CHICAGO (Map) - CHICAGO, May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- AbelsonTaylor, long known for its unorthodox and highly creative approach to healthcare advertising campaigns, scored top honors in the medical device category at the DTC National Advertising Awards on April 17. The ceremony was part of the DTC National Conference in Washington, D.C., and was attended by members of the pharmaceutical industry.

The winning campaign -- described as a "masterpiece" in more ways than one -- was AbelsonTaylor's innovative take on the Gender Solutions(TM) Knee replacement for Zimmer Holdings (NYSE: ZMH), the world's leading manufacturer of orthopedic devices. The fully integrated campaign -- which includes a website (genderknee.com), print, TV, radio, brochures, billboards, posters and more -- is designed to educate women age 50 to 70 about knee health and the importance of choosing the right device if replacement becomes necessary.

The campaign was conceived by AbelsonTaylor Vice President and Creative Director Angela Lustig, further developed by Associate Creative Directors

In the TV spot, two women walk through an art museum, inspecting the limbs of statues, until they come to an artistic masterpiece: a mobile of a Zimmer Gender Knee. The ladies are inspired and amazed at the difference this knee can make for women.

"The message is that not all knee replacements are the same," said Dale Taylor, president and CEO of AbelsonTaylor. "The Gender Knee, with its unique shape and size, is a work of art, making an art gallery the perfect setting for the marketing campaign. We want consumers to see that a medical device is not a commodity."

Zimmer, an 81-year-old company headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, has done extensive research on gender differences in replacement joints. The strength of the Blue Ladies campaign lies in its ability to communicate the fact that women's knees are not just smaller than men's, they are actually shaped differently. The Zimmer Gender Solutions Knee is narrower and thinner than a man's, allowing it to move at a different angle and with less likelihood of causing pain.

Historically, the design of every major knee replacement system was based on an average of the anatomical dimensions of men's and women's knees, skewing toward men's anatomy. Already, however, women make up the majority of those who undergo knee replacement surgery. As Americans live longer, the numbers are expected to rise, with approximately 3.5 million knee replacements predicted by 2033.

Concurrent with its DTC Nationals win, AbelsonTaylor was named "Most Admired Agency of the Year" as well as "Most Feared" at the MANNY Awards, sponsored by Med Ad News and held in New York on April 17. The awards, honoring the "best and brightest" in health and medical advertising, are bestowed annually by industry peers.

AbelsonTaylor is the largest independent healthcare agency in the world. The winner of more than 150 awards in the past decade, the firm's staff has quadrupled in size. Currently, the agency has more than 350 employees and a roster of 40 accounts, including some of the most powerful brands in history.

AbelsonTaylor's address is 33 West Monroe, Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60603. Phone: 312.894.5500. Fax: 312.894.5526, email: info@AbelsonTaylor.com, website: http://www.AbelsonTaylor.com .

CONTACT: Julie Laitin (212) 286-2424 Cynthia Amorese (908) 665-8072

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