Mercedes-Benz USA Leverages MindArrow's Interactive Marketing Technology to Promote Online Sweepstakes
10 October 2000
Mercedes-Benz USA Leverages MindArrow's Interactive Marketing Technology to Promote Online Sweepstakes
ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--Oct. 10, 2000--eBrochure(R) Touts Mercedes' Sponsorship of U.S. Formula One
Racing
MindArrow Systems (OTC: ARRW), a provider of hosted, Web-based ASP solutions designed to replace printed brochures and direct mail with electronic multimedia messages, today announced the results of an interactive marketing campaign for Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC which promoted the company's sponsorship of Formula One circuit auto racing and the Mercedes-Benz Formula One Ultimate Thrill Sweepstakes.
Mercedes-Benz tapped MindArrow to develop one of its signature eBrochures(R) -- a highly-compressed, self-contained file containing high-quality video, audio, graphics and interactive hyperlinks -- to promote awareness of Mercedes' involvement in the return of Formula One racing to the United States and drive participation in the Ultimate Thrill Sweepstakes. Distributed via e-mail or downloaded from a Web page, eBrochures enable the delivery of a variety of messages in a compelling, easy-to-understand format, with the added benefit of real-time, Web-based tracking and reporting.
Last month, MindArrow delivered the Mercedes-Benz eBrochure to over 40,000 recipients who had "opted-in" to receive information from Mercedes via their Web site www.MBUSA.com. To date, the eBrochure has achieved overall viewership of 20 percent, with a 59 percent conversion rate from viewership to click-through.
In addition to a Formula One racing video, the Mercedes-Benz eBrochure also contained a hypertext link to the online entry form for the Mercedes-Benz Formula One Ultimate Thrill Sweepstakes, offering a trip for four to the 2000 Formula One US Grand Prix at Indianapolis in September. The eBrochure can be downloaded for viewing at http://www.mindarrow.com/eComSamples/wbmercedes.exe.
"Our eBrochure technology gives companies like Mercedes-Benz the ability to deliver targeted, multimedia messages containing entertaining and informative content," said Mike Pennell, vice president of marketing at MindArrow Systems. "We are pleased that Mercedes-Benz has joined other companies in the automotive industry and has selected MindArrow's suite of services to complement its traditional marketing strategies."
The Mercedes-Benz eBrochure campaign was arranged through Florida-based International Network Group, one of MindArrow's authorized Solution Providers.
About Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, N.J., is responsible for the sales, service and marketing of Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. The company sold 189,437 vehicles in the U.S. during 1999, an 11.3 percent increase over the previous year setting the highest sales volume in its history. MBUSA is currently running 11 percent ahead of last year.
About MindArrow Systems
MindArrow Systems Inc., based in Aliso Viejo, Calif., is a provider of hosted, Web-based ASP solutions that allow companies to replace printed brochures and direct mail with electronic multimedia messages. Our patent-pending technologies enable sales and marketing organizations to deliver and track targeted interactive messages incorporating high quality video, audio and graphics in highly compressed, self-contained files called eBrochures(R).
MindArrow's solutions augment traditional customer relationship management (CRM) systems by opening up a more effective line of communication between a company and its customers - delivering the right message at the right time to the right audience.
This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the company that are subject to risks and uncertainties that include, but are not limited to, the uncertainty of the effectiveness of eBrochures as a marketing medium and the uncertainty of the acceptance of eBrochures in replacing printed brochures and direct mail, and general market conditions. Information on these and additional factors that could affect the company and its financial results is included in the company's registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.