Art Technology Group Builds The [e-mail]; Sony Online Ventures' online entertainment network brought to life by ATG and its Dynamo product family.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 1997--Extending its reputation as the leading provider of consumer-focused online solutions, Art Technology Group (ATG) today announced that the Company served as the lead system architect for Sony Online Ventures' new entertainment and commerce network "The [e-mail]."

In developing the site, ATG supplied Sony with commerce, advertising, user-profiling and communications capabilities from its Dynamo suite of Internet applications, and developed extensive network management and administration technology for the web-based online network. The [e-mail], which debuted last week, can be reached at www.station.sony.com .

"ATG has built for The Station a seamlessly integrated and entirely Web-based entertainment service unlike any other on the Web today," said Jeet Singh, CEO, ATG. "In architecting this site, we faced the challenge of integrating different Sony programs for music, game shows, soap operas and kids as well as third-party content into a single, large scale, consumer-driven service. Our approach was to design an online network that focuses on delivering a well integrated personalized user experience, within an architecture allowing for centralized management of user data and personalization, advertising, communications, and online retailing."

"We selected ATG because they understand how to build large-scale Web sites with the consumer in mind," said Matt Rothman, senior vice president and general manager, Sony Online Ventures. "ATG's unique combination of strategic consulting expertise and extensive product set offered Sony the most advanced and comprehensive solution on the market today."

Highlights of The Station include:

-- StationPass, a unique communications feature of The Station which combines the best of technology and design. The StationPass is The Station's Web-wide walkie-talkie allowing for two-way communication through real time messaging from pass holders and announcements from The Station itself;

-- Personalized areas that include personal descriptions, favorite links, buddy lists of other users active on the site, and account and billing information;

-- CommStation, an area where users can access multiple communication features such as instant messages, electronic postcards, interactive threaded discussion groups, and real-time chat;

-- Station Search, an area where users can search for people, services, and products in The Station; and

-- an extensive shopping network that allows multiple companies and brands to offer the online user to buy goods ranging from books and CDs to promotional merchandising for entertainment offerings.

"In The Station, Sony is able to manage content across multiple servers and sites, dynamically deliver ads and personalized content, easily create and maintain online stores, and manage user demographics, access, and billing," said Singh. "In addition, the network architecture and product set developed by ATG is unique in providing services to third-party content providers and application developers so they can easily integrate their offerings into the network, with their applications hosted remotely."

The Dynamo Technology

The Station and its custom applications are built on top of ATG's Dynamo application suite. Dynamo Profile Station, Dynamo Ad Station, and Dynamo Retail Station allow The Station to deliver such personalized dynamic content as time-based announcements, user activity reporting, targeted advertising, customized catalogues and promotional programs, as well as Web-based user-to-user messaging. All the applications are based on the Dynamo Developer's Kit, a 100% Java-based application development framework.

Dynamo Profile Station offers Sony the first real-time user profiling and personalization system for start-to-finish visitor tracking. Capturing key data on users and their behavior, Dynamo Profile Station underlies The StationPass providing visitors with customized communications, such as e-mail notification of special events, promotions, and other online happenings.

Dynamo Ad Station, the only end-to-end advertising system to combine detailed Web-site user profiling with ad scheduling, inventory management and real-time reporting, allows The Station advertisers to dynamically deliver ads and target them to specific demographic and psychographic groups, fostering unique one-on-one consumer relationships.

Dynamo Retail Station provides Sony with its consumer-focused next generation shopping and transaction system, StationStore, The Station's online storefront. ATG designed StationStore to enable each Sony operating company to maintain its own boutique while operating within a shared fulfillment environment and continuously changing catalog content. For each consumer, StationStore dynamically delivers targeted catalog content and merchandising programs based on shopping preferences and behavior.

About Art Technology Group

Art Technology Group is a leading provider of consumer-focused Internet applications and development tools. By combining deep technology and creative design skills with strategic consulting expertise, ATG has successfully developed industry-scale, highly complex and interactive Internet and Intranet applications for best-of-breed organizations. This direct industry experience allows ATG to provide unparalleled products that meld commerce, communications and content into an integrated user experience.

Together, ATG's products and services allow mass-market oriented organizations -- in areas such as retail, entertainment, education, financial services and telecommunications -- to rapidly and cost-effectively extend their core businesses onto the Internet.

ATG's development clients include: Sony Online Ventures, Harvard Business School, Stream International, MCI, Apple Computer, Chiat/Day Advertising, MIT Media Lab, Gemini Consulting, NTT DATA CORPORATION, and MovieFone. Based in Boston, ATG can be reached at 617-859-1212 or at [e-mail]. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: Dynamo is a trademark of Art Technology Group. Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All other products mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: Art Technology Group

Nancy Morrisroe, 617/859-1212, ext. 282

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URL: http://www.atg.com

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Collaborative Communications

Adam Mersky, 617/520-9114

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Barbara Masse, 617/520-9115

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