Accipiter Incorporates IAB/CASIE Standards into AdManager Software.

RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 3, 1997--

Leading Ad Management Software is First to Support IAB/CASIE Standards in Software Interface. Web Sites Can Instantly Check Ads To Make Sure They Meet Banner Size Standards.

Accipiter Inc., the premiere provider of Internet advertising solutions, today announced its support for the new IAB/CASIE banner size standards. The standards, which provide guidelines for the shape and size of banner ads used on the Internet and make it faster and easier to place ads, were jointly developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Coalition for Advertising Supported Information and Entertainment (CASIE).

Accipiter becomes the first ad management software company to incorporate a template for standard ad sizes right into its software, enabling Web sites to more easily ensure their ads fall within the new standards. Web sites are not restricted to following these voluntary guidelines. However, they can choose to tag areas and restrict them to only accept ads that meet the IAB standards.

"IAB standards were developed to reduce production costs and free resources for creative testing and multimedia advertising production," says Kate Everett-Thorp, a founding member of IAB and Vice President of Crusader and Advertiser Programs for CNET. "We are delighted to see Accipiter incorporate and support these standards into their software. We believe that the adoption of these voluntary IAB standards will benefit both publishers and advertisers alike."

Ad agencies say the standards have become increasingly critical, citing the difficulty and expense of creating varying sizes and shapes of banners. "On one large campaign, we bought over 80 sites that required the creation of 180 unique banner sizes," says Lynda Richardson, Associate Media Director of Anderson & Lembke. "This cost us tremendously in terms of time, manpower and money -- 22 times more in production costs alone; dollars could have been used to buy more activity on the web."

Anderson & Lembke recently added momentum to the push toward standardizing banners when it announced that its client, Microsoft, would look more favorably on placing ads with sites that adhered to the IAB s standards. Microsoft noted that it could have saved $50,000 on the launch of its Internet Explorer ad campaign if these standards had been in place.

"We're very pleased to support the new standards," says Chris Evans, CEO of Accipiter. "It s important for us to offer our customers not only a product that delivers the highest level of targeting, tracking and reporting, but which also supports the advertising industry and facilitates its migration onto the Internet."

CASIE is a joint task force of the Association of National Advertisers, Inc. (ANA) and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA). It was established in May of 1994 to create an environment where consumers have the broadest array of high quality interactive media options at the lowest possible cost.

Established in June of 1996, the IAB is comprised of more than 135 member companies dedicated to increasing the use and effectiveness of Internet advertising. These members include leading Web sites, consumer online services, marketing/statistical measurement organizations, research and traffic information suppliers, technology providers and other organizations from related industries.

Accipiter, Inc. was founded by Chris Evans -- co-founder and former executive vice president of DaVinci Systems -- with the mission to be the premiere provider of Internet advertising solutions on the World Wide Web. AdManager from Accipiter provides the "missing link" in online advertising, allowing true one-to-one marketing on the Internet. Its advanced technology drives online advertising for a number of leading Internet sites including CNET, ZDNet, Digital City, Happy Puppy, AudioNet and Tripod. Accipiter's Web site can be accessed at http://www.accipiter.com. The company is headquartered in Raleigh, NC.

CONTACT: Brodeur Porter Novelli 

Bradd Pavur, 919/854-0550, ext. 222

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Accipiter, Inc.

Jane Foreman, 919/872-7755, ext. 222

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