REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 25, 2000 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that its MSN TM MoneyCentral TM group has signed annual advertising sponsorship packages for 2000 with six leading online banks and brokerages: Chase Manhattan Bank N.A., Datek Online, E*TRADE Group Inc., Fidelity Investments, KeyTrade Online and Net.B@nk Inc.
MSN MoneyCentral is an award-winning personal finance Web site that provides consumers with the financial tools, information and resources to easily manage all their financial needs online in one, easy-to-use place. The new sponsorship agreements offer users of MoneyCentral access to information from industry-leading online banks and brokerages in a single location.
“For consumers, this is another step in Microsoft’s Everyday Web strategy of providing consumers with the tools and information they need to lead the Web lifestyle,”
said James Kinsella, general manager of MSN Sales and Marketing at Microsoft.
“The annual MoneyCentral advertising sponsorship deals for 2000 will deliver exactly the audience that these leading online financial firms are seeking. The 5 million monthly visitors to MoneyCentral are Web-savvy customers looking to do the majority of their banking and financial transactions online.”
As part of their advertising sponsorship deals with MoneyCentral, all six companies will sponsor the MoneyCentral home page. Datek Online, E*TRADE, Fidelity Investments and KeyTrade Online will also sponsor and provide content for the Retirement and Wills sections of MoneyCentral, and Chase Manhattan Bank and Net.B@nk will sponsor and provide content for the Saving & Spending category of MoneyCentral.
“The Chase family of companies has Web-enabled our businesses to the point that we now offer a wide array of services online, ranging from online banking and investing to credit cards and Currency-to-Go. Chase also provides unique financial tools, such as our proprietary Smart Borrowing Planner, that can help consumers save money online,”
said Dan Kohn, vice president, Chase Manhattan Bank.
“As the leading money management site for consumers, MSN MoneyCentral is an effective place for Chase to reach the wide audience of consumers we are seeking.”
“Datek Online is very excited about this deal with MSN MoneyCentral,”
said Tres Meyer, senior vice president of Consumer Marketing for Datek Online.
“This sponsorship provides yet another avenue for Datek Online to publicize the unparalleled programs and resources it offers today’s investors, including access to 60-second marketable orders, real-time portfolio updates and extended hours of trading, among others. Sponsoring MoneyCentral allows Datek Online to promote the mission it was founded on — putting the power of professional tools in the hands of the individual investor.”
“E*TRADE’s presence on MSN MoneyCentral is highly targeted, making it easy for individual investors to learn about all the products, investment ideas and insights E*TRADE offers,”
said Michael Sievert, vice president of marketing for E*TRADE.
“Like our visitors and customers, visitors to MoneyCentral want timely, actionable information at their fingertips, and that’s exactly what E*TRADE is all about. We puts the user in the driver seat, providing research, analysis and tools to empower investors to make more informed investing decisions.”
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We are pleased to extend our promotional alliance with MSN MoneyCentral to generate additional exposure for Powerstreet , Fidelity’s personal investing area on fidelity.com,”
said Tracey Curvey, executive vice president, Fidelity Online Brokerage.
“As a sponsor of MSN MoneyCentral, Fidelity will reach a targeted audience of Internet-savvy investors with information about Powerstreet’s comprehensive arsenal of new and expanded financial planning information, online trading technology, tools and resources designed to help them invest responsibly.”
“KeyTrade Online is tailored to the same market as the people who log on to MSN MoneyCentral,”
said Michael J. Lake, president and CEO of KeyTrade Online.
“Keytrade Online, the nation’s newest online discount brokerage, is geared entirely to people who want to manage their own investments. Our link on MoneyCentral is sure to attract today’s growing population of Internet do-it-yourself investors, traders and money managers.”
“As the largest Internet bank in the nation, we want to establish solid relationships with the top financial information sites on the Web,”
said D. R. Grimes, CEO of Net.B@nk.
“With that in mind, we definitely wanted to get our brand in front of the MoneyCentral audience: Internet-savvy, college-educated, working professionals.”
About MSN MoneyCentral
MSN MoneyCentral is the leading online personal finance resource for consumers, making it the best place on the Web to research, make decisions about and take action on personal finances, delivering on the MSN Everyday Web vision. MSN MoneyCentral delivers easy-to-use tools, advice from dedicated financial professionals and experts, financial data from leading content providers, and seamless integration with the award-winning network of MSN services, enabling consumers to manage their money and financial services, increase their financial self-confidence, and make smart financial decisions, in one central location, any time, anywhere.
About MSN and Microsoft
MSN is the network of Internet services from Microsoft that helps people better organize the Web around what’s important to them. The network of MSN services, located on the Web at MSN.com TM ( http://www.MSN.com/ ), helps people easily stay in touch with friends and colleagues, make smart and secure purchasing decisions, and get more done. MSN offers award-winning e-mail functionality; personal communications services; wireless services information; customizable access to news; popular sites for personal finance, travel, automotive services, shopping and more; an online community; a Web search engine and directories; and top-rated Internet access.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, MSN, MoneyCentral and MSN.com are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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