For more information, contact:

Rosanne Desmone Mike O'Connell

Mt. Vernon PR & Communications OMNISG

703.799.8165 301-869-6890 x112

rdesmone@mtvernonpr.com moconnell@omnisg.com

OMNI SG Online Solution Streamlines ADDY® Awards

Entry and Judging Process

The world's largest advertising competition relies on omniContests.com to administer local, district and national competitions

GAITHERSBURG, MD, MAY 28, 2003 -- The prestigious ADDY® Awards went online last fall with a customized version of the innovative omniContests.com software from OMNI Solutions Group, which provides technology and management solutions to associations. The Internet-based software provided a central virtual location for 210 ad clubs nationwide to administer the contest, communicate with entrants, process payment and judge and award winners. Approximately 60,000 entries were received via the local ad clubs, and the final judging included more than 1,720 pieces. AAF is expected to announce the ADDY® Awards winners this week.

The software, according to the American Advertising Foundation (AAF), sponsor of the ADDYs, exceeded all expectations. "It was a joy to work with," said Chic Davis, ADDY Co-Chair and EVP/ECD for Advertising Media Plus (AMPS). "Normally, the judging would take two 10-hour days and we'd have to wait another couple of days for the results. This year, we completed the judging in 14 hours and had the results in a few minutes. The judges scored the entries using PDAs running the omniContest software, which provided a list of every item in numerical order, matching the sequence of the entries," Davis said. "This took away several steps we had to do in the past."

According to Davis, this year's judging was done with "fewer people than ever." Davis and his crew anticipated that the judging would be more difficult with fewer people, but said "it took us less time and ran more smoothly than in the past."

Davis thinks that "word will get around about the process" and should make it more attractive to judges. He also believes the software will dramatically lessen the amount of volunteer time needed to run the contests in the 210 local markets and allow a later deadline. The extra time, coupled with the ease of use of the entry software, might encourage more entries, he believes, particularly in the campaign category.

About AAF

As the "Unifying Voice for Advertising," the American Advertising Federation (AAF), headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a Western Region office in Newport Beach, Calif., is the trade association that represents 50,000 professionals in the advertising industry. AAF's 130 corporate members are advertisers, agencies and media companies that comprise the nation's leading brands and corporations. AAF has a national network of 210 ad clubs and connects the industry with an academic base through its 210 college chapters. For more information, visit the AAF’s award-winning Web site at www.aaf.org.

About OMNI SG

OMNI Solutions Group provides customized, data-driven Web solutions to customers in associations and varied industries. General trade associations, homebuilders, general contractors, and corporations in more than 60 countries are now using OMNISG-developed applications, including omniSAM, omniContests.com, omniBridge, HB$ales, plus recruitment and survey software. The company also provides Web hosting, network support, and database integration services. For additional information about OMNI SG, visit www.omnisg.com or call 301.869.6890

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