1. A computer program product in a non-transitory computer readable medium for use in a data processing system for managing interactive communications campaigns, wherein a given campaign comprises one or more sub-campaigns, the computer program product holding computer program instructions which when executed by the data processing system perform a method, comprising: defining a campaign strategy for a campaign, the campaign strategy having associated therewith a pass pattern defining a number and type of passes associated with the campaign, wherein at least one pass in the pass pattern has associated therewith one or more criteria that are evaluated to apply an escalation to that pass, wherein the criteria comprise one of: a contact attribute, and a response group; receiving a list of contacts; and attempting to reach each contact on the list of contacts according to the campaign strategy, wherein during the campaign at least one criteria in the pass is evaluated to cause an escalation.