ADVO Applauds New Stable Postal Outlook; New Legislation Stabilizes Postal Rates Until At Least 2006.

Business Editors

WINDSOR, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 9, 2003

ADVO, Inc. (NYSE:AD) applauded new legislation passed by Congress which will allow postal rates to remain stable until at least 2006.

The measure corrects charges levied against the Postal Service for civil service benefit costs which were over inflated, substantially improving the USPS's profitability picture and mid-term outlook. The adjustment also enables the Postal Service to forego the rate case previously expected to be filed this month.

Gary Mulloy, ADVO's Chairman and CEO, and Secretary of the Mailing Industry's CEO Council commented, "By allowing rates to remain at current levels, this action improves the overall competitiveness of the mail stream as a communications medium and provides the impetus for mail volumes to grow. Furthermore, it allows the focus to be on developing reform initiatives which will strengthen the USPS's business model and financial health over the long-term." Mr. Mulloy continued, "On behalf of our clients and the mailing industry, we and the USPS have been highlighting the fact that the Postal Service's core operations are consistently profitable. We applaud and thank the diligent efforts of the Administration and bipartisan leadership of the U.S. Senate and House, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Senators Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman, and House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Representatives Tom Davis, Henry Waxman, John McHugh, and Danny Davis for moving forward expeditiously to approve this critical legislation."

ADVO is the largest full-service targeted direct mail marketing services company in the United States, with annual revenues of over $1.1 billion. The Company's shared mail advertising programs reach 102 million U.S. households on a weekly and monthly basis. This includes its core ShopWise(TM) branded programs, and the reach of its ADVO National Network Extension (A.N.N.E.) program. Additionally, the Company's SuperCoups(R) advertising solutions provide targeted advertising for local neighborhood businesses. ADVO launched the America's Looking For Its Missing Children(R) program in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the United States Postal Service in 1985, and ADVO's missing child cards are responsible for safely recovering 124 children. ADVO has 23 mail processing facilities and 50 sales offices nationwide. ADVO's corporate headquarters are located at One Univac Lane, Windsor, Connecticut 06095, and the Company can be visited at its Web site at www.advo.com.

This report contains certain forward looking statements regarding the Company's results of operations and financial position within the meaning of Sections 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward looking statements are based on current information and expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: changes in customer demand and pricing; the possibility of consolidation throughout the retail sector; the impact of economic and political conditions on retail advertising spending and our distribution system; postal and paper prices; possible governmental regulation or legislation affecting aspects of the Company's business; the efficiencies achieved with technology upgrades; the amount of shares the Company will repurchase in the future under its buyback program; fluctuations in interest rates related to the outstanding debt; and other general economic factors.