADDY® Awards competition honors numerous categories of advertising and also features the Student ADDY® Awards, designed specially for college students. The American Advertising Federation, a not-for-profit industry association conducts the ADDY® Awards through its 200 member advertising clubs and 15 districts. Formally the Ad Club Of The Triangle, the AAF Raleigh-Durham chapter will host their 2008 ADDY Awards on February 29 at Bay 7 at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham.