Acura Drives Into Homes With Rich Media Broadband Advertisement
30 August 1999
Acura Drives Into Consumers' Homes With Rich Media Broadband Advertisement On the @Home Service NEW EXCITE@HOME CORPORATE LOGO The new Excite@Home corporate logo. (PRNewsFoto)[DM] REDWOOD CITY, CA USA 05/28/1999 REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 30 -- Excite@Home
today announced that Acura has launched a new interactive advertising campaign
on the @Home(R) broadband service. Leveraging @Home's high-speed cable
Internet service, Acura is bringing its multimedia kiosk content and
interactive assets into consumers' homes with rich media broadband
advertising.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990528/SFF034 )
Consumers can click into the Acura broadband site directly from Acura ads
on the @Home service to see and hear detailed Acura vehicle information.
Through more than 200 easily navigable screens and 30 videos, the Acura
broadband site, created by Genex Interactive, arms consumers with all the
information they need to make an informed purchase decision before they speak
with a sales representative.
"The goal is for every Acura customer to have the opportunity to
experience the product and the brand personality," said Walter Schild, CEO of
Genex. "We were looking for a way to enable consumers to access the
media-rich assets of Acura content. This new broadband ad and site are very
similar to the networked dealership kiosks but can be utilized in the comfort
of consumers' homes. @Home's 'fat pipe' Internet service enables us to
distribute that experience."
The Acura broadband site utilizes high-resolution images and videos,
voice-overs, custom music and information databases to deliver in-depth
product information and brand messages. The full experience leads consumers
on a comprehensive product tour, organized around their personal buying
interests. Consumers can control where they want to go within the content in
a non-linear fashion. Through a variety of interactive options, they can
gather detailed information about specific features of six Acura models,
request a brochure to be mailed to their home and locate a dealer in their
neighborhood. The Acura broadband site even guides consumers through
comparison shopping.
"Acura clearly understands the power of broadband advertising," said Susan
Bratton, vice president, market development of Excite@Home. "They are
dedicated to bringing the most powerful, polished and immersive experience to
their customers. Extending the value and reach of their existing kiosk
program to consumers through interactive advertising is a visionary move and
connects with consumers in way narrowband banner advertising cannot."
Recognized by the advertising industry for its creative and
forward-thinking efforts, Acura was among the first to utilize broadband
advertising in the automotive industry. The company's 1998 Acura TL broadband
microsite received a bronze award at the 1999 @d:tech Awards Ceremony. The
campaign was produced by @Home's creative services team with direction from
Genex Interactive.
About Acura
Acura Division of American Honda Motor Company is headquartered in
Torrance, CA. Acura automobiles are known for their unique combination of
luxury and performance. From the flagship RL sedan and the all new TL, to the
sporty Integra, and classic CL and exotic NSX sportscar, Acura offers a full
line of unforgettable automobiles. Information on the full line of Acura
luxury and performance vehicles can be found at http://www.acura.com.
About Genex
Genex (http://www.genex.com) is a strategic interactive development agency that
specializes in creating digital business solutions. Typical projects are Web
sites, networked kiosks, transaction and e-commerce applications, intranets
and tools for managing interactive initiatives. Additional Genex expertise
includes back-end applications and database development, navigation and
interface design, and strategic consulting. Current clients include American
Honda/Acura, e-Insurance Systems, Herman Miller, Inc., Nestle USA,
NetLegs.com, Obagi Medical Products, The Patent and License Exchange, Porsche
Cars North America, State Street Corporation, Sterling Commerce, Sterling
Software and Warner Bros.
About Excite@Home
Excite@Home is a global media company based in Redwood City, Calif.
Through the company's narrowband portal, Excite (http://www.excite.com), and
broadband services, @Home and @Work, the company uniquely offers consumers
content and interactive services across both narrowband and broadband. The
rich media advertising and database marketing solutions of Enliven
(http://www.enliven.com) and MatchLogic (http://www.matchlogic.com) offer advertisers highly
targeted interactive marketing and reporting services across all platforms of
delivery. Leveraging the high-speed, always-on attributes of cable,
Excite@Home empowers unique multimedia applications that go beyond current Web
experiences. The company will combine the Excite brand-one of the best known
names on the Internet with 70 percent recognition among Web users-with the
@Home broadband service's broad distribution, a worldwide footprint of
67 million cable homes, to deliver on its vision of "All Band, All Device, All
the Time."
For more investor information about Excite@Home, please call our
stockholder services hotline at 888-924-9248.
Brand recognition statistics quoted are from Frank N. Magid and
Associates, Inc. (1/99).
NOTE: @Home, Excite, Enliven, Excite@Home and MatchLogic are trademarks
of At Home Corporation and may be registered in certain jurisdictions. All
other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the safe harbors created by
those sections. These forward-looking statements include statements related
to: the ability to arm consumers with all the information they need to make an
informed purchase decision and to connect with consumers in way narrrowband
banner advertising cannot. Actual results may differ materially due to a
number of factors, including: the technological, operational, and financial
challenges of developing an integrated advertising campaign that subscribers
find useful and compelling; the degree of customer and industry acceptance and
support for the campaign; and the companies' ability to manage the campaign.
The matters discussed in this press release also involve risks and
uncertainties described from time to time in Excite@Home's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see the risk factors
described in Excite@Home's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1999.
Excite@Home assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information
contained in this press release.
