AOL's Platform-A Study Finds Online Advertisers Influence Back-to-School Purchases

NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
Most consumers will purchase back-to-school items in August and
plan to spend between $100 to $500, according to survey findings
released by Platform-A's ADlytics Strategic Insights Group.
Platform-A, www.platform-a.com, is AOL's digital advertising business.

While back-to-school buying remains primarily an in-store
activity, there's plenty of opportunity for online marketing to
influence back-to-school revenue, the survey reveals. Eighty-three
percent of all back-to-school consumers indicate that they're somewhat
likely to seek information on promotions they see online. The survey
also shows that women are typically the primary decision-makers for
back-to-school purchases.

"While back-to-school buying remains primarily an offline
activity, the survey reveals plenty of opportunity for online
marketing to influence back-to-school purchases," said Stuart Rodnick,
Senior Director of the ADlytics group. "As an example, the usefulness
of weekly circulars can be extended online where they can be viewed
any day of the week and targeted to in-market back-to-school
shoppers."

Nearly 40% of consumers who buy early are likely to purchase
electronic items vs. later shoppers (17%). This suggests that
advertisers may want to promote laptops, cell phones and other
electronics during the earlier summer months. Advertisers can also use
online targeting as a way to reach these consumers during these early
summer months.

With the majority of back-to-school purchases overall taking place
in August, retailers can start to accelerate spending and increase
store traffic earlier in the summer by highlighting promotional
specials during mid-summer, similar to the way Black Friday and Cyber
Monday accelerate holiday shopping spend.

Platform-A's ADlytics group collaborated with OTX, a top-25 global
consumer research and consulting firm, to conduct the survey. OTX
gathered data from a sample of 1,000 families with school-aged
children (age 6-17). Interviews were collected April 10 - 14 to assess
how and when they will make back-to-school purchases this year.
Platform-A's ADlytics Group provides thought leadership that helps
advertisers drive revenue through fact-based insights, strategy
expertise and innovative research projects that measure the effect of
online advertising to online and offline results.

About Platform-A

Platform-A, AOL's advertising business, is the industry's largest
digital advertising platform, offering the most comprehensive suite of
marketing solutions, powered by the Web's best advertising
technologies. Platform-A includes AOL's leading media properties -
AOL.com, AIM, MapQuest, and more - and Advertising.com's third-party
networks. Platform-A also includes TACODA's audience insights and
behavioral targeting; Quigo, a site- and content-targeting solution;
ADTECH, an international digital ad serving business; Third Screen
Media, a mobile ad serving network; and buy.at, an affiliate marketing
solution. Platform-A currently has operations in the United States,
nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Japan through
a joint venture with Mitsui.

About OTX

OTX is a global consumer research and consulting firm that has
established itself as a leading provider of online-based research. The
company specializes in providing innovative, cutting-edge online
technology, products and analysis to the marketing, entertainment and
advertising communities. OTX has developed the most innovative
products available for online research today - products that work to
uncover deeper and more profound consumer insight. Today the company
is one of the fastest growing research companies in the United States
and has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Cincinnati, Miami, Chicago
and London, with strategic partners in Japan, Australia, Russia,
China, and Mexico.

AOL/Platform-A
Eric Chandler, 212-206-4434
Eric.Chandler@corp.aol.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008