SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Mobile couponing newcomer CopiaMobile announced the availability of a solution that will drastically improve mobile couponing. Based on proprietary innovative technology, the new mobile coupon solution enables consumers and retailers to automatically redeem mobile coupons without scanning or keying in barcodes. In addition, the product addresses the targeting and offer optimization issue for retailers and advertisers with real-time offer customization to maximize response and minimize markdown expense.

According to Juniper research, over 50 million consumers use their mobile devices as virtual wallets. Coupons delivered and redeemed via mobile phones are forecast to be used by 200 million mobile subscribers globally by 2013. The attractiveness of mobile couponing lies in the ability to make the coupons targeted and personal, in addition to their convenience and immediacy.

According to Mal Jazoff, former CEO of The Dial Corporation, “CopiaMobile has created a modern update of the traditional printed paper coupon. But their mobile coupon solution is much better. It eliminates the handling costs of paper coupons, it minimizes fraud issues, and it’s available whenever and wherever a consumer wants it. It’s modern, efficient, and desirable.”

CopiaMobile has simplified mobile coupon redemption with a wireless process that eliminates the keying or scanning of barcodes, a time-consuming and ineffective process for the merchant and the customer. Plus, the solution is completely secure and PCI compliant so it can actually improve data security and ease the compliance burden for retailers.

CopiaMobile also targets and optimizes each coupon offer to the specific consumer to maximize the response rate and minimize the required discount. Marketers can use location and purchase history to track consumers and provide the most relevant offers, thereby reaching consumers on a much more personal level. The CopiaMobile platform makes it simple to serve up tailored promotional offers, based on consumers’ previous purchasing behavior. Every coupon offered gathers information for reporting, targeting and selecting consumers for new offers, as well as adjusting existing offers in response to redemption analysis – all in real time.

CopiaMobile’s coupon offering is built on a software-as-a-service (SaaS), on demand platform and provides consumers, retailers and advertisers with the following benefits:

Convenient, easy, and effective
Effortless, automatic redemption process
Effective real-time campaign monitoring and adjustment
Easy to execute, distribute and process with no printing or mailing
Drives traffic and redemption with geo-targeting of offers
Coupons on the mobile phone typically offer a five to ten percent improvement in redemption rates and are more cost-effective than paper coupons, making them a win-win approach for retailers. For consumers, mobile coupons provide the environmental benefit of being paperless, and are appealing because the coupons are customized to their interests, shopping preferences and purchase threshold.

Consumers have repeatedly demonstrated that they are willing to change their habits if there is a perceived benefit. The trick is to put the benefit where the shopper is – which increasingly means on a mobile phone.

CopiaMobile will be demonstrating their product at the National Retail Federation’s 99th Annual Convention and Expo at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City on January 11th and 12th. They can be located at the pcCashDrawer Booth Number 2817.

About CopiaMobile

CopiaMobile is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based company that helps retailers, advertisers, and consumers save time, money, and resources via a mobile coupon solution that is both convenient and effective. Our mission is to fundamentally change the way that consumers and retailers interact within the brick and mortar store environment. CopiaMobile utilizes innovative network security technology and advanced predictive modeling techniques to overcome the most challenging hurdles to the broad adoption of mobile coupons: redemption and targeting. The CopiaMobile team has extensive experience designing, building, and operating the merchandising, forecasting, and in-store management systems used by America’s leading retailers to maximize profit on over $500 billion in annual retail sales. More information can be found at www.copiamobile.com.

TORONTO – AOL announced the launch of Platform-A in Canada, offering advertisers access to one of the largest online advertising networks with the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions and the Web’s best ad technologies. With this launch, Platform-A clients in Canada (http://www.platform-a.ca) now have a single point of contact to purchase and manage activity across Platform-A’s multiple digital marketing channels, improving the strategic impact of online campaigns.

Platform-A Canada aligns AOL’s existing Canadian advertising operations including: Advertising.com, one of Canada’s leading ad networks; and the AOL Canada media network, which includes AOL-owned properties and a number of third-party sites such as Canadian Driver, a leading online automotive magazine. This combination positions Platform-A’s ad network as the leader in Canada with an audience of 22.5 million unique visitors per month, reaching more than 93% of the online audience in Canada.*

“Today’s launch enables advertisers to leverage the strong Canadian presence established by the AOL Canada properties and popular niche sites, such as Engadget and TMZ.com from AOL’s MediaGlow publishing unit, which reach more than 10 million Canadians monthly,* in order to reach a highly engaged audience of online consumers,” said James Prudhomme, Senior Director, Platform-A Canada. “With the scale and reach of our network, Platform-A Canada offers a cost-effective way for marketers to reach their targeted audiences at scale through the delivery of highly engaging and effective advertising for maximum value and results, which is crucial in today’s economic environment.”

Platform-A Canada also offers industry-leading technologies and a suite of products and services for Canadian publishers, including ad serving solution ADTECH and Quigo’s AdSonar sponsored link network.

*Source: comScore Media Metrix, January 2009

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution.

Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, Canada, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.ca.

Plan Includes Targeting AOL News for the First Time

NEW YORK – AOL’s Platform-A  announced a 2009 strategic partnership with Scottrade, a leading branch-supported online investment firm that offers a full line of investment products, online trading services and market research tools to help investors take control of their financial future. This year’s partnership extends Scottrade’s Platform-A relationship to reach consumers via advertising and distribution solutions within MediaGlow’s financial-related content properties, such as AOL Money & Finance, Walletpop.com, Bloggingstocks.com, and AOL News. As part of the deal, Scottrade has also been included as a Featured Broker on AOL Money & Finance.

“Platform-A is pleased to build on our existing relationship with Scottrade in 2009, and we’re looking forward to delivering the scale and efficiency that Scottrade has come to expect from our advertising solutions,” said Greg Coleman, President of Platform-A. “We’re pleased that Scottrade is utilizing the consumer reach of both AOL Money & Finance and, for the first time, AOL News. The combined reach of MediaGlow’s leading properties will allow Scottrade to reach even more consumers with a strong brand message at a time when consumers are seeking reliable news and information so they can make their own investing decisions.”

“Scottrade saw strong results in 2008 working with Platform-A, so we’re eager to strengthen our advertising relationship this year,” said Chris Moloney, Scottrade chief marketing officer. “By targeting consumers in both AOL Money & Finance and AOL News, we have a strong opportunity to reach consumers who are actively interested in sound investment information.”

Scottrade is targeting media on leading sites within MediaGlow, AOL’s recently formed publishing business that lets marketers leverage branding opportunities across more than 70 high-quality publishing assets. Scottrade’s media rotation will focus on:

* AOL Money & Finance: AOL Money & Finance reaches more than 16 million monthly unique visitors, and more than 509 million monthly page views representing growth of nearly 52% year-over-year.* In 2008, AOL Money & Finance, http://money.aol.com/, launched real-time quotes on its stock pages, a new financial video hub, and upgraded many of its investing and portfolio management tools. AOL Money & Finance currently features CNBC video content and continues to add more video content partners.
* Walletpop.com: Walletpop, http://www.walletpop.com, is a blog that provides information about savings, retirement, budgeting, insurance and more to provide a comprehensive resource for consumers so that they can mange their personal finance needs.
* Bloggingstocks.com: Bloggingstocks.com is one of the leading financial blogs on the Web, which delivers daily commentary, thought-provoking analysis and in-depth coverage of financial news of the day on the top S&P 500 stocks. BloggingStocks.com, http://www.bloggingstocks.com/, has been named to SmartMoney Magazine’s Power 30 investment blogs.
* AOL News: AOL News, http://www.news.aol.com, is one of the top online news sites. AOL News seen significant growth, with page views up 82% year-over-year in January, unique visitors up 16%, and total minutes spent online up 22%.*

In 2009, MediaGlow is expected to increase its offerings with the creation of more than 30 editorially curated sites. MediaGlow joins Platform-A, the industry’s largest domestic digital advertising platform, and People Networks, the company’s social media unit, as the third core business for AOL, signaling the completion of the company’s transformation to an advertising-supported business.

Platform A was established by integrating AOL’s advertising business, Advertising.com, TACODA, Quigo and others to provide marketers with an efficient, effective means to leverage display, video, mobile, contextual, affiliate and search marketing solutions at scale. The mission of Platform-A is to enable marketers to reach their targeted audiences at scale through delivery of highly engaging and effective advertising for maximum value and results.

* According to January 2009 comScore Media Metrix data.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, reaching 91%* of the U.S. Internet audience, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform. Platform-A offers the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

About Scottrade

As a leading online investment firm, Scottrade offers a full line of investment products, online trading services and market research tools to help investors take control of their financial future. Scottrade provides customers the convenience of buying many stocks online at just $7 per trade and the support of the largest branch network among online investment firms, with more than 375 nationwide branch offices. Named Highest in Investor Satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates, Scottrade is dedicated to exceptional customer service and unprecedented value. Scottrade is also one of FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America. For more information, visit www.scottrade.com.

* According to January 2009 comScore Media Metrix data.

NEW YORK – AOL named Greg Coleman President of Platform-A as part of the company’s effort to expand display sales across its advertising and programming networks. Coleman, who has more than 25 years of sales and media experience, will lead Platform-A, the industry’s largest online advertising platform.

“Greg Coleman is perfectly suited to build on the foundation we created at Platform-A and drive branded display sales across our fast-growing MediaGlow programming network,” said Randy Falco, AOL Chairman and CEO. “Greg’s a seasoned sales pro who understands that online brand building is the next frontier in digital advertising, and that whoever can deliver marketers measurably improved branding online will be positioned for long-term success. I’m confident Greg will help us create branding solutions that leverage the strong success of MediaGlow and the upcoming launches at People Networks.”

“I thought long and hard about jumping back into the media and sales world. The only way I would do it is with a company that has everything it needs to deliver what advertisers need most, particularly in difficult economic times – productive, efficient and measurable ways to reach increasingly fragmented audiences with their brand messages. AOL is that company,” said Coleman. “Platform-A’s reach, combined with the incredible growth of AOL’s MediaGlow and the potential of its social media business, gives us a strong platform for advertisers to build brands that really perform online.”

Coleman replaces Lynda Clarizio, formerly the President of Advertising.com who was tapped to lead the integration of Platform-A. Under Lynda Clarizio’s leadership, AOL successfully consolidated and integrated the seven companies comprising Platform-A; created a unified organization around areas including sales, technology, publisher services and R&D and expanded overseas into nine countries within the past year.

“Lynda helped us realize the vision for Platform-A as the world’s largest, unified display advertising platform with the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions,” said Falco. “We are enormously grateful for her work and success.”

Prior to joining Platform-A, Coleman served as President and CEO of NetSeer, a start-up company focused on next generation search and ad targeting. Before that, he was EVP of Global Sales at Yahoo!, where he helped establish Yahoo!’s leadership in the online advertising marketplace. At Yahoo!, Coleman was responsible for all advertising revenues worldwide, which grew from $600 million to more than $6 billion during his tenure. Coleman also served as Senior Vice President of Reader’s Digest Association and President of U.S. Magazine Publishing, where he was responsible for the company’s magazine properties including Reader’s Digest. Coleman was the founding publisher of Memories magazine at Diamandis Communications and worked at CBS, Inc., where he spent 10 years leading advertising efforts for Women’s Day as Vice President and National Sales Manager.

As head of Platform-A, Coleman will report to AOL President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Grant.

AOL is now focused on growing three mutually dependent online businesses to take advantage of the shifting media landscape: advertising through Platform-A, publishing through MediaGlow and social media through People Networks.

Platform-A is uniquely positioned to leverage branding opportunity across the more than 70 high-quality publishing assets that make up MediaGlow, AOL’s newly launched and rapidly growing business unit. In 2008, MediaGlow launched more than 20 new sites and saw page views climb 64% year over year, engagement climb 39% year over year, and unduplicated users top 70 million, according to December comScore Media Metrix numbers. MediaGlow’s current assets include the AOL.com homepage and AOL branded sites such as AOL Money & Finance, AOL Living and AOL News, along with dozens of niche sites such as WalletPop, Bloggingstocks, Engadget, Autoblog, and AOL’s commerce sites, including AOL Travel, AOL Real Estate and AOL Autos. The MediaGlow unit is expected to create more than 30 editorially curated sites in 2009. AOL’s social media business unit, People Networks, is also poised to launch a number of new products in 2009 in connection with its next version of Bebo as well as efforts at socializing third-party websites.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, reaching 90% of the U.S. Internet audience, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform. Platform-A offers the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A comprises AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

NEW YORK – AOL’s Platform-A announced a multi-faceted strategic relationship with FreeCreditReport.com®, the leading provider for online consumer credit reports, scores and monitoring. The partnership will fully leverage Platform-A’s diverse slate of advertising solutions, including deep customized content integration within AOL’s properties and a variety of broad-based campaigns across Platform-A’s networks, http://www.platform-a.com/, ensuring the ability to harness the full power of digital media advertising.

“Our new partnership with FreeCreditReport.com touches almost every advertising solution available at Platform-A. FreeCreditReport.com has given us a clear mandate – use all the tools at our disposal to help them reach a massive consumer base,” said Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “In the current economic climate, advertisers are looking for results and value. Platform-A can promise what no one else in the industry can deliver – a cost-effective way to ensure scale, targeting and measurement. We are thrilled to begin 2009 with the FreeCreditReport.com expansion and look forward to serving their needs in the coming year.”

“Following a successful 2008 with Platform-A, we are excited to expand our relationship with AOL in a way that allows us to leverage all of their advertising solutions,” said Mike Dean, Chief Marketing Officer of Experian’s Consumer Direct Business. “FreeCreditReport.com simplifies the confusing world of credit information to give consumers more control over their finances.”

As the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, reaching more than 91% of the Internet population, according to comScore Media Metrix, Platform-A’s assets provided in the deal will include the key sites on AOL’s newly formed MediaGlow programming network, Platform-A’s industry-leading display network, behavioral and contextual targeting tools, and the exclusive ability to build creative materials that best communicate to key audiences.

Platform A was established by integrating AOL’s advertising business, Advertising.com, TACODA, Quigo and others to provide marketers with an efficient, effective means to leverage display, video, mobile, contextual, affiliate and search marketing solutions. The mission of Platform-A is to enable marketers to reach their targeted audiences at scale through delivery of highly engaging and effective advertising for maximum value and results. Platform-A now reaches more than 91% of the online audience in the U.S., and has expanded its reach to key countries in Europe. Platform-A, along with MediaGlow and People Networks, represent the three core businesses for AOL.

* Average monthly unique visitors for Q4 2008, according to comScore Media Metrix.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, reaching over 91% of the U.S. Internet audience, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform. Platform-A offers the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A comprises AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com/.

About FreeCreditReport.com

FreeCreditReport.com provides consumers with quick, easy and cost-effective access to personal credit histories, ongoing monitoring of changes to credit reports, as well as access to educational materials. The leading provider of online consumer credit reports, credit scores, credit monitoring and other credit-related information, FreeCreditReport.com serves millions of active members and has delivered more than 98 million credit reports on the Web. For more information, please visit www.freecreditreport.com, a Web site owned by ConsumerInfo.com, Inc., an Experian company.

About Experian

Experian is a global leader in providing information, analytical and marketing services to organizations and consumers to help manage the risk and reward of commercial and financial decisions.

Combining its unique information tools and deep understanding of individuals, markets and economies, Experian partners with organizations around the world to establish and strengthen customer relationships and provide their businesses with competitive advantage.

For consumers, Experian delivers critical information that enables them to make financial and purchasing decisions with greater control and confidence. Clients include organizations from financial services, retail and catalog, telecommunications, utilities, media, insurance, automotive, leisure, e-commerce, manufacturing, property and government sectors.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Experian has corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, and has operational headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Nottingham, UK. The Group employs approximately 15,500 people in 38 countries worldwide, supporting clients in more than 65 countries around the world. Revenue for the year ended March 31, 2008, was $4 billion.

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.

Experian and the marks used herein are service marks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc.

Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

NEW YORK – AOL’s Platform-A announced that the new AOL.com homepage is delivering advertisers record performance on their homepage advertising and is also driving increased consumer reach and engagement. Since the homepage redesign was launched in September 2008, advertising click-through rates on the primary 300 x 250 ad banner rose 30%, according to internal metrics, a double-digit increase that shows consumers are increasingly clicking on AOL.com homepage advertising. In addition, the redesign is driving stronger consumer usage: total unique visitors and average daily visitors each are up 13%, and total minutes grew by 29%, compared to one year ago, according to the November 2008 comScore Media Metrix Report.

“This week, the new homepage was rolled out to all AOL.com users, so we anticipate that our consumer usage numbers will continue to grow in the coming year,” said Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “Even in a tough economy, advertisers are finding ways to maximize their returns on investment, and our AOL.com homepage ad units have proven that consumers will respond positively to brand messaging within a new, highly customized consumer environment.”

The increased advertising performance comes with the AOL.com homepage relaunch that debuted in September with a new feature that allowed consumers to access multiple e-mail locations from AOL.com, including Yahoo!, Gmail, Hotmail, AOL and AIM Mail. In October, AOL introduced other features that let consumers access various social networking services from the homepage, becoming the first major portal to offer direct access to information from social networking sites. In addition, AOL.com introduced a new 300 x 600 ad space on the front page.

Late last year, Platform-A was established by combining AOL’s advertising business, Advertising.com, TACODA, and Quigo to provide marketers with an efficient, effective means to leverage display, video, mobile, contextual, affiliate and search marketing solutions. The mission of Platform-A is to make it easier for marketers to build their audiences, drive scale, and achieve growth in a fragmented market.

To date, Platform-A has fully integrated its sales forces, and developed one insertion order and other processes to streamline ad buying. In addition, Platform-A has accelerated its product development efforts with recent launches that include Spot Marketplace, which enables advertisers to bid on nonreserved inventory across AOL’s Web sites; PubAccess, a self-service interface enabling Web sites to place their inventory for sale in Platform-A’s third party display network; audience targeting across Platform-A; and the creation of a 300 x 600 ad unit across AOL’s homepages and co-branded sites.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the UK, and in Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

NEW YORK – AOL’s Platform-A announced the launch of a holiday-themed branding program for Schick Wilkinson-Sword that will integrate into Lemondrop.com, AOL’s new lifestyle destination for women aged 18-34. Lemondrop, http://www.lemondrop.com, is an irreverent, conversational website with content ranging from pop culture to politics. Launched in September, the site attracted nearly 2.6 million unique visitors in October, according to comScore Media Metrix. Lemondrop.com is part of AOL Living, http://living.aol.com, one of the top three women’s sites with more than 16.4 million monthly unique visitors and 477 million monthly page views. The site is one of more than 20 launches over the past year that build upon AOL’s broad publishing initiative to create experiences targeted at specific audiences.

During the one-month “Stocking Stuffers” campaign, Lemondrop.com editors will create original content that integrates Schick’s brand with posts such as “Best & Worst Guy Gifts,” “Dating Survival Tips During the Holidays” and “Genius Gifts from the Drugstore.” In keeping with Lemondrop’s editorial format, the content will refresh regularly and will include interactive, viral and blog-like elements to appeal to the site’s highly engaged audience. The program launched on November 25 and will run through December 26, 2008.

“This is a perfect example of how Platform-A and AOL can leverage highly valuable editorial environments to help deliver key brand messages to targeted audiences. We’re creating a unique platform for Schick that lets them reach a desirable and engaged audience,” says Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “Along with AOL’s leading media properties, Platform-A brings unmatched strengths to the market – our ability to offer brand advertising at scale, performance advertising across multiple media and precisely targeted campaigns at scale. And we’re delighted to have the opportunity to work with a great company like Schick to help them deliver their brand message.”

“This highly tailored campaign will let Schick engage with one of their key demographic groups at a time when they are making gift buying choices,” said Kristin France, Associate Media Director for Mediaedge:cia, Schick’s media agency of record. “By working with Schick to weave their messages into the increasingly popular Lemondrop.com site, Platform-A is helping them reach the right audience at the right time with an effective and engaging message.”

Since Lemondrop launched in September, advertisers such as Kohl’s, JCPenney, and Braun have also developed customized integrated sponsorships.

Over the past two years, AOL has rebuilt all its key branded programming channels and launched over two dozen specialty sites to appeal directly to an increasingly fragmented online audience. As a result, AOL has seen steady growth in its audience and engagement. Unique visitors to AOL’s programming content sites grew 7% year-over-year to 54.3 million, according to the October 2008 comScore Media Metrix Report, and page views more than doubled, up 101% year-over-year to 4.2 billion, while engagement (total minutes) grew 51% year-over-year. In October, total minutes also reached an all-time high on AOL.com, http://aol.com, growing 27% year-over-year as the site opened up many of its features to third-party content providers. In addition, many of AOL’s sites rank No. 1 in their categories, including Asylum, http://asylum.com, Black Voices, http://blackvoices.com, Music, http://music.aol.com, StyleList, http://stylelist.com, and Television, http://television.aol.com.

To date, Platform-A has fully integrated its sales forces and developed one insertion order and other processes to streamline ad buying. In addition, Platform-A has accelerated its product development efforts with recent launches including Spot Marketplace, enabling advertisers to bid on non-reserved inventory across AOL’s Web sites; PubAccess, a self-service interface enabling Web sites to place their inventory for sale in Platform-A’s third party display network; audience targeting across Platform-A; and the creation of a 300 x 600 ad unit across AOL’s homepages and co-branded sites.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the UK, and in Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

About Mediaedge:cia

Mediaedge:cia (MEC) gets consumers actively engaged with clients’ brands, leading to positive awareness, deeper relationships and stronger sales. Our services include brand and consumer insight and ROI, communications planning, media planning and buying, interaction (digital, direct, search), sport, entertainment and cause partnerships, retail consultancy and Hispanic marketing. Our 4,500 highly talented and motivated people work with local, regional and global clients from our 250 offices in 84 countries. We are a founding partner of GroupM, WPP’s media investment management group. To find out more go to: www.mecglobal.com.

NEW YORK – AOL’s Platform-A  announced that it launched, in partnership with T-Mobile USA, an unprecedented billion-impression Web advertising campaign across Platform-A during a two-day period on November 10 – 11. The first-of-its-kind advertising buy underscores Platform-A’s ability to reach more U.S. online consumers – more than 90% — than any other online advertising business. Platform-A includes AOL’s owned-and-operated sites, along with the thousands of sites in the Advertising.com third-party network.

Platform-A and T-Mobile collaborated to create the “T-Mobile Billion Block,” the most-expansive two-day ad buy in Platform-A history and will spotlight the T-Mobile G1 with Google, the first Android™-powered mobile phone. Over a two-day period, the T-Mobile G1 will dominate a significant amount of AOL and other Platform-A inventory, and it’s estimated that approximately 81.5 million consumers will be exposed to the exciting new phone over the campaign’s 48-hour run.

“The innovation behind the T-Mobile Billion Block clearly demonstrates the value marketers place on the combination of reach, impact and innovation that only Platform-A can offer,” said Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “It also spotlights the role online media will play in the upcoming buying season, with strategic marketers like T-Mobile relying on the near-universal reach of Platform-A to connect with United States consumers in an effective, efficient and engaging way.”

“The T-Mobile G1 offers a rich, accessible mobile Web experience for the masses, so we want to drive that message to the broadest range of U.S. consumers possible,” said Brett Dennis, director, branded entertainment and media management, T-Mobile USA. “The groundbreaking experience of the T-Mobile G1 is really what motivated us to pursue this exceptional online advertising program.”

Late last year, Platform-A was established by merging AOL’s advertising business, Advertising.com, TACODA, and Quigo to provide marketers with an efficient, effective means to leverage display, video, mobile, contextual, affiliate and search marketing solutions. The mission of Platform-A is to help marketers harness digital media to build brands and enhance online performance.

To date, Platform-A has fully integrated its salesforces, and developed one insertion order and other processes to streamline ad buying. In addition, Platform-A has accelerated its product development efforts with recent launches including Spot Marketplace, enabling advertisers to bid on nonreserved inventory across AOL’s Web sites; PubAccess, a self-service interface enabling Web sites to place their inventory for sale in Platform-A’s third party display network; audience targeting across Platform-A; and the creation of a 300 x 600 ad unit across AOL’s homepages and co-branded sites.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

About T-Mobile USA, Inc.

Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. operation of Deutsche Telekom AG’s Mobile Communications Business, and a wholly owned subsidiary of T-Mobile International, one of the world’s leading companies in mobile communications. By the end of the third quarter of 2008, 127 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — more than 32 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM, the world’s most widely used digital wireless standard. T-Mobile’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. For more information, please visit www.t-mobile.com. T-Mobile and the magenta color are federally registered trademarks of Deutsche Telekom AG.

NEW YORK – Platform-A announced plans during Advertising Week V to launch BidPlace, a self-service marketplace exchange that will give advertisers unprecedented control in managing display advertising campaigns. BidPlace, which will let advertisers dynamically bid on and manage display inventory across Platform-A’s network, will provide greater transparency for marketers on a real-time basis to maximize the efficiency of their campaigns. BidPlace will launch in the first half of 2009. Platform-A, http://www.platform-a.com, is AOL’s digital advertising business.

“BidPlace unleashes the industry’s most powerful advertising technologies and puts them in the hands of advertisers,” said Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “This is the next step in Platform-A’s efforts to provide marketers a unified solution for brand advertising at scale and performance advertising across multiple media. BidPlace gives advertisers what they’ve been asking for — a more accessible and transparent approach and an ability to adjust the dials to get the best results.”

BidPlace will allow advertisers to submit bids for CPM, CPC and CPA advertising on AOL, on select partner sites and on Platform-A’s third-party network, which combined reaches 90% of the online audience, according to the August 2008 comScore Media Metrix report.

BidPlace’s automated interface will let advertisers create and manage their campaigns, define budgets, pricing, targeting and the frequency of their ad placements. Advertisers will receive detailed reporting on campaign and creative performance.

BidPlace will utilize a new, upgraded version of Platform-A’s award winning AdLearn technology, which includes cutting-edge optimization and targeting technologies.

When fully launched, the benefits of BidPlace will include:

* Pricing – Change bids at any time;
* Creative Gallery – Manage creatives in a central repository for easy access;
* Price Volume Analysis – Get forecasts for expected volume at different price points and targeting options;
* Budget Allocation – Maintain complete control over how budgets are allocated across campaigns;
* Campaign Management Controls – Ability to have full control over campaign delivery;
* Reporting – View detailed reporting on campaign and creative performance.

BidPlace extends Platform-A’s aggressive product launch efforts. In recent months, Platform-A has launched: Spot Marketplace, which lets advertisers buy non-reserved site or content-specific media across Platform-A; Behavioral Targeting across Platform-A; an iPhone ad optimization solution that detects and delivers optimized ads on iPhones browsing the Web; an affiliate marketing solution that links Platform-A’s buy.at affiliate network to the widget-based marketing tools of Goowy Media. BidPlace complements PubAccess, the self-service interface Platform-A launched in April that lets publisher sites monetize their inventory through Platform-A’s third-party network.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

NEW YORK – AOL today announced that ADTECH will provide ad-serving capabilities for React2Media, a leading online advertising network offering a complete suite of interactive marketing opportunities to media agencies, direct advertisers and publishers. A leading provider of ad-serving technology, ADTECH (http://www.adtechus.com) is an independently operated unit within AOL’s Platform-A digital advertising business.

React2Media will utilize ADTECH’s HeliosIQ solution to provide ad-serving for its network of more than 150 exclusive Web sites, including the QuikZilla search portal and CookingTown.com. The React2Media migration follows ADTECH’s major ad-serving deal with Gannett Co., Inc., which includes all of Gannett’s local newspaper Web sites, digital properties for all of Gannett’s 19 local broadcast markets and USATODAY.com – one of the most popular national news sites on the Web. The deal marked ADTECH’s U.S. debut as Platform-A’s ad-serving unit.

“With the future of digital advertising unfolding, and TV and the Internet increasingly becoming indistinguishable, React2Media has been able to identify and surpass some of the greatest hurdles in the industry,” said Dirk Freytag, CEO of ADTECH. “Our goal in bringing ADTECH’s robust, scalable technology to React2Media is to help them further this impressive progress in the current advertising climate, as well as into the future.”

“After reviewing all of the current ad servers in the marketplace, selecting ADTECH was an easy decision because of their distinctive array of mobile and display ad-serving capabilities,” said Alex Shaller, CEO of React2Media. “Based upon our business model and ADTECH’s ability to integrate our technologies, this was the best solution to service both publishers and advertisers alike.”

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad-serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad-serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

About ADTECH

ADTECH is a leading international supplier of digital marketing solutions. The company’s flagship product, HeliosIQ ad-serving platform, enables Web publishers to manage, serve and evaluate virtually any kind of online advertising campaign including display, video and mobile formats. HeliosIQ differentiates itself via its scalable, enterprise-class infrastructure and publisher-friendly tools, providing publishers with increased efficiency, reliability and ROI for their online advertising business. ADTECH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Platform-A’s Advertising.com. Visit www.adtechus.com for more information.

About React2Media

React2Media is one of the leading independent full service online advertising networks. Offering a complete suite of interactive marketing opportunities to media agencies, direct advertisers and publishers alike, they have successfully eliminated the challenges faced in the current ad network landscape. With a company built on integrity, honesty and most importantly RESULTS, React2Media is focused on ensuring every ad impression is monetized in the most efficient manner possible yielding the highest effective CPM for their publishers as well as the greatest ROI possible for their advertisers. This is accomplished by in-house proprietary technologies, the most sophisticated Web 2.0 optimization tools with full visibility and disclosure offered to customers.

NEW YORK – AOL announced the launch of the mobile industry’s most robust and far-reaching solution for targeting advertising to iPhone users. Offered through Third Screen Media, Platform-A’s mobile ad-serving platform and network, the solution detects and delivers optimized ads on iPhones browsing the Web. Platform-A, http://www.platform-a.com, is AOL’s digital advertising business.

When an iPhone user is browsing sites within the Third Screen Media mobile network, the Advertising.com web network, or any of AOL’s leading media properties, Third Screen Media’s targeting technology will serve an ad specifically optimized for viewing on an iPhone. In addition to optimizing ads for the iPhone, Third Screen Media can redirect iPhone users to special versions of marketers’ sites that are optimized for the iPhone experience.

As part of Platform-A, Third Screen Media is the only mobile network that also has access to a Web display network reaching 90% of the Internet audience, making it the only organization that can offer such a complete solution. And by combining the reach of the Third Screen Media mobile network with its industry-leading Web network, Platform-A can deliver up to 75 million ads to iPhones every month.

“Today’s launch is a perfect example of how Platform-A’s unmatched reach, solutions and technologies can benefit advertisers trying to reach consumers in the most compelling way,” said Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “We can not only help advertisers effectively reach iPhone users on WAP pages and Web pages, but we can also deliver banners optimized for display on the iPhone.”

Platform-A’s iPhone optimization technology follows the release of its third-party ad-serving solution that allows mobile publishers to access multiple networks. The solution also features an inventory partitioning tool that allows publishers to assign specific percentages of their inventory to be allocated based on any combination of ad network, subject area, location and more.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

About Third Screen Media

Third Screen Media is Platform-A’s mobile ad-serving platform and network that enables advertising on mobile devices. Its mobile solutions link advertisers, publishers and carriers on a common platform to buy and sell mobile advertising. Offering one of the world’s most-respected mobile advertising networks, Third Screen Media offers best-in-class content, including AOL’s popular consumer brands and mobile applications; the largest availability of carrier on-deck mobile inventory; and a mobile network of more than 100 premium publishers representing 200+ sites. Customers and partners, including many of the world’s largest marketers, agencies and media companies, rely on Third Screen Media’s products and services to manage and optimize their mobile advertising campaigns.

This first-of-its-kind solution provides buy.at affiliate publishers with an exclusive gallery of advertiser-generated widgets through the buy.at web site. Once a publisher places a widget on their web site, consumers can grab it and distribute the widget to other locations on the Web, including social network pages, desktops and blogs. The publisher earns revenue for each sale driven by the widget, even if it’s several download-generations away from the publisher’s site.

“This solution combines the best of affiliate and widget advertising in a solution that benefits publishers and advertisers alike,” said Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “Publisher revenue potential, brand exposure for the advertiser, and potential conversions grow virally each time the widget is downloaded by a consumer.”

Entertainment advertiser Ticketmaster.com is the first buy.at advertiser to work with Platform-A in developing and distributing this new affiliate feature. The customizable “EventEngine” widget is now available for download by buy.at affiliate publishers. Ticketmaster’s “EventEngine” campaign widget can be tailored to promote specific Ticketmaster events. All ticket purchases that originate from Ticketmaster’s widget are credited to the buy.at affiliate network publisher.

Goowy Media forms part of AOL’s newly created People Networks business unit, which combines social media network Bebo, the AIM and ICQ personal communications network, and social search and answer service Yedda. People Networks’ collection of community platforms reaches 80 million unduplicated users worldwide.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

In June 2008, the Advertising.com display network reached 167.7 million unique visitors in the U.S., or 88.3% of the total domestic online audience. This reach surpasses all other online ad networks, according to comScore. Platform-A as a whole, which includes Advertising.com’s third-party network as well as AOL’s owned-and-operated network, ranked number one in the Media Metrix Ad Focus ranking, reaching 170.3 million unique visitors in the U.S., or 89.7% of the U.S. online audience.

“With its extensive reach and advanced targeting and performance tools, Advertising.com is a critical pillar of Platform-A,” said Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “Our ability to reach nine out of ten Internet users and then use our technology to target our audience in virtually infinite ways is one of our most powerful assets as a digital advertising company.”

AOL launched Platform-A in 2007, merging six complementary advertising companies, including Advertising.com, to create the industry’s largest and most sophisticated digital advertising platform.

About Platform-A
Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

Advertisers can now utilize Goowy to create customized “grabbable” web widgets and distribute them across Platform-A, which includes AOL’s leading media properties and thousands of sites within Advertising.com’s third-party network. In addition, widgets may also be served as ads within Bebo and Facebook applications that are part of the Widgnet publisher network, launched by Advertising.com earlier this year. While most widget platforms charge additional CPM rates, Platform-A offers the service as a value-add for qualified advertisers.

“Platform-A is committed to expanding widget advertising services, and Goowy is one way to ensure that our customers generate value from their campaigns,” said Lynda Clarizio, President of Platform-A. “Widget-based advertising is gaining momentum in the industry, and Platform-A’s network approach allows our customers to build brands, encourage interaction, and drive site traffic – all at scale.”

Widget campaigns, powered by Goowy, will leverage Advertising.com’s AdLearn technology for full optimization across Platform-A based on clicks, installs, and other campaign objectives. By distributing widget ads across Platform-A, marketers will be able to create more compelling ad units, include more dynamic content, and build longer-term relationships with the growing number of consumers who are increasingly downloading applications to their social network pages.

Additionally, widget publishers can utilize Goowy for free by becoming part of the Widgnet publisher network and agreeing to display advertising within their widgets. Any revenue generated from these publisher widgets will then be split back with the publisher.

Goowy Media forms part of AOL’s newly created People Networks business unit, which combines social media network Bebo, the AIM and ICQ personal communications network, and social search and answer service Yedda. People Networks’ collection of community platforms reaches 80 million unduplicated users worldwide.

To see an example of a widget campaign, please visit http://www.advertising.com/advertisers-widgnet.php.

About Platform-A
Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui. Learn more at http://www.platform-a.com.

While back-to-school buying remains primarily an in-store activity, there’s plenty of opportunity for online marketing to influence back-to-school revenue, the survey reveals. Eighty-three percent of all back-to-school consumers indicate that they’re somewhat likely to seek information on promotions they see online. The survey also shows that women are typically the primary decision-makers for back-to-school purchases.

“While back-to-school buying remains primarily an offline activity, the survey reveals plenty of opportunity for online marketing to influence back-to-school purchases,” said Stuart Rodnick, Senior Director of the ADlytics group. “As an example, the usefulness of weekly circulars can be extended online where they can be viewed any day of the week and targeted to in-market back-to-school shoppers.”

Nearly 40% of consumers who buy early are likely to purchase electronic items vs. later shoppers (17%). This suggests that advertisers may want to promote laptops, cell phones and other electronics during the earlier summer months. Advertisers can also use online targeting as a way to reach these consumers during these early summer months.

With the majority of back-to-school purchases overall taking place in August, retailers can start to accelerate spending and increase store traffic earlier in the summer by highlighting promotional specials during mid-summer, similar to the way Black Friday and Cyber Monday accelerate holiday shopping spend.

Platform-A’s ADlytics group collaborated with OTX, a top-25 global consumer research and consulting firm, to conduct the survey. OTX gathered data from a sample of 1,000 families with school-aged children (age 6-17). Interviews were collected April 10 – 14 to assess how and when they will make back-to-school purchases this year. Platform-A’s ADlytics Group provides thought leadership that helps advertisers drive revenue through fact-based insights, strategy expertise and innovative research projects that measure the effect of online advertising to online and offline results.

About Platform-A
Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui.

About OTX
OTX is a global consumer research and consulting firm that has established itself as a leading provider of online-based research. The company specializes in providing innovative, cutting-edge online technology, products and analysis to the marketing, entertainment and advertising communities. OTX has developed the most innovative products available for online research today – products that work to uncover deeper and more profound consumer insight. Today the company is one of the fastest growing research companies in the United States and has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Cincinnati, Miami, Chicago and London, with strategic partners in Japan, Australia, Russia, China, and Mexico.

New York, NY – June 30, 2008 – AOL’s Platform-A announces that it will offer Bebo and Facebook application developers a guaranteed CPM for U.S. traffic to their applications. The CPM is one of the industry’s highest for this inventory. Platform-A, http://www.platform-a.com, is AOL’s advertising business. AOL acquired Bebo, http://www.bebo.com, in May 2008.

The offering is part of the WIDGNET™ publisher network launched earlier this year by Platform-A’s Advertising.com. WIDGNET is an offering that allows advertisers to add fresh inventory to their media mix by placing advertising within widgets and similar applications found in the WIDGNET network. Through WIDGNET, Bebo and Facebook application developers will gain access to Platform-A’s vast base of brand and performance advertisers. The guaranteed CPM rates will apply to the first three impressions for each unique U.S. visitor who visits an approved developer’s application.

“This announcement reinforces Platform-A’s commitment to helping developers generate revenue and monetize their Bebo and Facebook applications in the rapidly evolving social networking space. Advertiser interest in social networks is rising at a steady rate, and Platform-A is making an unprecedented flat-fee commitment to help application developers generate revenue and guarantee monetization of their applications,” said Dave Jacobs, Senior Vice President of Publisher Services, Platform-A Advertising.com Networks. “Platform-A views social networking applications as an area where we can add significant value by letting developers focus on expanding their install base, without worrying about monetization of applications.”

Social networking applications vary in size and complexity and range from useful photo manipulation tools to fun novelty games. Applications are built using proprietary markup language and leverage the core features of both sites. Users can add, share and employ these applications within their profiles. There are more than 30,000 applications currently available across the Bebo and Facebook directories, representing tens of millions of installs and millions of active users.

Bebo launched its Open Application Platform in December 2007, opening its API to third-party developers to integrate their applications with the Bebo site. Bebo has more than 4,000 applications available to date — from music and movies to gameplay and photo sharing — for the site’s 42 million plus users worldwide. And in its quest to make it as seamless as possible for developers to reach their users, Bebo plans to integrate with OpenSocial in the coming months, making it the first social media network to be compatible with both the Facebook and OpenSocial platforms.

Platform-A’s Facebook publishers range from independent developers to established companies such as RockYou, Scrabulous and Fotoflexer, whose customizable applications include photo slideshows, photo and image editing, glitter text, voicemail accessories and games.

Platform-A is currently in the process of expanding this program to offer guaranteed CPMs for European Bebo and Facebook application developers this summer.

Platform-A is actively reviewing other widget platforms as inventory opportunities evolve. For more information, go to http://widgnet.advertising.com.

About Platform-A
Platform-A, AOL’s advertising business, is the industry’s largest digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of marketing solutions, powered by the Web’s best advertising technologies. Platform-A includes AOL’s leading media properties – AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more – and Advertising.com’s third-party networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA’s audience insights and behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution; ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States, nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through a joint venture with Mitsui.

About Bebo
Bebo is the world’s leading global social media network. Building on the notion of traditional social networking websites, Bebo combines community, self-expression and entertainment to enable its users to consume, create, discover, and share professional and user-generated content through the Bebo website. Bebo has more than 11.9 unique users in the U.K., and a total membership of more than 42 million worldwide. Bebo’s worldwide users spend an average of 30 minutes a day on the site. Bebo forms part of AOL’s newly created People Networks business unit which combines Bebo, the AIM and ICQ personal communications network, widget technology company Goowy Media and social search and answer service Yedda. People Networks’ collection of community platforms reaches 80 million unduplicated users worldwide. Bebo is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL LLC, a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.