Melinda Mattei, USWeb/CKS, (650) 558-0890,
[email protected]
Rick Rice, Hill and Knowlton, 415-781-2430,
[email protected]
USWeb/CKS E-Services Division Teams with Hill and Knowlton to Offer Online Media Room and Internet Presentation Services
Online Media Room to deliver dynamic, customizable forum for businesses to interact with target audiences via the Internet
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - February 22, 1999 - USWeb/CKS E-Services, a division of USWeb/CKS (Nasdaq: USWB), and Hill and Knowlton, one of the world's largest international public relations firms, today announced plans to jointly deliver and market an Online Media Room and Internet presentation service. The Online Media Room aims to speed the dissemination of information to key audiences by allowing companies to dynamically publish corporate communications, public relations and investor relations information on the Internet as well as hold online earnings calls, press conferences and deliver other presentations online.
USWeb/CKS E-Services division, an emerging leader in the ASP market, will provide application development and systems management for the Online Media Room. Hill and Knowlton will provide strategic counsel content on behalf of Online Media Room clients.
"We intend to be a leader in helping companies use this medium to create and reinforce relationships with key influencers," said Tom Hoog, President and CEO of Hill and Knowlton, US. "The Online Media Room will combine Hill and Knowlton's communications savvy with the Internet expertise and application management services of USWeb/CKS E-Services to help our customers expand and improve communications to target audiences over the Internet. This service can offer tremendous benefits for companies in their day-to-day media relations. It can also provide a significant advantage in crisis situations because we'll be able to quickly establish an Internet presence for developing news."
"USWeb/CKS has created an entire division dedicated to providing bundled, outsourced Internet solutions, and the Online Media Room is the first vertical application in our suite of communications services offerings," said Bob Wise, COO of USWeb/CKS's E-Services division. "We are proud to have created this solution with Hill and Knowlton, one of the top public relations firms in the world."
Online Media Room: Dynamic Internet Communications
The Online Media Room is designed to enable companies to deliver dynamic multimedia presentations over the Internet. Attendees on a press conference or earnings call, for example, simply point their browser to a specific URL where they can view a live presentation or access it later on demand. This technology enables businesses to cost-effectively reach an audience of unlimited size.
The Online Media Room will feature additional corporate communications capabilities that companies can use to communicate with press, analysts and shareholders, including:
� Document publishing and workflow-for press releases, executive bios, company collateral, Q&A documents, financial reports and more
� A media library of images, photos, videos and product demos
� Presentation archives
� Threaded discussions
� A comprehensive reporting system
� A contacts system that facilitates communication between media and the appropriate business contacts The Online Media Room is expected to be available in Q2 1999 on a monthly subscription basis to clients of Hill and Knowlton and USWeb/CKS.
About Hill and Knowlton
Established in 1927, Hill and Knowlton, Inc. is a leading international public relations and public affairs firm based in New York, with 57 offices in 32 countries as well as an extensive associate network.
This includes Blanc & Otus, a Hill and Knowlton company, a leading U.S. based technology public relations firm.
The firm operates across a number of disciplines and industry sectors including energy, health care, technology, travel and tourism, consumer marketing, corporate and investor relations, crisis management and public affairs. In the latest available public information, Hill and Knowlton reported revenues of $189 million for 1997. More information about Hill and Knowlton and Blanc & Otus can be obtained at http://www.hillandknowlton.com/.
Hill and Knowlton is part of WPP Group plc, one of the world's largest communications services groups. WPP Group provides services to local, multinational and global clients, including more than 300 of the Fortune Global 500.
About USWeb/CKS Electronic Services
USWeb/CKS E-Services, a division of USWeb/CKS, is an emerging leader in the Application Service Provider (ASP) market, offering comprehensive outsourced management of Internet-based, entry- and enterprise-level applications for mid-market and Fortune 1000 companies. The subscription-based services within the E-Services Portfolio give corporate business professionals and resource-constrained IT organizations cost-effective, accelerated access to the latest technologies to enhance existing business systems while enabling them to focus on core competencies. The E-Services Portfolio solutions will include E-commerce, Communications and Knowledge Management, Customer Relationship Management and Back Office. All E-Services solutions will feature Internet strategy consulting, expert implementation, back-end integration, 24x7 operations management, a reliable and secure network infrastructure, and customer support by USWeb/CKS professionals. The USWeb/CKS E-Services division can be contacted at 408-987-3200 or [email protected].
About USWeb/CKS
USWeb/CKS (Nasdaq: USWB) is a professional services firm that works with clients to define strategies and implement innovative ways to build their businesses through the combination of expertise in strategy, Internet technology and marketing communications. USWeb/CKS helps clients differentiate their products and services, strengthen customer relationships, leverage human capital, and improve business efficiency in the new electronic economy. With more than 2,000 professionals, USWeb/CKS has helped hundreds of businesses advance their marketing communications programs as well as their traditional IT and Internet systems. The Company provides a broad selection of services from brand development and advertising to business process automation and e-commerce solutions. The Company is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" (as defined under securities law) regarding the Online Media Room and Internet presentation service and related service offerings of the E-Services division of USWeb/CKS. USWeb/CKS's actual results, including its ability to establish a comprehensive offering of services, grow the E-services business, effectively assist customers, or reach any expected revenue or earnings objectives, may differ materially and adversely from those discussed in this press release. Factors that may cause such a difference include, without limitation, risks associated with establishing a new set of service offerings, such as building and maintaining a base of employees with the required expertise, selling the new service offerings to customers, competition, managing growth, technological changes, and other factors. There can be no assurance that the E-Services division will be able to realize its objectives. For additional information about factors that could affect the business of USWeb/CKS, see the documents filed by USWeb and CKS Group with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
USWeb/CKS and the USWeb/CKS logo are trademarks of USWeb/CKS Corp.