TiVo Launches Television's New Advertising Search Product

TiVo Launches Television's New Advertising Search Product

TiVo(R) Product Watch(TM) Allows Advertisers to Connect With 'In Market' Consumers

More Than 100 Leading Brands to Participate in Initial Launch

ALVISO, Calif., May 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ:TIVO), the creator and leader in advertising solutions and television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today launched its new advertising search product named 'TiVo Product Watch' which offers advertisers an innovative new way to reach TiVo subscribers who are actively looking for products ("In Market") with advertising content and information. At launch, TiVo Product Watch will deliver targeted, relevant advertising content, from more than 70 advertisers and 100 leading brands, from up to five different product categories including Automotive, Entertainment, Financial, Lifestyles, and Travel and Leisure.

TiVo subscribers will be able to create searches and select advertising content, ranging from one minute to 60 minutes, from any of the five different product categories of interest and have it delivered directly to their Now Playing section of the TiVo service. TiVo Product Watch will also offer subscribers the ability to create a search based on their favorite brands. TiVo viewers will be able to subscribe to a brand and opt-in to receive video content directly from that company on an ongoing basis.

For the more than 4.4 million TiVo subscribers, TiVo Product Watch is yet another new service that enhances their viewing experience by providing searchable advertising and content in highly valued consumer categories. For advertisers, TiVo Product Watch capitalizes on TiVo's award-winning television search capabilities to deliver relevant, targeted product videos to TiVo's millions of subscribers and in particular "In Market" consumers who are more likely to make purchasing decisions. Moreover, the service uses the technology and easy-to-use consumer experience that is unique to TiVo to deliver advertising in an entertaining, creative and informative format.

"Bringing to market the innovative TiVo Product Watch solution is another powerful example of TiVo's ability to lead the industry and distinguish the TiVo service from generic DVRs in the marketplace," said Tom Rogers, President and CEO of TiVo. "TiVo Product Watch will, for the first time, enable TV viewers to get commercial information about a product they are interested, when they want it, rather than through traditional TV advertising, where a viewer has no control of what ad comes on when they are watching a program. TiVo is committed to creating advertising products that deliver real, relevant results for our advertising partners while at the same time enhancing the TV experience for subscribers."

"We are pleased to launch TiVo Product Watch with more than 100 participating brands," said Davina Kent, Vice President, National Advertising Sales, TiVo. "Delivering informative and entertaining advertising content to consumers that have already expressed an interest in a brand or category is another important and valuable step forward in our efforts to help our advertising partners reach consumers that are 'In Market'."

At launch, General Motors, Sony Pictures, Lending Tree and Kraft Foods will be included as the premium advertisers for their respective advertising categories. The content that will be made available to TiVo subscribers will be informative and entertaining, leveraging the advertising industry's new approach to content. Examples of content range from cooking demonstrations from Kraft Foods, to understanding the impact of different types of mortgages from Lending Tree, to behind the scenes movie trailers from Sony Pictures and new automotive features and aesthetic options from General Motors.

Starcom MediaVest Group, MindShare, Cmedia, BrightLine Partners, Interpublic Group, OMD, and The Richards Group partnered with TiVo to help recruit advertisers and develop pricing. These agencies, along with Comcast Spotlight, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, provided advice concerning the product and its pricing model, which will be based on a cost per download and set-up fee.

"The current advertising market recognizes that consumers are in control, actively engaging the content that they want, when and where they want to view it," said Starcom USA VP/Video Innovation Director Tracey Scheppach. "TiVo Product Watch is a great advance in the market in that it injects brands into the consumer-controlled viewing experience, allowing people to directly search and access ad messages that inform, entertain and empower them."

"TiVo Product Watch provides a unique opportunity to engage consumers who are actively seeking out information about our client's products and services," said Jason Maltby, President/Co-executive Director of National Broadcast for MindShare, one of the nation's leading media services agencies. "We find it a particularly useful tool as it helps us understand how TiVo users interact with commercial messages on an opt-in basis. This is valuable information as we struggle with how to engage early-adopters who demonstrate a high propensity for commercial avoidance."

"We are in a video era where consumers not only expect choice and control, but demand it," said Jen Soch, Vice President - Associate Director of Advanced TV, MediaVest USA. "By providing a platform for consumers to customize their viewing experience, TiVo Product Watch meets the needs of both. Consumers can seek content relevant to them, and marketers benefit because they are providing valuable information when and how they want it."

"With 39 percent of consumers expected to have a DVR by 2010, it's our top priority to stay on top of this emerging technology," said Michelle Cardinal, CEO and Founder, Cmedia. "We've been diligently working on providing innovative marketing solutions with media providers like TiVo that are on the cutting edge of interactive marketing for our clients. This means more ways to reach our target consumers and more opportunities for them to respond and purchase our products. We couldn't be more thrilled with the partnership."

"For our participating clients, Reebok and AXE, this service presents an opportunity to more deeply connect with target audiences by leveraging clever, entertaining branded content that reinforces viewers' motivation to buy these products," said Jacqueline Corbelli, CEO, BrightLine Partners. "Perhaps most exciting is TiVo's unique brand-subscription feature that offers an opportunity to build viewer loyalty and motivate serial engagement with ad messaging."

TiVo launched the interactive direct response advertising program last year, where subscribers were given the opportunity to respond to a customized call to action or branded "tag" in select commercial spots. TiVo Product Watch advertising product allows advertisers to further engage their target consumers with the benefits of the television experience.

About TiVo Inc.

Founded in 1997, TiVo pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its full set of DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo's DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass(TM) recordings and WishList(R) searches, has elevated its popularity among consumers and has created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo's DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features, such as TiVoToGo(TM) transfers and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing "TiVo, TV your way(R)." The TiVo(R) service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The company is based in Alviso, Calif.

NOTE: TiVo, Season Pass, WishList, Series2, TiVoToGo, 'TiVo, TV your way.' and the TiVo Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other jurisdictions.

Source: TiVo Inc.

CONTACT: Whit Clay of Sloane & Company, +1-212-446-1864, or
wclay@sloanepr.com, for TiVo Inc.

Web site: http://www.tivo.com/

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