ADVISORY/ IDG Presents 'Buying IT in 2003': Webcast Empowers IT Marketers with Strategic Tools to Capitalize on Predicted 2003 Technology Spending Increases.

Business/Technology Editors

ADVISORY...for Wednesday (Aug. 21)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IDG

WHAT:       IDG presents "Buying IT in 2003," the second installment
            in a free webcast series developed specifically to address
            and solve critical challenges faced by IT marketing
            professionals. Featuring a panel of seasoned professionals
            from IDC, National Retail Federation, and Strategic
            Oxygen, "Buying IT in 2003" examines the factors that will
            drive increased IT spending and provides practical
            strategies that technology marketers can implement to
            effectively reach IT buyers, and drive sales.

WHY:        In this webcast, marketing professionals will:
        --  Learn about the future of the IT market within the context
            of historical IT market fluctuations
        --  Understand the drivers propelling technology spending
            growth in 2003
        --  Gain valuable insights on how marketers can most
            efficiently and effectively target IT buyers
        --  Receive a free white paper, "Back to Basics: Successful
            Technology Marketing in an Uncertain Economy"

WHEN:       This webcast will go live today, Wednesday, August 21st,
            and will be available on demand at anytime at:
            http://www.itworld.com/itwebcast/IT_Market2

SPEAKERS:   John Gantz: Chief Research Officer, IDC - John has tracked
            the ebb and flow of the technology market for nearly 30
            years. He offers his opinions about the current state of
            the market and examines the drivers that will propel us
            into the next growth cycle.

            Cathy Hotka: Vice President of Information Technology,
            National Retail Federation - As head of the nation's CIO
            advocacy group, Cathy has the inside track on what CIOs
            are thinking. She offers her thoughts on where retail CIOs
            are headed in 2003, where they'll be spending their
            budgets and what issues are top of mind with this
            influential group.

            Michael Gale: Principal, Strategic Oxygen - Michael has
            more than sixteen years of experience in high tech
            marketing. He has recently completed research that tracks
            where IT buyers go for information during the awareness,
            consideration and purchasing stages of the technology
            purchase process. Michael shares his thoughts on how IT
            marketers can capture both share of voice and share of
            wallet through tightly integrated marketing programs.