AdverTickets' Valet Ticket Advertising Drives Sales for National Brewer in the Houston Market.

Business Editors

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 2002

Dallas-based Upswing, Inc recently completed a successful promotional campaign for Miller Brewing Company's SKYY Blue malt beverage. Nearly one million AdverTickets(TM) -- full-color advertisements that function as valet parking tickets -- were used at trendy restaurants, bars and lounges in the Houston area.

The tickets complimented SKYY Blue's other advertising and marketing activities to help drive sales of the fashionable beverage in the venues.

Valet company owners expressed excitement over the tickets and the positive feedback received from them. S. Musmanno, Operations Manager at Master Valet of Houston, says, "People were appreciative of the extra surprise to something that is normally so mundane. People specifically commented on the product, where it can be found and the ticket design."

Distributors appreciated its unique effectiveness as a point-of-sale piece. Don Faust Jr., Vice President Sales/Marketing of Faust Distributing says, "AdverTickets has been an effective and innovative way to introduce SKYY Blue to our target consumer. It's advertising that gets into the hands of the customers as they walk into an account. The bright design and impactful responsible drinking message leave a lasting impression on the client. It's an exciting and creative new tool to promote beer in Houston."

AdverTickets are hand-issued daily at quality venues across the country, offering advertisers exclusive access to millions of consumers as they drive and park their cars within the ubiquitous $40 billion professional parking industry. Recent expansions have increased the out-of-home media company's distribution to over 500 million AdverTickets annually. Houston is a very strong market with a circulation of nearly 500,000 AdverTickets per month.

Chris Gilliam, founder and President of Upswing, Inc., launched the concept of AdverTickets several years ago. "The results for the SKYY Blue program show the power and influence of AdverTickets, in this case, at the point of sale. AdverTickets' ability to reach people at the moment they walk into a bar or restaurant to order their first drink gives Miller and SKYY Blue an advantage over their competition," said Gilliam.

The business has sparked the interest of advertisers around the country. AdverTickets are available in more than 25 top US markets. Besides Miller Brewing Company, the already impressive list of clients includes names such as Dreamworks, Sony Pictures, Lexus -- a Division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc, The Dallas Stars, The Atlanta Thrashers, Focus Films, Jiffy Lube, H&R Block and Pacific Bell. This list is expected to grow dramatically in 2003.

"The parking industry is one of the largest, and relatively untapped, consumer advertising channels left," said Gilliam, "There are well over a billion cars parked per year in the U.S., and there's a consumer behind every wheel. It's a great way to reach people in quality environments where they are obligated to physically retain the ad."

Advertisers are constantly on the lookout for new, unique and surprising marketing opportunities. "AdverTickets give advertisers the opportunity to place their message directly into the hands of customers while they are out in the marketplace with a purchase in mind and credit card in hand. The media captures consumers as they navigate through their various destinations every day, affecting actual sales with unrivaled power," said Gilliam. "Expanding into additional markets, we can now reach hundreds of millions of active, educated and affluent people effectively and efficiently."