CMGI and Netcentives Announce Strategic Infrastructure Alliance For Network-Wide, Online Points-Based Rewards Program.Business Editors ANDOVER, Mass. & SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , Ca.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 10, 2000 "CMGI CMGI Commonly Maintained Grounds Infrastructures CMGI College Marketing Group Information (Services) Points" To Serve as Exclusive Online Rewards Currency for Participating CMGI Network Companies and Partners Alliance Further Substantiates Netcentives Platform as Industry Standard CMGI to Exchange Stock for Equity Stake of 4.9% in Netcentives -0- Editor's Summary: -- Netcentives to become CMGI's preferred infrastructure provider to support online, network-wide, points-based rewards program -- Participation in online loyalty initiative to be extended to all CMGI Network companies and strategic partners at preferred terms -- "CMGI Points" participants gain redemption access to thousands of rewards, including air travel with major carriers exclusive to Netcentives -- Single network currency to build traffic and encourage customer retention across CMGI Network companies -- AltaVista to roll out first points-based initiative in May, with other CMGI companies to follow -- CMGI to become 4.9% shareholder in Netcentives CMGI, Inc. (Nasdaq:CMGI), the world's largest and most diverse network of Internet companies, and Netcentives Inc. (NASDAQ:NCNT), a leading developer of e-marketing infrastructure software and services, today announced a strategic alliance to create a first-of-its-kind online loyalty program for the CMGI network and its 70 member companies. As part of the alliance, CMGI will also purchase approximately 4.9% of Netcentives' outstanding common stock. Under the terms of the alliance, Netcentives becomes the preferred infrastructure provider for the soon-to-be-launched "CMGI Points" rewards program. All CMGI-affiliated companies, including those currently in the CMGI network as well as strategic partners of CMGI, will have an opportunity to participate in the program at preferred rates and terms. Consumers visiting and performing transactions on participating CMGI network sites will be able to earn CMGI Points and then redeem those points for a selection of thousands of rewards options, including air travel on leading carriers which are exclusive to Netcentives. Additionally, a custom-designed user interface will allow users participating in the CMGI Points program to view account balances and recent activity from any participating site in the CMGI network, regardless of where those points were collected. Unlike most loyalty programs, CMGI will brand its own online currency, thus enhancing its own brand, as well as driving traffic and building consumer loyalty for sites within its Web-wide network. Supported by an intra-network marketing and branding program, CMGI will roll-out the CMGI Points program beginning with AltaVista in May. Other CMGI network businesses, from both the operating group and the CMGI @Ventures portfolio of companies, are expected to follow shortly. "Our alliance with Netcentives represents an important first for CMGI," said David Wetherell, Chairman and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , CMGI. "The core, and indeed the power of our network model is the ability to extend and leverage CMGI's strategic partners for value-creation that extends to all of our affiliated companies Affiliated Companies A situation that occurs when one company owns a minority interest (less than 50%) in another company. Also refers to companies that are related to each other in some way. Notes: An affiliated company is sometimes referred to as a subsidiary. , and the CMGI Points program represents an important evolutionary step in this model. This is a truly viral opportunity for CMGI network companies to improve the online experience for their own individual customer bases, while driving traffic and new customer acquisition opportunities to their CMGI sister companies. Netcentives' patented technology platform and marketing expertise will be the backbone that helps enable our companies to develop rewarding one-to-one relationships with their customers." "Netcentives' loyalty infrastructure is rapidly becoming the industry standard as evidenced by our growing list of more than 200 blue-chip clients including AOL (A division of Time Warner, Inc., New York, NY, www.aol.com) The world's largest online information service with access to the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms and a variety of databases and services. , American Express American Express (NYSE: AXP), sometimes known as "AmEx" or "Amex", is a diversified global financial services company, headquartered in New York City. The company is best known for its credit card, charge card and traveler's cheque businesses. , barnesandnoble.com, Microsoft and Lycos," said West Shell, chairman and CEO of Netcentives. "Our announcement with CMGI - a significant agreement which extends to their entire network of companies - expands our global footprint by enabling CMGI companies to optimize their customer relationships through the use of Netcentives' loyalty solutions." "AltaVista's millions of global users are among the most loyal in the industry," said Mark Delfino, vice president of Business Strategy for AltaVista Company. "This relationship with Netcentives will allow the AltaVista Network and the CMGI family of companies to reward these users for their continued loyalty." About Netcentives Inc. San Francisco-based Netcentives Inc. (Nasdaq:NCNT) is a leading developer of e-marketing infrastructure software and services proven to drive customer relationships. Netcentives' customer list of more than 250 leading companies includes AOL, American Express, barnesandnoble.com, British Telecom The telephone and communications carrier that provides services in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It used to be a division of the British Post Office, but was privatized in 1984 under Margaret Thatcher's administration. , Cisco Systems “Cisco” redirects here. For other uses, see Cisco (disambiguation). Cisco System,Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO, HKSE: 4333 ) is an American multinational corporation with 54,000 employees and annual revenue of US $28.48 billion as of 2006. , Citicorp, Compaq, E*TRADE, FTD FTD Financial Times Deutschland (German sister newspaper of the Financial Times) FTD Frontotemporal Dementia FTD Fitted FTD Federal Tax Deposit FTD Flight Training Device FTD Fastest Time of the Day .COM, GO Network, KBkids.com, LookSmart, Lycos, Novell and PlanetRx.com. Netcentives powers multiple corporate and commerce loyalty networks, including AOL AAdvantage, American Express BlueLoot, the ClickRewards Shopping Network, GO Awards and Lycos Rewards. ClickRewards -- the only points-based Internet loyalty network to offer frequent flyer frequent flyer Hospital practice A popular term for a Pt who is regularly admitted to a particular ER or health care facility, for various reasons miles from 10 leading airlines -- now reaches millions of Internet shoppers through its network of premier online merchants. At ClickRewards, individuals can also donate their rewards to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity, nonprofit ecumenical Christian organization that enables low-income people to own affordable, livable housing. Headquartered in Americus, Ga., it was founded in 1976 by businessman Millard Fuller and his wife. and the Special Olympics Special Olympics International sports program for people with intellectual disability. It provides year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type summer and winter sports for participants. . Netcentives has received numerous industry awards for its technology from such organizations as ComputerWorld, InformationWeek, Upside, Technologic Partners and Ziff Davis Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) is an American magazine publisher and Internet Information company. It was founded in 1927 in Chicago by William B. Ziff, Sr. and Bernard G. Davis. Throughout most of its history, it was a publisher of hobbyist magazines, often ones devoted to expensive, Labs. For more information about Netcentives, visit www.netcentives.com or call 415.538.1888. About CMGI and CMGI @Ventures With 70 companies, CMGI, Inc. (Nasdaq:CMGI) represents the largest, most diverse network of Internet businesses in the world, including both CMGI operating companies and synergistic investments made through its venture capital affiliate, CMGI @Ventures. CMGI leverages the technologies, content and market reach of its extended family of companies to foster rapid growth and industry leadership across its network and the larger Internet Economy The Internet Economy refers to conducting business through markets whose infrastructure is based on the Internet and World-Wide Web. An Internet economy differs from a traditional economy in a number of ways, including: communication, market segmentation, distribution costs, and price. . Compaq, Intel, Microsoft, Pacific Century CyberWorks and Sumitomo hold minority positions in CMGI. CMGI's majority-owned operating companies include Engage Technologies (Nasdaq: ENGA), NaviSite (Nasdaq: NAVI), 1ClickBrands, 1stUp.com, Activate.net, AdForce, Adsmart, AltaVista, CMGI Solutions, Equilibrium, Flycast, iCAST, MyWay.com, NaviNet, SalesLink, Tribal Voice
CMGI's corporate headquarters is at 100 Brickstone Square, Andover, MA 01810, Tel: 978-684-3600. CMGI @Ventures has offices there as well as at 3000 Alpine Road, Menlo Park Menlo Park. 1 Residential city (1990 pop. 28,040), San Mateo co., W Calif.; inc. 1874. Electronic equipment and aerospace products are manufactured in the city. Menlo College and a Stanford Univ. research institute are there. 2 Uninc. , CA 94028. For additional information and a complete listing of the CMGI and CMGI @Ventures companies, see http://www.cmgi.com and http://www.ventures.com This release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events, and these statements are subject to important factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this release address a variety of subjects including, for example, the expected benefits resulting from the CMGI Points program, the expected roll-out of, and participation in, the CMGI Points program, and the expected functionality of the combination of the technologies and products of CMGI and Netcentives. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: the CMGI Network companies' products and technologies may not successfully interoperate with those of Netcentives and the adoption and acceptance of the Internet as an accepted medium may not continue or increase. For a detailed discussion of these and other cautionary statements, please refer to CMGI's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including CMGI's Annual Report on Form 10-K Form 10-K A report required by the SEC from exchange-listed companies that provides for annual disclosure of certain financial information. Form 10-K See 10-K. for the most recently ended fiscal year. All rights reserved. Netcentives and ClickRewards are trademarks of Netcentives Inc. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. |
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