NEW YORK, NY -- July 18, 2001 -- According to the Online Publishers Association (OPA), the research published today by CNET Networks clearly demonstrates that online advertising within trusted editorial environments raises brand awareness and provides marketers with a powerful platform for bringing consumers closer to a purchase decision.

The CNET study, conducted by Millward Brown IntelliQuest on the CNET News.com site, showed that unaided brand awareness increased more than 55% and purchase consideration rose by twelve percent after a single exposure to the ad. These powerful results add to the growing body of evidence that the Internet is a highly efficient branding medium, and that the click-through metric is far too narrow a measure of online advertising effectiveness.

The CNET study also showed that, as in other media, good creative improves results. The lift in purchase consideration was considerably higher for ads that took advantage of the medium's interactive capabilities. The fact that creative execution plays a critical role in online branding has been repeatedly overlooked largely because of the industry's fixation on click-throughs -- when the only measure of success is the click, ad design focuses more on luring the consumer's mouse than conveying the marketer's message.

The accumulating body of research is leading advertisers and publishers to a much better understanding of the unique value of online media and its role in accelerating the buying cycle for a broad range of products and services. The CNET results as well as others published today from the IAB, MSN and DoubleClick are significant additions to this ongoing process.

CNET Networks is a founding member of OPA.

About the Online Publishers Association

Founded in June 2001 by twelve of the Internet's leading content brands, Online Publishers Association (OPA) is an industry trade organization whose mission is to advance the interests of high-quality online publishers before the advertising community, the press, the government and the public.

Members of OPA represent the highest standards in Internet publishing with respect to editorial quality and integrity, credibility and accountability. For more information about Online Publishers Association, visit www.online-publishers.org.

CONTACT:
Lisa Carparelli
Online Publishers Association
(917) 743-4537
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