REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 28, 1998 — In the largest Internet advertising agreement ever signed, Microsoft Corp. today announced that First USA Inc., the largest Visa and MasterCard lender in the United States, will purchase $90 million of advertising on MSN. The agreement gives First USA exclusive rights to advertise its credit cards across most of the MSN
™
network of Internet products and services for five years*.
This agreement reinforces the value of MSN, which offers broad reach and top-rated sites on the Internet. In the past month, according to Media Metrix, the reach of the MSN network has increased from 30.1 percent to 34.1 percent of all online users, while MSNBC, MSN Hotmail, the MSN CarPoint
™
online automotive service and MSN Gaming Zone have remained the most popular sites among consumers in their respective categories.
First USA will use the full breadth of the advertising offerings on MSN, as well as new ad types created jointly by First USA and the Microsoft online sales and marketing team.
“First USA is continually searching for new and exciting ways of reaching potential customers with compelling credit card offers,”
said James W. Stewart, executive vice president, partnership and Internet marketing, First USA.
“MSN, as one of the preeminent distribution points on the Web, gives us excellent visibility for our products and services.”
“Among our top considerations for developing large-scale agreements like this is providing our customers with access to great products and services, and First USA is a blue-chip company with top-quality products,”
said Charlotte Guyman, general manager of online sales and marketing at Microsoft.
“This agreement underscores the great value MSN provides to companies looking for broad reach with a quality audience to promote their brand and products to consumers online.”
First USA
First USA ( http://www.firstusa.com/ ), a subsidiary of BANK ONE CORP., is the largest Visa and MasterCard lender in the nation. First USA offers credit cards for consumers and businesses under the First USA, First Card and Bank One names, with more than 1,300 marketing partners, including Yale University, The PGA Tour, American Medical Association, United Airlines, Merrill Lynch & Company Inc. and Dell Computer Corp. First USA has 60.5 million card members and $65.2 billion in managed loans.
Microsoft Online Sales and Marketing Team
The Microsoft online sales and marketing team offers online advertising and sponsorship opportunities within the MSN network of services. The integration of the Microsoft portal site and best-of-breed Internet services into a cohesive network establishes MSN.com as one of the most visited sites on the Internet. In addition to this broad consumer reach, properties on MSN deliver a highly qualified audience to businesses, helping them achieve their sales and marketing goals. The Microsoft online sales and marketing team’s offerings include sponsorships of content and service segments, banner ads, promotions, cross-network packages and rich media online commercials using Windows® Media Technologies.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and
personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
* The deal includes distribution of advertising but not exclusivity on the MSN Expedia
™travel service, the MSN Sidewalk® online guide, MSN MoneyCentral or MSN Small Business properties on the MSN network of Internet services.
Microsoft, MSN, CarPoint, Windows, Expedia and Sidewalk are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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