RESTON, VA – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, released a report on the top social networking sites in India, finding that visitation to the site category increased 51 percent from the previous year to more than 19 million visitors in December 2008. The study also found that global social networking brands continued to gain prominence in India during the year, with Orkut, Facebook, hi5, LinkedIn and MySpace each witnessing significant increases in visitation.

“Social networking continued to grow strongly in India this past year, with several of the top global brands carving out a more prominent position,” said Will Hodgman, comScore executive vice president. “While there is certainly room for several players in the social networking space in India, the sites that have the right blend of having both a strong brand and cultural relevance will be best positioned for future growth.”

Orkut Tops List of Social Networking Sites in India
Orkut reigned as the most visited social networking site in December 2008 with more than 12.8 million visitors, an increase of 81 percent from the previous year. Orkut’s audience was three times the size of its nearest competitor in the category. Facebook.com captured the #2 position with 4 million visitors, up 150 percent versus year ago, followed by local social networking site Bharatstudent.com with 3.3 million visitors (up 88 percent) and hi5.com with 2 million visitors (up 182 percent).
________________________________________________________________
Top Social Networking Sites in India by Unique Visitors
December 2008 vs. December 2007
Total India – Age 15+, Home/Work Locations*
Source: comScore World Metrix

Total Unique Visitors (000)
Dec-07      Dec-08     % Change
Total Internet: Total Audience          26,240      32,099        22
Social Networking                       12,795      19,369        51
Orkut                                    7,123      12,869        81
Facebook.com                             1,619       4,044       150
Bharatstudent.com                        1,736       3,269        88
hi5.com                                    714       2,012       182
ibibo.Com                                1,970         990       -50
MySpace Sites                              352         741       110
LinkedIn.com                               293         513        75
PerfSpot.com                             2,106         433       -79
BIGADDA.com                                515         385       -25
Fropper.com                                256         248        -3
________________________________________________________________

*Excludes visits from public computers such as Internet cafes and access from mobile phones or PDAs.

In Asia-Pacific Region, Social Networking Shines in Singapore
An overview of social networking activity in the Asia-Pacific region revealed that many of the countries with the highest reach in social networking also exhibited the highest level of site engagement. Singapore led the region in terms of penetration, with more than 74 percent of its online population visiting a social networking site in December 2008. Social networking visitors in Singapore also posted the most visits per visitor to the category with an average of 19 during the month.

Other countries in the region that displayed strong social networking penetration and engagement included Australia, South Korea and Malaysia. Despite the strong growth in India during the past year, it showed below average penetration and engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.
________________________________________________________________
Asia-Pacific Social Networking Overview
December 2008
Total Asia-Pacific – Age 15+, Home/Work Locations*
Source: comScore World Metrix

Social Networking
% Reach      Average Minutes     Average Visits
per Visitor        per Visitor
Asia Pacific**          60.6            137.0               11.4
Singapore               74.3            175.6               19.1
Australia               68.3            224.3               17.8
South Korea             68.0            277.8               15.1
Malaysia                66.6            181.2               14.2
Hong Kong               62.8            127.7               13.7
New Zealand             62.8            185.7               13.8
India                   60.3            110.4               10.4
Japan                   50.9             72.8                9.9
China                   45.6             89.5                7.4
Taiwan                  42.4             36.1                5.1
________________________________________________________________
*Excludes visits from public computers such as Internet cafes or access from mobile phones or PDAs.
**Improvements to Internet population estimates in certain countries have recently been made. We caution against trending with data prior to July 2008.

About comScore
comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world and preferred source of digital marketing intelligence. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com

- MoCo Marketing Agency Continues International Expansion with Australian Office
MoCo (www.bigideas.com) announced today the opening of a new office in Brisbane, Australia, which will allow the company to better serve its clients in the Pacific region.
The new MoCo Pacific office comes six months after the company expanded to Hong Kong, to better serve its U.S. customers through the sourcing and production of a wide variety of marketing materials at highly competitive prices.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Efficient Frontier, the worldwide leader in Search Engine Marketing (SEM) technology and services, released the U.S. Search Engine Performance Report: Q4 2008. The report, the largest independent research in the search marketing industry, was based on an analysis of 92 billion impressions and 600 million clicks across a portion of Efficient Frontier customers, which includes some of the world’s largest brands. The results of the research indicate that Google has maintained its hold on the search advertising market with 76 percent market share, and Yahoo continued to increase its presence, gaining 3 percent market share year-over-year. Despite the economic downturn and reports of the erosion of other marketing channels in 2008, the index of Efficient Frontier customers included in the Q4 report saw a minimal 8 percent decrease year-over-year, while the retail sector saw a 9 percent uptick in spending year-over-year, an indication of the strength of the search marketing channel.

According to industry research firm, eMarketer, “search ad spending may not be recession-proof, but it is proving to be recession-resistant.” eMarketer estimates that although the rate of growth is projected to fall over the next three years, search ad spending growth will continue to be positive, in double digits every year until 2012 when it will rise again to nearly 14 percent.*

“Search engine marketing remains the most accountable sales and client acquisition channel on or offline,” said James Beriker, President and CEO of Efficient Frontier. “To continue to achieve stellar results, the current recession has made it even more critical for search marketers to know their metrics and manage campaigns based on actionable market, sales funnel and conversion data. The reason we work with more than 150 of the most sophisticated search marketers in 20 markets worldwide, and manage more spend than any other firm, is that we use math to automate the process of accurately modeling data and making the right overall strategy and keyword bidding decisions to deliver optimal performance, no matter the market dynamics.”

The Efficient Frontier report shows that Google’s market share leadership was backed by significant gains from Google Content, which experienced 63 percent growth in 2008, clearly reflecting Google’s ongoing focus on improving its targeting and monetization capabilities across the AdSense network. Yahoo, which increased its market share by 1.9 percent in Q3, added another 0.5 percent in Q4 to close out the year with a 3 percent annual gain and total 20 percent market share. Microsoft Live Search now represents 4.2 percent of total search advertising spend for advertisers in the Efficient Frontier index.

ROI Trends

Interestingly, a closer look at spending between the months of September and December 2008 revealed that ROI dropped in most verticals between September and October due to the economic downturn. This led advertisers to reduce budgets and focus on maintaining a positive return. This shift suggests that SEM advertisers have moved from a volume strategy to an ROI and efficiency strategy where budgets are adjusted dynamically to maintain a targeted ROI despite a reduction in search volume. Leveraging Efficient Frontier’s technology and services, its customer-base improved ROI in Q4 by 1 percent year-over-year and 3 percent quarter-over-quarter.

“When shifts in the online marketplace make it more difficult to deliver the desired results, advertisers must depend on the right technology to do the heavy lifting,” added Beriker. “This is where our customers have a distinct advantage. The move at the end of Q4 from a volume model to an ROI and efficiency model needed to happen instantaneously for advertisers to benefit. Our proprietary technology combined with the sophistication of our customers made that shift possible.”

Additional Search Engine Marketing Trends

* Large vs. Small Advertisers: Small advertisers in the U.S. accounted for a greater decrease in search advertising spend than larger, more established brands. Advertisers spending less than $50,000 per month cut spending by 23 percent year-over-year, with many of the cuts coming between Q3 and Q4 of 2008. Companies that spent more than $200,000 per month only reduced spending by 9 percent over the same time period. These margins are typical during a recession when larger, more sophisticated brands aggressively utilize the search channel to drive revenue and sales while strengthening their position.
* Overall Impression Trends: Overall impressions for search engines are down 6 percent year-over-year. From Q4 2007 to Q4 2008, Google experienced a 3 percent decrease, while Yahoo lost 13 percent impression volume. Microsoft Live garnered 21 percent more impressions in Q4 than in Q3 2008 and gained 18 percent more impressions year-over-year.
* Click-Through Rate Trends: Overall click-through-rates (CTRs) in search were relatively flat year-over-year, gaining only 2 percent. While Microsoft Live Search had higher CTRs than all other search engines from Q1 to Q3 of 2008, it dipped below Google Search in Q4 2008. Google Search CTRs decreased by 2 percent year-over-year, while Yahoo CTRs improved 3 percent year-over-year. Google Content CTRs increased 150 percent year-over-year.
* Cost-Per-Click Highlights: Overall search cost-per-click (CPC) is down 5 percent year-over-year. In the last quarter of 2008, Google Search’s CPC declined by 8 percent, while Microsoft Live Search declined by 3 percent and Yahoo Search declined by 1 percent. Microsoft Live Search has consistently maintained a higher CPC than all other search engines, indicating that advertisers are willing to pay a premium for a high quality, albeit smaller audience.

Trends by Vertical Market

* Automotive: 15 percent decline in spending over 2007, due primarily to lower impression volume, reflecting weakness in consumer demand.
* Finance: 25 percent decline in spend over 2007, with impressions up by 5 percent reflecting high customer demand for financial services, with but fewer qualified conversions.
* Retail: 9 percent increase in spend over 2007, reflecting the strength of the channel in price comparison and shopping efficiency, particularly for more established online brands that increased spend to reach revenue goals.
* Travel and Entertainment: 24 percent decrease in spend year-over year, primarily due to reduced traffic volume, which is down in by 18 percent in the sector year-over-year.

The complete U.S. Search Engine Performance Report: Q4, 2008 is available for download from the Efficient Frontier website.

Research Methodology

Analysis for the Efficient Frontier report was based on data from a fixed sample of the overall Efficient Frontier U.S. customer base from Q4 2007 through Q4 2008, and covers nearly 92 billion impressions and 600 million clicks on search and content ads on Google, Yahoo and Microsoft Live Search. The report includes data from advertisers in the financial services, travel and entertainment, retail, automotive and business-to-business verticals.

About Efficient Frontier

Efficient Frontier is the worldwide market and technology leader in providing search engine marketing (SEM) solutions for large advertisers and agencies. Founded in 2002, Efficient Frontier pioneered the application of modern portfolio theory to SEM and today combines its core predictive modeling algorithms and bidding technology with comprehensive strategic and tactical value-added services to manage more than $750 million in annual search spend globally. The largest and most sophisticated advertisers and agencies partner with Efficient Frontier to achieve and sustain optimal campaign performance and growth in highly complex and competitive search marketplaces. The company has over 200 employees and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA with offices in New York, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and India, and technology licensing partnerships in Japan and Australia. Efficient Frontier is a privately held company with funding from Redpoint Ventures and Cambrian Ventures. For more information, please visit www.efrontier.com and subscribe to the Efficient Frontier blog at blog.efrontier.com/.

*eMarketer: Search Ad Spending: Reactions to a Recession, January 2009

NEW YORK – Dynamic Logic, a Millward Brown company, announces the most effective online U.S. brand advertising campaigns for the second year. The top campaigns overall were compared to U.S. campaigns that were measured by Dynamic Logic last year. Campaigns are listed in alphabetical order by brand:

Brand Advertised: Kenmore Pro
Parent Company: Sears
Research Commissioned by: NBC Universal/Bravo.com

Brand Advertised: Olay Regenerist
Parent Company: Procter & Gamble
Media Agency: MediaVest
Research Commissioned by: Wild Tangent

Brand Advertised: PLAYSKOOL
Parent Company: Hasbro, Inc.
Media Agency: Beyond Interaction
Research Commissioned by: MTV Networks/NickJr.com

Brand Advertised: Samsung Bordeaux LCD TV
Parent Company: Samsung
Research Commissioned by: Yahoo!

Also among the top 10 campaigns, but not shown here, were campaigns produced by GSD&M Idea City and Publicis Modem.

Note: The criteria for inclusion were campaigns measured by Dynamic Logic in 2007 with the highest Online Ad Awareness scores, which were characterized by statistically significant increases at 90% or above. Additionally, the top-ranked campaigns performed in the top 20th percentile compared to other online campaigns within their industry category in either Brand Favorability or Purchase Intent, the two persuasion metrics measured for each campaign.

“It’s an honor to be included with this group of respected brands who are creating successful online brand advertising campaigns,” said Dan Hamilton, Olay Brand Manager, Procter & Gamble. “The power of online is really starting to shine through — these campaigns help to identify and illustrate some guidelines that other marketers may be able to learn from and apply.”

The top campaigns represented several brand verticals, mostly in the CPG & Technology categories. Similar to the top campaigns in last year’s ranking, many of the most noticed campaigns this year utilized some form of video. “We are often asked about what is working best with online video — optimal video length, re-purposed TV ads versus original content created for viewing on the Web, and in-page versus in-stream,” said Ken Mallon, senior vice president of custom solutions, Dynamic Logic. “What we know so far is that the creative concept is more important than tactical elements and the best answer depends on the product, audience and other factors. Thus, it’s important for these variables to be tested in-market.”

Media usage was another key factor in the success of the best campaigns. They were extremely effective at reaching their target audience and communicating with them at the right time by placing media on contextually relevant sites. Other ads ran in areas where site visitors spend a lot of time engaged on the page such as surrounding an online game, as seen in the Olay Regenerist campaign.

“It’s evident that one creative execution may not appeal to everyone. As marketers are leveraging different media channels to reach their target audience, they are also using a combination of online creative formats to convey their message,” said Mallon. “Many of these top campaigns achieved success by combining engaging and interactive creative executions with relevant media placement.”

Each quarter, Dynamic Logic uploads hundreds of AdIndex® studies, which measure online advertising impact, into their MarketNorms® database, an online planning and benchmarking tool. Using MarketNorms, Dynamic Logic identified the most effective online campaigns in terms of online brand performance as compared to all measured U.S. studies last year. The best campaigns were among the most noticed, with their Online Ad Awareness scores ranging from 12-38 percentage-point increases after exposure to online advertising. The ads were also highly persuasive, ranking in the top 20th percentile compared to other online campaigns within their industry category in either Brand Favorability or Purchase Intent.

To see creative examples of the best U.S. online ad campaigns, please visit:

http://www.dynamiclogic.com/na/research/topcampaigns.

About Dynamic Logic

Dynamic Logic is a leading research company with expertise in measuring marketing effectiveness. Dynamic Logic’s research includes: AdIndex® to test and analyze digital advertising campaigns including online, mobile, and gaming elements; CrossMedia ResearchTM to evaluate multimedia campaigns; MarketNorms®, a syndicated ad effectiveness planning and benchmarking database; and LinkSelect for Digital, an online copy-testing solution developed jointly with Millward Brown. Founded in 1999, the company is headquartered in New York City with offices in Chicago, San Francisco, Providence, London, Paris, Frankfurt and Hong Kong. Clients include leading marketers, advertising agencies and media companies. Dynamic Logic is a Millward Brown company, which is part of The Kantar Group, the information and consultancy arm of WPP. www.dynamiclogic.com

Otilia Otlacan: SES Chicago and Mobile Search – what topics will you be covering, can you give us the highlights?

Cindy Krum: I am honored to be speaking on the Mobile Search Battle Update panel with Bryson Meunier, Rachel Pasqua and Phyllis Reuther. I have spoken with Bryson and Rachel before, but I this is my first time speaking on a panel with Phyllis. The session will be just before lunch on the first day of the show, and it has a lot of insightful mobile search experts.

I will be giving a lot of statistics about where and what people are searching for from their mobile phones. I’ll specifically spend time talking about on-deck search options, off-deck search engines and downloadable mobile search applications. I will also talk about how true web-browsing phones like the iPhone and the gPhone are changing mobile search behavior, and what that means to us as mobile marketers preparing for the future.

O.O.: Surely the economic recession is an over-discussed subject by now, but can you comment if there is an impact on mobile internet usage, search in particular? Are people more conscious these days of the higher costs of mobile search?

C.K.: Many of the US mobile phone carriers have begun offering flat-rate data packages, so the people who have opted into those flat-rate packages will not be affected by the recession. Cost will be a deterrent to mobile search for the rest of the mobile subscribers, but this has always been the case. Some carriers are also testing programs that allow users to decrease their phone bill by watching ads, and we may see programs like this expand or grow in the future.

The economic turmoil may increase the length of time people will wait to replace their mobile phones, and since much of the growth in mobile web search has been driven by the newer, more web-capable phones, a delay in phone replacement is a concern. I don’t think it will be enough to turn the trend; it may just slow or delay the growth slightly.

O.O.: The AdOperationsOnline.com readers are keen to discuss mobile advertising as the next big thing for 2009. What are your views on the mobile advertising growth, what can we expect?

C.K.: Companies like AdMob who have been operating in the red for some time are finally cash-positive, so I think it is fair to say that mobile advertising is coming of age. I have been speaking for a long time about making one website work well in both a traditional and a mobile setting, and that will be true for mobile advertising too. It has to be seamless, and we can’t rely on the user to get to the right website or remember two domains.

It will be important for mobile advertising companies to offer a service where ads are intelligently served, based on the device accessing them. Not only do we want mobile ads to go to mobile devices, and traditional ads to go to traditional devices; but we want ad networks to recognize the type of device that is doing the searching, and serve ads that are relevant to that device demographic. It is no secret that the demographic buying BlackBerries is different than the one buying SideKicks; Mobile ad networks need to do a better job leveraging that type of information.

UK mobile carriers are already using this type of ad targeting on their networks, because everyone in their ‘on-deck’ portal is a subscriber, and I believe this kind of targeting will soon make it to the United States. Google AdWords is also allowing marketers to target ads based on carriers, and this type of innovation will be vital for mobile ad networks to maintain their superior click through and conversion rates.

O.O.: Staying in the mobile advertising area, what solutions do you see to ensure that ads are unobtrusive on such small screens? What about measurability of mobile ad campaigns – any technologies you’re particularly fond of?

C.K.: In addition to making mobile advertising as targeted as possible, it will be more important for advertisers to be subtle in mobile advertising. Mobile devices are considered much more personal than traditional computers so advertising can feel like much more invasive on a mobile phone. I think branded games and downloadable applications will be a great way to advertise to your mobile audience, without being too pushy.

Mobile tracking and analytics is still quite difficult because most web tracking is based on JavaScript, which is not executed by a number of mobile browsers. While most of the major ad networks offer technology that will allow you to track performance of your entire mobile website, (instead of just your ads,) there are no great mobile-specific analytics platforms available yet. Your best bet is always to use a combination of analytics programs, but when you are working with mobile data, understand that you may not be getting the complete picture.

O.O.: Your company, Blue Moon Works Inc., how does it fit in the relatively new and chaotic landscape of mobile marketing and advertising? Any service or product highlights for 2009 that you would like to present to our readers?

C.K.: Blue Moon Works, Inc. is a new media marketing agency, and mobile website optimization is just one of our specialties. (We also offer consulting for traditional SEO, PPC, email and analytics.) Blue Moon Works is a resource for agencies, development companies and content owners who want to create a mobile website that will rank well in mobile search without compromising their existing search engine rankings.

There are a lot of companies that can build you a mobile website, but not many of them understand the full impact that the mobile site can have. Mobile sites can provide a bad user experience for your audience, or create duplicate content issues and indexing problems with the search engines, which can hurt your brand and your traffic. At Blue Moon Works, we offer expert consulting; we will help you determine how the mobile website should be structured and coded to create the best mobile user experience, rank well in mobile search results, and not create problems for your traditional search results.

About Cindy Krum
Cindy Krum is the Director of New Media Strategies for Blue Moon Works, Inc. (www.bluemoonworks.com) She brings fresh and creative ideas to the Blue Moon Works team, speaking at national and international trade events about mobile web marketing, social network marketing and international SEO. Cindy also writes for industry publications, and has been published in Website Magazine, Advertising & Marketing Review, Search Engine Land, ODG Intelligence, and quoted by many respected publications including PC World, Internet Retailer, TechWorld, Direct Magazine and Search Marketing Standard. Cindy also currently serves as the co-chair of the SEMPO Mobile Search Committee, and is an active member of the search community. Cindy is passionate about bringing creative online marketing solutions to clients, and working with clients to develop high level mobile and international marketing strategies.

About Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC
Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company’s activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors – mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels–in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.
Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.

For more information on SES Chicago and other shows in the series, see http://searchenginestrategies.com/chicago.

Recognizing the technologies and companies that made a positive difference in the online marketing industry in 2008, the ClickZ Marketing Excellence Awards honor the tools and services that represent excellence and innovation in digital marketing and advertising.

“In a fast-moving industry, these awards shine a light on those helping to evolve the industry through their brilliant examples of what can be accomplished,” said Anna Maria Virzi, executive editor of The ClickZ Network, a division of Incisive Media. “ClickZ readers are instrumental in these awards, bringing to our attention products and services that enable digital marketers to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. We thank them along with our panel of judges — trusted and respected digital marketing professionals — for diligently selecting this year’s winners. The competition is more intense every year.”

The ClickZ 2008 Marketing Excellence Awards winners are as follows:

Ad Management: DART for Advertisers (Finalists: Atlas Solutions; Open AdStream by 24/7 Real Media)

Judge’s comment: “DFA remains the industry gold standard for ad serving and ad management. This is the technology that’s behind the majority of the more notable and impressive campaigns we see and a sure bet for any advertiser on the fence about which company can offer the most seamless, streamlined campaign solutions.”

Analytics Platform: Omniture SiteCatalyst (Finalists: Google Analytics; WebTrends Analytics)

Judge’s comment: “Hands down the most innovative, ever-expanding platform in the space. Omniture has done an excellent job listening to the customers’ needs and building the functionality to serve such. Additionally, the ability to integrate with other CRM and testing platforms has been a boon to all that rely on analytics to drive better marketing decisions.”

E-mail Marketing Tool: Responsys Interact (Finalists: Lyris HQ EmailLabs; MailChimp; MailerMailer)

Judge’s comment: “A full-service solution, Responsys has been the market leader for over a year. Their products work, with a superior work flow interface. One of the important criteria for many of the people I spoke with is the ability of Responsys to easily integrate with other best-of-breed solutions.”

Mobile Marketing Tool: DoubleClick Mobile (Finalists: BluFi from TELiBrahma)

Judge’s comment: “It is critically important for the mobile advertising (buyable off-the-shelf solutions) to have a standard serving and reporting platform. The DoubleClick mobile product enables digital buyers and planners to have consistency in reporting and publishers the ability to sell through integrated mobile packages.”

Search Ad Management: Marin Search Marketer (Finalists: Acronym Media; Clickable)

Judge’s comment: “Ease of implementation and flexibility are key in today’s fast paced search world, and Marin seems to excel in both areas. Often the software can be up and running in a day, and you aren’t tied down to year-long contracts. The fact that 90 percent of those that trial the software end up using it speaks for itself. One of the strengths of this offering is for those companies that also want to keep control of their search expertise in house.”

Social Media Marketing Platform or Tool: Bazaarvoice Ask & Answer (Finalists: Clearspring Technologies; NetworkSense Mapping by iCrossing; Vovici Community Builder)

Judge’s comment: “User-generated content is the killer app for all Web sites, and Bazaarvoice is the hands-down leader in driving innovation in this space. Social networking is only viable for the few. Rating, reviews, and comments are there for all to capitalize on, and Bazaarvoice has made it easy for all to get in the game.”

Video Ad Format or Platform: DoubleClick HD Video (Finalists: Acudeo by Tremor Media)

Judge’s comment: “You want the creative and content you develop for your brands to look great. But, unfortunately, video placements in general have suffered from low-bandwidth specifications and site-publisher limitations. So any media partner that can make your content look its best, and that won’t degrade your original vision, is a partner worth having.”

“The new DoubleClick HD looks great. And if your content already has a compelling idea and creative execution behind it, HD quality is really the icing on top.”

For the complete list of winners, visit http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=awards.

About The ClickZ Network

The ClickZ Network is the largest resource of interactive marketing news, information, commentary, advice, opinion, research, and reference in the world, online or off-. From search to e-mail, technology to trends, our coverage is expert, exclusive, and in-depth.

About Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC

Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company’s activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors – mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels–in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, The ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Efficient Frontier, the worldwide leader in providing Search Engine Marketing technology and services to leading advertisers and agencies, today released the U.S. Search Engine Performance Report: Q3 2008. The report, the largest independent research in the search marketing industry, was based on an analysis of 60 billion impressions and 428 million clicks across an index of Efficient Frontier advertisers. The results of the research indicate that while overall growth has been slowing throughout 2008, return on investment remains strong in this highly productive direct marketing channel.

The report showed that Google continues to gain ground. For every new dollar spent on search advertising in Q3 2008 versus Q3 2007, Google received $1.14, while Yahoo and Microsoft each lost $0.07. Google continues to dominate the overall share of spending at 76%, although the company’s search advertising growth decreased by 1.9 percentage points from Q2 to Q3 2008. Yahoo search gained 1.8 points in the same quarter to bring it to 19.2% of total spent while Microsoft Live Search held relatively steady at 4.8% share.

Of Google’s 76% share, 4.6% was from Google content, an increase of 82.8% for non-financial services advertisers. Google content was the only search engine channel for which all advertisers increased spending in Q3 2008.

“Our data shows that search engine marketing continues to be a highly productive direct marketing channel for advertisers, even in challenging markets,” said James Beriker, President and CEO of Efficient Frontier. “With increased competition and a decrease in the total number of conversions, advertisers will either slash budgets or use advanced technologies to maximize volume and ROI. We’re proud to partner with the most sophisticated search advertisers in the world to continue to drive their ongoing success in these tough markets.”

Other Key Findings

* ROI improved YOY on all three engines for advertisers outside of financial services in the face of increasingly dynamic economic conditions.
* Spending on Google by non-financial services advertisers grew by 3.6% on YOY basis, faster than the overall growth rate of 2.5%. Thus Google gained $1.14 of every new search dollar in Q3 2008 versus Q3 2007, while Yahoo and Microsoft each lost $0.07 for every new dollar spent on search in that period.
* Yahoo accounted for 19.2% of U.S. search engine spending in Q3 2008, losing 1.3 percentage points in share from Q3 2007 but gaining 1.8 percentage points from Q2 2008. Total spending on Yahoo increased by 7.2% from Q2 to Q3 2008 for advertisers outside of the financial services sector, and by 2.5% for those in financial services.
* Microsoft Live Search accounted for 4.8% of U.S. search spending in Q3 2008, down 0.8 percentage points from the previous year. Overall spending on Microsoft Live Search declined for all advertisers on both a YOY and Q/Q basis.
* On a global basis, Google dominated the search marketplace in Q3 2008, capturing more than 85% of search spending share in the UK, Europe, and Australia. In Japan, Google accounted for 55% of search spending.

The complete U.S. Search Engine Performance Report: Q3, 2008 is available for download from the Efficient Frontier website at: http://www.efrontier.com/efficient-frontier/resources/research/getRese archQ308.html (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser’s address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

Research Methodology

Analysis for the Efficient Frontier report was based on data from a fixed sample of Efficient Frontier U.S. clients from Q3 2007 through Q3 2008, and covers nearly 60 billion impressions and more than 428 million clicks on search and content ads on Google, Yahoo and Microsoft Live Search. The report includes data from advertisers in the financial services, travel, retail, automotive and business-to-business verticals.

About Efficient Frontier

Efficient Frontier is the market and technology leader in providing Search Engine Marketing (SEM) solutions for leading global advertisers and agencies. Founded in 2002, Efficient Frontier pioneered the application of modern portfolio theory to SEM and today combines its core predictive modeling algorithms and bidding technology with comprehensive strategic and tactical value added services to manage more than $750MM in annual search spend for over 200 leading advertisers in 20 countries. The company has over 200 employees and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA with offices in New York, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Hong Kong, and India, and technology licensing partnerships in Japan and Australia. Efficient Frontier is a privately held company with funding from Redpoint Ventures and Cambrian Ventures. For more information, please visit www.efrontier.com and subscribe to the Efficient Frontier blog at http://blog.efrontier.com/.

‘For four years we have operated as a single agency with integrated capabilities in the global marketplace, and we don’t need two names anymore,’ Razorfish CEO Clark Kokich said. ‘Although both Avenue A and Razorfish are excellent choices as standalone brands, the Razorfish name enjoys stronger brand equity around the world.’

The Avenue A | Razorfish name was the result of a 2004 merger between Avenue A, one of the first companies to plan and buy digital media, and Razorfish, one of the first companies to counsel clients on digital marketing strategy, creative, and web design.

‘As pioneers in the 1990s, Avenue A and Razorfish were each known for helping clients enter the digital age. Both brands represented innovation and speed to market, and they still do so today,’ Kokich said. ‘Nevertheless, we are making it easier to do business with us by using a single name–Razorfish.’

Since the merger, the company has grown from 800 people in 11 U.S. offices to more than 2,200 people in 20 offices across the United States, Australia, China, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. Razorfish is one of the largest interactive marketing companies in the world, and also one of the largest buyers of digital advertising space and paid search.

‘Today, a global network of Razorfish professionals, from New York to Beijing, helps our clients build stronger brands for the digital world, whether we’re launching a media campaign for Best Buy, designing websites for the likes of The Financial Times, Hindustan Times and The New York Times, or helping Levi’s use social media to engage brand advocates,’ Chief Strategy Officer Jeff Lanctot said.

The agency’s offices are adopting the Razorfish name as follows (effective immediately unless otherwise noted):

All U.S. offices use the Razorfish brand name.
Amnesia Group in Australia is Amnesia Razorfish.
Avenue A | Razorfish London will become Razorfish London early next year.
Dentsu | Avenue A | Razorfish in Japan will become Dentsu Razorfish early next year.
Duke in France is Duke, a Razorfish company.
e-Crusade in greater China (Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong) will become Razorfish early next year.
Neue Digitale in Germany is Neue Digitale/Razorfish.

Additionally, Razorfish has launched a new all-Flash website, www.razorfish.com, with abundant content for everyone–from job seekers, journalists and peers, to clients and prospects.

The site embodies the core attributes of global, social, simple and experimental – providing easy access to:
A visually-rich portfolio of 45 case studies categorized by industry
Razorfish special reports, including the DOR, in PDF & audio format
50 white papers (‘Insights’) filtered by topic
Client summit video highlights
Links to company blogs & newsletters, as well as the company’s Facebook page
Landing pages for each service offering with helpful links
Careers Center
Partners form to qualify publishers & vendors
Events calendar

About Razorfish
Razorfish, formerly Avenue A | Razorfish, is one of the largest interactive marketing and technology companies in the world, and also one of the largest buyers of digital advertising space. With a demonstrated commitment to innovation, Razorfish counsels its clients on how to leverage digital channels such as the Web, mobile devices, in-store technologies and other emerging media to engage people, build brand loyalty and provide excellent customer service. The company is increasingly advising marketers on Social Influence Marketing, its approach for employing social media and social influencers to achieve the marketing and business needs of an organization. Its award-winning client teams provide solutions through their strategic counsel, digital advertising and content creation, media buying, analytics, technology and user experience. Razorfish has offices in markets across the United States, and in Australia, China, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. Clients include Carnival Cruise Lines, Coors Brewing Company, Levi’s, McDonald’s and Starwood Hotels. Visit www.razorfish.com for more information.

CHICAGO – Search Engine Strategies (http://www.SearchEngineStrategies.com) returns to Chicago this year with an exciting line up of popular sessions and new content at SES Chicago 2008. The SES event, taking place at the Chicago Hilton, December 8th – 12th, draws not only a large Chicago and Midwestern crowd, but also delegates from across the country and the world, as 30 countries were represented last year.

Opening the show with the first of three keynotes will be Lawrence Lessig, who is Professor of Law at Stanford Law School and founder of the school’s Center for Internet and Society. Lessig focuses on the intersection of law, internet and technology, particularly as it relates to copyright.

Second in the keynote lineup will be CEO and co-founder of Omniture, Josh James. Josh is passionate about helping organizations worldwide leverage the internet and the on-demand services business model to increase revenues and customer loyalty and maintain a competitive edge. Under Josh’s leadership, Omniture has evolved from a groundbreaking idea into one of the fastest-growing publicly traded software companies with more than 4,700 customers across 75 countries and over 1,100 employees.

The SES conference’s third keynote will be Bill Tancer, General Manager, Global Research with Hitwise. In his role, Bill provides cutting-edge research and insight into online consumer behavior and the application of online competitive intelligence. Bill’s analysis of the online landscape has been quoted extensively in the press and he authors a weekly online column for TIME, “The Science of Search.” He was also named Television Week’s “12 to Watch” for 2008 and is currently on the advisory board for the PEW Internet and American Life Project.

SES newbies and alumni alike will quickly learn how to maximize the search engine marketing and search engine optimization opportunities to ensure they are well-versed of the latest search developments and solutions in this area. Organized and hosted by world-renowned search authority Kevin Ryan, SES Chicago delivers real-time actionable information you need to grow your business. Additionally, Search Engine Strategies Chicago grants access to the Midwest’s most comprehensive gathering of search engine marketing and optimization-related providers, partners and affiliates.

“Our intent in bringing Professor Lessig, Mr. James and Mr. Tancer here is to rejuvenate the industry’s thinking,” said Kevin Ryan, Chairman of the SES Advisory Board. “The search industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and in a time of economic uncertainty, we must continue to take chances. But, in doing so, our audience needs to hear from these individuals to truly value search’s place amongst other internet disciplines.”

To register for the conference and pay the early bird rate of $1,795 by November 21, visit www.searchenginestrategies.com/chicago/registration-details.html. SES Chicago Expo-only passes are free in advance.

For more information on SES Chicago and other shows in the series, see http://searchenginestrategies.com/chicago.

bout Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC

Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company’s activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors – mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels–in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.

NEW YORK – As businesses face turbulent economic times, they are under immense pressure to justify advertising dollars. With upwards of 10 percent of US ad dollars being spent online, marketers are relentlessly focused on making the most of those investments. Search Engine Strategies’ (SES) highly regarded search engine marketing (SEM) training keeps marketing professionals in tune with the latest developments in the search industry.

Next up in the training series is New York’s SES Search Engine Marketing Training Workshop, slated for October 14. The in-depth training session is conducted in a small class setting, allowing the instructor to be readily accessible for informal one-on-one or small group discussions. Attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops to gain advice and insights on their own websites.

Led by Howard Kaplan of Future Now, Inc., this workshop will demonstrate the skills essential for building a user-friendly, search-friendly, and persuasive site that converts visitors into buyers. Attendees will gain practical knowledge and hands-on exposure to become top performers in the field. This call- to-action workshop will give participants a keen understanding of web analytics, web design, usability, social media, information architecture, and search engine optimization.

“Consultants, site designers, website owners, or in-house marketing professionals will leave this intensive workshop with the tools to achieve dramatic results online,” said Matt McGowan, Global VP of Marketing for Search Engine Strategies, ClickZ.com and SearchEngineWatch.com, properties of Incisive Media. “Attendees tell us this forum is an ideal way to learn the most pertinent skills as they need for making their online presence pay off.”

Location: Helen Mills Theater
137-139 W 26th St
New York, NY 10001
Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Training Cost: Full day, including lunch – $1,345

For additional information on the training and on the upcoming SES Chicago, please visit www.searchenginestrategies.com.

About Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC

Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company’s activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors – mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels–in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.

CHICAGO – Search Engine Strategies, the Midwest’s only search marketing conference and expo, celebrates its 10th year in the Windy City later this fall. Returning to Chicago on December 8-11, 2008, at the Chicago Hilton, SES Chicago (http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/chicago) will feature an intriguing lineup of sessions and new content. A “recession special” of $600 off is in place for all who register by September 26, 2008.

This year’s event will explore hot topics such as search around the world, search advertising, universal and blended search, viral campaigns, social media optimization, plus geo-targeting and the best kept secrets in search. Led by the industry’s most notable visionaries, SES Chicago draws thousands of marketers each year, and boasts a 98 percent satisfaction rate from attendees.

Organized and hosted by search authority Kevin Ryan, SES Chicago offers up-to-the-minute, practical information that marketers can use immediately to grow their businesses through search. Seasoned practitioners and search newcomers alike will benefit from more than 60 engaging sessions geared toward attendees of all learning levels – beginners, intermediate-level marketers, and advanced professionals. The research, expertise and tactics presented by top search experts and the search engines themselves will arm attendees with actionable information they can apply to their business immediately upon leaving.

As the industry evolves exponentially, SES Chicago aims to capture the most current educational needs of attendees by incorporating fresh and exclusive content. Multiple keynotes and Orion panels add to the learning opportunity by providing attendees with insights from industry luminaries, often from outside the search realm, who bestow a well-rounded vision of search’s role in today’s marketing spectrum.

SES Chicago is followed by a full-day of search engine training sessions. These thorough workshops take place in a small classroom setting, giving attendees the opportunity to work closely with instructors, who provide the practices, applications, and hands-on exposure needed to become – and remain – a top performer in the field. In the end, attendees will not only walk away with the knowledge and skills needed to be a successful search engine marketer, but will also enhance their professional know-how by keeping their marketing acumen sharp and in tune with the latest developments in search engine marketing and optimization.

“Whether you’re looking to get organic traffic, explore the best free and paid placements, calculate the ROI of your search efforts, or be the first to hear about what’s coming next in the ever-changing world of search, SES Chicago is the place to be,” said Kevin Ryan, Vice President of Global Content for Search Engine Strategies, an Incisive Media property. “This year’s conference will be no exception, with an impressive array of renowned speakers and a stimulating educational environment.”

For more information on SES Chicago and other shows in the series, see http://searchenginestrategies.com/chicago.

About Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC

Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company’s activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors – mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels–in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.

Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Range Online Media is one of the leading paid search marketing and search engine optimisation firms in the US.  Founded in 2001, it initially specialised in services to the retail and travel sectors. More recently it has expanded into the technology, luxury brands, financial services, utilities, and entertainment industries. Range Online Media’s clients include Toshiba, Burberry, Aveda, Accor Hotels, Neiman Marcus and Macys.com. Following the acquisition, Range Online Media will re-brand as iProspect and form the fourth US office in the iProspect global search network.

The sixth acquisition Isobar has made in search marketing this year alone, Range Online Media increases iProspect’s reach to 21 offices in 17 markets worldwide. The acquisition of Range Online Media adds considerably to iProspect’s client roster in the retail sector, a key market for search marketing services. Range Online Media’s clients and staff will benefit from joining iProspect’s global network.

Alongside its core SEM expertise, Range Online Media has developed proprietary technology to address, measure and monetise the rapidly growing online media, social and emerging media spaces.  These capabilities include unique site optimisation, online public relations optimisation, reputation management, advanced linking strategy and development as well as blog, podcast and video optimisation.

Commenting on the acquisition, Robert Lerwill, ceo of Aegis, said:
“Demand for specialist search expertise is growing at around 25% a year. As a result, no business can ignore the importance of search to a marketing campaign: optimising both paid and organic techniques is key. Range Online Media gives us a significant boost in the retail sector in the US and a fourth office in the region. It also brings enviable tools and technology designed to measure the growing social media space, which we can leverage across the entire iProspect global network.”

More on iProspect

iProspect was founded in the US in 1996 as a search business with a unique bidding technology for search engine marketing keywords. Acquired by Aegis Media’s Isobar in 2004, iProspect is now probably the most sophisticated search specialist in the world – ranked number one by Forrester among others.

In 2007 Isobar began to create a global iProspect network, rolling out into the Nordics, Holland, Hungary, France, Spain and Belgium in Europe and Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore in Asia.  The iProspect network has 21 dedicated offices in 17 countries around the world.

More on Isobar

Launched as a digital division of Aegis Media in May 2003, Isobar is the world’s largest digital marketing network and is uniquely structured for an interconnected digital world. Isobar provides the vision, infrastructure, tools and processes that link a network of some of the very best digital agencies in the world – all fully owned and driven by a clear vision of the future business world. Isobar celebrates diversity, creating competitive advantage through creativity, collaborative innovation and agility. Through its global network of 104 offices in 38 markets, Isobar services include strategy and consulting, online advertising and media, web site build, paid and organic search, social and viral marketing, mobile and CRM. Isobar has 3,500 people, online billings of nearly $2 billion and has won more creative awards in the last 2 years than any other digital network. Nigel Morris is the CEO of Isobar.

For more information, please visit http://www.isobar.net.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Recognizing innovation in the search industry, the first annual Search Engine Strategies (SES) Awards were announced this week at Search Engine Strategies (SES) San Jose http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/sanjose). The SES conference, which wrapped up today at the San Jose Convention Center, is an international event series for online marketers, digital agencies, webmasters and corporate decision makers.

The SES Awards, presented at keynote and Orion panel sessions throughout the four-day event, celebrate the event’s 10-year anniversary and were created to inspire innovation and encourage new ideas. Judged by a panel of industry experts and the SES editorial staff, the SES Awards honor outstanding search marketers.

The 2008 SES Awards winners are:

Best Search Engine Ad Platform: LookSmart AdCenter

Search Engine with Most Relevant Search Results: Yahoo!

Most Innovative New Search Engine: YellowBot (Young & Associates)

Technology Platform Search Marketers Can’t Live Without: Enquisite (Maven Communications)

Best SEM Technology Platform for SMBs: LocalLaunch; Marchex

Most Innovative Use of Search Engine Optimization: NikeStore (Range Online Media)

Most Innovative Paid Search Campaign: SearchAdNetwork; Building Blocks for LEGO’s Paid Search Media (iCrossing)

Best Social Media Marketing Campaign: Beaches of South Walton (USDM.net)

Best Business-to-Business Search Marketing Campaign: Microsoft Small Business Center (iProspect)

Best Multi-National Search Marketing Campaign: iCrossing Integrates Global Search Campaign for LEGO

Best Use of Local Search: US Small Business Administration-Business Gateway Initiative

Best Integration of Search with Other Media: The Tudors/Showtime (Outrider)

Most Effective Use of Web Analytics: Four Seasons Hotels and Resort (Acronym Media)

Best Web Analytics Platform: Omniture

Most Advertiser-Friendly Search Engine: Matchpoint.com

Editor’s Choice: Matt Cutts, Software Engineer Guru, Google

Led by search authority Kevin Ryan, Vice President, Global Content Director, Search Engine Strategies and SearchEngineWatch.com, SES San Jose is the preeminent source of practical knowledge for search marketers.

“Innovation is the name of the game in this industry as it continues to evolve,” said Ryan. “By recognizing those who are developing extremely effective and creative work, we know we’re inspiring others to drive this industry toward excellence.”

Since 1999, SES has guided search marketers of all skill levels through the fast changing and complex world of search — the single fastest growing marketing sector. The conference provides attendees with more than 80 sessions designed for every skill level.

For additional information about the San Jose event and other conferences in the series, visit www.SearchEngineStrategies.com.

About Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC — A Division of Incisive Media PLC

Incisive Media PLC is a specialist business information provider, based in the UK with offices in North America, Hong Kong, India and Mainland China. The company’s activities are currently built around ten core industry sectors – mortgages; marketing services; financial technology; retail investment; capital markets; risk management; insurance; legal services; private equity and photography. Information is provided via a wide range of channels–in print, in person and online. Funds advised by Apax Partners, a leading global private equity group, recently completed the successful de-listing of Incisive Media from the London Stock Exchange alongside the existing management.

Incisive Interactive Marketing LLC is the marketing services division of the company and incorporates leading websites Search Engine Watch, the ClickZ Network and their associated events series including Search Engine Strategies. These properties were acquired in 2005.

Founded in 1998, Portfolio provides complete digital services including website development, website maintenance and marketing, online advertising campaigns, search, database marketing, data tracking, analysis and optimization. Portfolio’s client roster includes a number of prominent Korean and international brands such as Microsoft Korea, Prudential, Marriott International, Nissan Korea, Estée Lauder, Woonjgin Group, Epson, Choongwae Pharmaceutical Corp, Yuhan Kimberly and Nongsim Kellogg. Heewoon Park, founder and CEO of Portfolio, will remain at the head of the agency.

The acquisition of Portfolio is in line with Publicis Groupe’s strategy of targeted acquisitions aimed at expanding its leadership in digital communications and high growth markets. Digital advertising in Korea is a thriving market. According to ZenithOptimedia, internet adspend grew nearly 40% in 2007 to take a 13.7% share of total adspend of nearly USD 10 billion. By the end of 2007, there were 14.8 million broadband subscribers – representing 78% of Korean households. Publicis Groupe is already present in Korea through its major brands Publicis (Publicis Welcomm and Publicis Dialog), Leo Burnett, Publicis Events Worldwide (Emotion), Saatchi & Saatchi and Starcom MediaVest Group (SC Seoul).

Martin Reidy, CEO of Publicis Modem, stated, “Asia is a critical market for Publicis Modem and a key part of our global expansion. We were committed to finding a group with the passion, creative innovation and technical acumen synonymous with the Publicis Modem brand.

The team at Portfolio fit the bill exactly. With the explosive growth in the region, this acquisition is an incredible opportunity for everyone involved.” Arlene Ang, Regional Managing Director of Publicis Modem, added, “The acquisition of Portfolio gives Publicis Modem access to the Korean market, one of the world’s fastestgrowing markets in digital advertising and communications. It also complements our successful start up of network offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Taiwan, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Portfolio is arguably Korea’s best agency specialized in webPage based communication, and we are thrilled to bring Heewon Park and his talented teams on board.”

Heewoon Park, CEO of Portfolio, commented, “Joining Publicis Groupe gives us the international scale we’ve been looking for in order to best meet our clients’ needs in this increasingly globalized world. Right from the beginning, we felt a very powerful fit with Publicis Modem. This is exciting news for everyone at Portfolio, and we look forward to benefiting from the added expertise, further scale, and global reach associated with this digital powerhouse.”

About Publicis Groupe
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris: FR0000130577] is the world’s fourth largest communications group. In addition, it is ranked as the world’s second largest media counsel and buying group, and is a global leader in digital and healthcare communications. With activities spanning 104 countries on five continents, the Groupe employs approximately 44,000 professionals.
The Groupe offers local and international clients a complete range of communication services, from advertising through three autonomous global advertising networks, Leo Burnett, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi and two multi-hub networks, Fallon and 49%-owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty; to media consultancy and buying, through two worldwide networks, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia; interactive and digital marketing led by Digitas; Specialized Agencies and Marketing Services offering healthcare communications, corporate and financial communications, sustainability communications, shopper marketing, public relations, CRM and direct marketing, event and sports marketing, and multicultural communications.
Web Site: www.publicisgroupe.com

About Publicis Modem
Publicis Modem is a global digital agency network that works with world-class companies in more than 40 countries and has over 1,000 digital employees. Publicis Modem offers a range of integrated marketing services, including strategy and planning; award winning creative design and execution; media research, planning and buying; search marketing; online and offline direct marketing; and technology enablement. Publicis Modem is part of the Publicis Worldwide network and a member of the Paris-based Publicis Groupe.
Web Site : www.publicismodem.com

About Portfolio
Founded in 1998, Portfolio employs 70 professionals and the agency is known as one of the leading integrated web communications agencies in South Korea. Portfolio is specialized in website building, website maintenance and marketing, online advertising campaigns, search, database marketing, data tracking, analysis and optimization. Clients include Microsoft Korea, Prudential, Marriott International, Nissan Korea, Estée Lauder, Woonjgin Group, Epson, Phoongwae Pharmaceutical Corp, Yuhan Kimberly and Nongsim Kellogg. Headquartered in Seoul, Portfolio is led by Heewon Park, who is also the president of Korea Digital Agency Industrial Association.
Web Site : www.portfolioad.com

The Yahoo! sold adverts will be seen by visitors to Planet 3, which reaches a group of customers who have already demonstrated interest in mobile internet services. For example, 3 UK’s ad-funded music video service offers subscribers free music videos in return for watching a short, targeted video ad and already has more than 1.4 million registered users.

3 UK Head of on Portal Advertising, Neil Andrews said, “With the ever-increasing popularity of the mobile Internet, more and more people are coming to the 3 portal. We’re in a great position to help brands reach our subscribers with a targeted and relevant advertising message.”

“We believe Yahoo! has the experience to help us take full advantage of our advanced portal and unique all 3G subscriber-base. By combining Yahoo!’s expertise in mobile advertising with 3′s valuable inventory, we can help big brands target their advertising with maximum success.”

3 UK was one of the first entrants into the mobile advertising space and has the highest percentage of subscribers accessing mobile Internet services of any operator. In a recent survey by M:Metrics, 3 was ranked second only to Facebook for the amount of time users spent browsing. 3 was the only network ranked in the top five. The portal is prime advertising real-estate which has already been successfully used by leading brands to reach key audiences as part of integrated digital advertising campaigns.

Geraldine Wilson, VP of Connected Life, Yahoo! Europe said, “Yahoo! is very focused on building up the reach and quality network that advertisers are looking for on the mobile, along with targeting capabilities and creative formats necessary for mobile advertising to be really successful. 3 UK is a great new addition to our portfolio of mobile advertising partners. Their commitment to bring the best of the mobile Internet to their customers, coupled with the high volume of traffic the portal gets, presents our portfolio of advertisers with a very attractive opportunity.”

As an early leader in mobile advertising, Yahoo! currently offers mobile display advertising in 23 territories across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Yahoo! is focused on creating the monetization engine for the mobile Internet, enabling publishers to monetize their services and advertisers to reach their target audiences at large scale.

About 3 UK
3 is a mobile operator focused on bringing the benefits of the internet to mobile communications. We offer attractive pricing and give our customers the widest choice of ways to stay connected at home or abroad. To do this we’re building the UK’s best high-speed mobile broadband network. 3 UK is a member of the HWL group of 3G companies, which include 3G operations in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy Macau and Sweden.

Three facts about 3:

* 3 launched the UK’s first 3G network offering national coverage for calls and texts, and has over 90% population coverage for 3G services. As we consolidate our radio access network with T-Mobile we expect to reach almost complete UK population coverage for 3G by the end of 2008.
* 3 has over 3 million active customers in the UK and over 16 million worldwide.
* 3 was the first to enable free voice over internet calling with Skype and the first to launch a dedicated Skype mobile phone, the 3 Skypephone.

For more information about 3 UK, please visit www.three.co.uk or call the 3 Media Office on 0845 6038333.

About Yahoo!

Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the busiest Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! is focused on powering its communities of users, advertisers, publishers, and developers by creating indispensable experiences built on trust. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit www.yahoo.co.uk or the Company’s blog, Yodel Anecdotal.

For more information on Yahoo! Mobile please visit http://uk.mobile.yahoo.com/

Globlet is Thailand’s leading search specialist. It provides search engine marketing consultancy and technical execution for a range of local clients across the retail, technology, healthcare and real estate sectors.

Globlet will reinforce Isobar’s leadership position in Thailand. Its search expertise will complement the interactive services of Digithais, Thailand’s leading interactive agency and part of Isobar since 2005. Digithais offers website development, online media, internet marketing, content management and e-commerce for clients including Coca-Cola, adidas, Honda and Nivea.

Following the acquisition, Globlet’s staff will be trained and certified in iProspect’s best practices through iProspect University, and Globlet will become part of the Isobar-owned network of iProspect search specialists agencies. Once Globlet is re-branded as iProspect Thailand, it will have access to iProspect’s search tools, including the award winning iSEBA bidding agent.

The acquisition of Globlet follows those of search businesses in Belgium, Holland and Germany so far this year, as Isobar continues the global roll-out of iProspect offices.

Commenting on the acquisition, Robert Lerwill, ceo of Aegis, said:
“The search market in Thailand is young, with exciting prospects. Globlet offers an immediate boost to our search capabilities, and will reinforce our position as Thailand’s number one digital agency. Its conversion to iProspect Thailand will expand our Asian iProspect office network – already in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia – as we establish iProspect as the leadership brand for global paid and natural search worldwide.”

For further information contact:

Charlotte Elston / Hannah Bailey
Aegis Group plc
+44 (0) 20 7070 7708 / 7725

Charles Palmer
Financial Dynamics
+44 (0) 20 7831 3113