| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Rick Keating/Michael Lipman Keating Communications, Inc. 973.376.9300 rick@keatingpr.com H2O NETWORKS LAUNCHED TO PROVIDE FIRST ISP SERVICES CUSTOMIZED FOR BRANDS, ORGANIZATIONS 'The Black World Today' Signs As First Affinity Client NEW YORK, Oct 5 - H2O Networks today launched the first completely customized ISP (Internet Service Provider) service for brands and organizations. For the first time on the Internet, specific brands and groups can have an online community with complete Internet access, relevant front page content, support pages, unique products/services and applicable "killer apps" such as email, chat rooms and search capabilities. "The service is aimed at attracting users from America Online, Earthlink/MindSpring, MSN, AT&T WorldNet, Prodigy and others with online communities ranging in size from 20,000 to more than a million people," said Dean Hollander, CEO. These new online communities serviced by H2O Networks allow groups to maximize branding and promotional / financial opportunities while generating revenue and building loyalty and dialogue within the community. The offering is ideal for the entertainment industry, licensors, major brands, service companies, educational institutions, charitable organizations and religious organizations. H2O - 2 H2O's first client is The Black World Today, www.tbwt.com , an award-winning black portal and information organization read by Web users in over 70 countries around the world. The Black World Today's ISP offering will target and provide the professional African American community with specialized content, products and services. The Black World Today has a database of more than 10,000 African American owned businesses and professional organizations. Additional client agreements will be announced shortly by H2O. According to Hollander of H2O, "Affinity groups and brands will now be able to use the Internet as a true online community, offering members information relevant to their particular affinity interests in addition to everything they currently receive from their current ISP including news, email, chat rooms, stock quotes, product offerings and shopping." Hollander continued, "Each affinity network will function as the starting place every time a user logs onto the Internet, giving immediate access to information that is important to them, not what has been decided by today's general ISP provider." Mike Becker, former Chief Creative Officer and longtime executive at Wunderman Cato Johnson/Young & Rubicam, and an advisor to H2O commented, "I believe that this will be a welcome change from the current landscape of generic ISPs. The ability for brand name companies and affinity groups to capture a passionate audience is a major breakthrough in online communication and marketing." Modem Media . Poppe Tyson's President and COO Bob Allen commented, "H2O has introduced a new concept that brings the Internet access business to the next level by incorporating sophisticated Internet marketing strategies on the first pages users see when they log on." H2O - 3 A Jupiter Communications survey (April, 1999), found that "more than 47% of U.S. online households would be willing to switch to an Internet access service provided by an affinity group or company if they were given an economic incentive" (such as subsidized prices, frequent-flier miles, or rebates on products). The customized and branded ISP business model is based on revenue sharing and user benefits. This is bringing the brand a revenue stream through a defined percentage of the monthly ISP charge, as well as advertising sales and revenue generated from online promotions and sales. The users benefit is realized through the front page information and links throughout the sites 'exclusive' marketing offers. Joining H2O as strategic partners in the venture are a major tier one internet service provider, which will provide the international dial-up and DSL access services, Luminant Worldwide, Modem Media . Poppe Tyson, Think New Ideas and e-business solutions provider US Interactive that will provide custom website and software design. H2O's product will include a CD for distribution, proprietary registration software, customized browser, and community based applications. About H2O Networks H2O Networks was founded in June by brothers' Lance and Dean Hollander to fill a marketing and affinity support void on the Internet by allowing affinity groups to use the web as a sophisticated online community as well as a revenue-generating promotional initiative. H2O Networks, LLC, is located at
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