For Immediate Release, March 9, 2001 Contact: Jana Muntsinger

Parable Art Director Chosen for National Color Council

Wellenkamp Will Forecast Color Trends for 2003

San Luis Obispo, California—The Parable Group’s Art Director, Amy Wellenkamp, has been selected as one of 650 color designers to create the color forecast for 2003. Color Marketing Group (CMG), member color designers forecast Color Directions (trends in color choices for products, store design, etc.) one to three years in advance for all industries, manufactured products and services. Wellenkamp will attend the CMG International Conference held March 31 to April 3, 2001, as a representative for all Parable member stores. CMG, founded in 1962, is an international, non-profit association of 1,700 color designers.

Wellenkamp says she desires to participate in the Color Directions forecast to ensure Parable member stores are setting trends not only for the CBA industry, but also for all industries. “Not only can we be influential in setting these color trends, but we can help our stores be aware of the latest colors for store fixtures, point-of-purchase displays, catalogs and product trends—well before our competition.”

As an agent of Parable and an unofficial representative of the CBA industry, Wellenkamp will contribute Parable’s color forecasts based on its 2001 marketing pieces. Other international members of CMG will bring color forecasts and trends from their product lines. The committee will analyze what colors are currently popular and what colors have been overused. Wellenkamp will receive comprehensive reports on design influences and color trends around the world, which can then be used to enhance future Parable color choices in marketing pieces, store fixtures and products.

The Parable Group is a California-based marketing and retail services company representing over $400,000,000 in annual sales of Christian products to consumers. The Parable Group provides diverse marketing tools for its member stores such as e-commerce sites, in-store merchandising kits, exclusive products, weekly bestseller lists and catalogs. In 2000, Parable distributed more than 29.7 million catalogs, newspaper inserts, and other promotional mailings in 25 marketing campaigns. Parable Christian Stores consists of more than 300 independently owned Christian retail outlets located in North America.

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March 9, 2001