MTV Networks Expands Vertical Ad Network Strategy with 'Tribes'

MTV Networks Expands Vertical Ad Network Strategy with 'Tribes'

'MTV Generation Tribe' Launches with Pepsi as Charter Advertiser and Dozens of Artist and Entertainment Web Sites from echo, a Ticketmaster Company

NEW YORK, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks (MTVN), a division of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), today expanded its vertical ad network strategy with "Tribes," a series of demographic-focused vertical ad networks built around the company's core online properties. The youth-targeted "MTV Generation Tribe" launches today with Pepsi as its charter advertiser and will include a network of publishers focused on music, movies, teen sports, gaming and style. Among its launch publishers is echo, a Ticketmaster company which hosts the official Web sites of artists including Alicia Keys, Kanye West and KoRn.

Tribes from CMT, Spike and VH1 are also set to launch this month, with a COMEDY CENTRAL Tribe launching in the first quarter of 2009. The new ad networks join MTV Networks' Parenting Tribe, which launched in February and is anchored by ParentsConnect.com.

"The heart of MTV Networks' success lies in connecting targeted, niche audiences with content that speaks to their unique passions, interests and lifestyles," said Nada Stirratt, Executive Vice President, Digital Advertising, MTV Networks. "Through Tribes, we're giving marketers the opportunity to reach an even greater number of relevant consumers in a targeted and efficient way."

"The new MTV Tribes network provides us with reach and relevancy along with granular targeting and reporting," said John Vail, director, Interactive Marketing Group, Pepsi-Cola North America.

MTVN's Tribes are anchored by the company's core digital properties and extend to sites beyond its online portfolio. Each Tribe focuses on a specific demographic group and its shared interests and passions. MTVN hand-selects all partner sites and sells premium, advertising inventory and packages across each Tribe, utilizing extensive capabilities including demo-targeting, geo- targeting, day-parting and contextual targeting. Moving forward, MTVN will extend its integrated marketing promotions and syndicate video content to Tribes' partner sites, and seek to integrate them into the Flux social media platform's publisher network.

Launching today with sponsorship from Pepsi, the MTV Generation Tribe is anchored by MTV.com and its growing network includes dozens of official artist and fan club sites, via MTVN's partner echo, a Ticketmaster company.

"echo's sites open a powerful channel for the conversation between entertainment brands and their consumers and, by joining the MTV Generation Tribe, we're in an even stronger position to help marketers tap into that conversation," said Mark Montgomery, chief executive officer, echo.

As part of the announcement, MTVN named Heather Hopkins Senior Vice President and General Manager of Tribes. Hopkins joins MTVN from Digitas, where she served most recently as Senior Vice President, working in leadership roles on the Nike, American Express and Barnes & Noble accounts.

"Tribes is about leveraging the power of the Web to connect the right marketer to the right consumer at the right time and place," said Hopkins. "This initiative plays perfectly to MTV Networks' strength in reaching highly targeted and valuable demos, and I'm excited to bring Tribes and the opportunities it holds for advertisers to the marketplace."

To power Tribes, MTVN has partnered with Burst AdConductor for ad-serving, as well as publisher recruitment and management.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.

Source: MTV Networks

CONTACT: Mark Jafar of MTV Networks, +1-212-846-8961,
mark.jafar@mtvstaff.com; or Paul Freundlich, paulf@pfamedia.net, or Maria
Malta, mmalta@pfamedia.net, both for PFA, +1-212-334-6116 for echo

Web site: http://www.mtv.com/
http://parentsconnect.com/

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