ACNielsen to Act as Preferred Provider of Syndicated Sales Information For OfficeMax(R) Incorporated.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. -- ACNielsen U.S., an operating unit of ACNielsen, a VNU business, today announced an information sharing alliance with OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE:OMX). The agreement will enable OfficeMax vendors to gain new insights into their sales performance within the company's U.S. stores through ACNielsen. Under this agreement, ACNielsen will monitor sales and create a total trading area for OfficeMax. ACNielsen provides the most complete coverage of the complex consumer packaged goods marketplace in the industry. The inclusion of OfficeMax's sales data will add an even greater degree of market-level coverage to the manufacturers.

OfficeMax account level sales data will allow manufacturers to better understand product performance within total U.S. where OfficeMax competes. In addition, ACNielsen will design and develop custom category management templates to enhance OfficeMax's category management process which will be available for purchase by manufacturers once developed. In addition to the creation of a Total OfficeMax Trading Area, the agreement also includes the following services: ACNielsen Onsite, RWS/Nitro and Strategic Planner.

Bill Zeuch, Vice President Category Management & Customer Insight, OfficeMax said, "This strategic relationship with ACNielsen will help us work more effectively with our manufacturer partners by enabling them to better understand their sales within the total U.S. area where we compete. We value the high quality of ACNielsen's data and insights and the dedication of their team assigned to our business."

Also under the agreement, OfficeMax will utilize Spectra EnLighten, a tool which will provide an increased understanding of the consumers in the Consumer Trade Areas(TM) surrounding their stores and will help them to better optimize their merchandising and assortment choices to meet the needs of their consumers in each area.

Tim Kregor, President, ACNielsen Homescan & Spectra US said, "Utilizing our Spectra solutions, OfficeMax will gain a deeper insight into who their consumers are and where they shop. We are excited to begin this collaboration with them."

Dan Sacco, Senior Vice President, ACNielsen Client Service, said, "We are very pleased to have expanded the scope of our work with OfficeMax. This alliance offers OfficeMax and its vendors a clearer view of consumer understanding and demand that will bring valuable insight into the forecasting and replenishment process."

About ACNielsen

ACNielsen, a VNU business, is the world's leading marketing information provider. Offering services in more than 100 countries, the unit provides measurement and analysis of marketplace dynamics and consumer attitudes and behavior. ACNielsen Homescan & Spectra, a global business unit of ACNielsen, is the leader in delivering consumer and shopper insights, creating marketing efficiency for FMCG companies through world-class segmentation and targeting services. Clients rely on ACNielsen's market research, proprietary products, analytical tools and professional service to understand competitive performance, to uncover new opportunities and to raise the profitability of their marketing and sales campaigns.

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