Technology Marketing Firm Leverages Interactive Experience, Forms Parallel Interactive;...

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 17, 1995--Although advertising agencies across the country are forming "new media" or "interactive" divisions, few have the necessary internal resources to tap into this emerging multi-billion dollar opportunity.

Newly formed Parallel Interactive, a "sister

company" of one of the Seattle area's oldest and largest technology-oriented advertising agencies, is quickly becoming a pioneer in the exciting field of interactive advertising. It has already assembled the resources and has created interactive marketing materials for some of the largest corporations in the country -- including United Parcel Service (UPS) and PRODIGY. Additionally, the firm has developed interactive presentations for ACE, a multi-billion dollar Japanese corporation.

"Despite the academic debate over consumer acceptance of interactive advertising, it is a necessary reality that is changing the way many advertisers are going to market," said Bill Nisen, Parallel Interactive president. "Interactive advertising makes interactive programming and content delivery affordable to all. The need to lower the cost of interactive programming is crucial to its mass market acceptance. We have a situation today much akin to the early days of television."

Parallel Interactive provides its clients with a wide range of new media marketing services including interactive presentations, catalogs, screensavers, electronic direct mail, product demos, press kits and advertising. Their services are available on a variety of platforms including CD-ROM, diskette, online services, and interactive television. In addition, Parallel Interactive conceptualizes and develops Web pages that guide consumers through information on the Internet.

Parallel Interactive's charter is to help marketers understand the opportunities that exist for new media and assist them in selecting the strategy most appropriate for their products and services. The agency also has the in-house experience and talent to implement innovative, interactive marketing solutions. As Nisen noted, "Parallel Interactive has married the proven talents of experts in marketing and advertising with the technological skills of software industry experts to bridge the gap between the promise and the reality of interactive advertising."

For United Parcel Service, Parallel Interactive designed and developed an interactive presentation to be used at tradeshows to highlight UPS shipping technology and its new customer automation system. In addition to its work with UPS and ACE, Parallel Interactive has also designed the user interface for two online applications for PRODIGY. The first, for the "Free Offer Store," helped to set an all-time PRODIGY record for customer inquiries, pulling in more than 7,000 product information requests in just one day. The other interface is for the "A2Z Multimedia SuperShop(TM)," a huge online specialty boutique selling multimedia products and peripherals.

Parallel Interactive has its own home page, which can be found at http: //www.parallel.wa.com on the Internet. It features agency background and samples of the agency's work. Future pages will have the latest company news and industry position papers.

Parallel Interactive is a sister company of Parallel Communications, a Redmond, Wash.-based full-service marketing communications firm that was founded in 1984 to serve technology and innovative product clients. Parallel Communications provides comprehensive marketing communications services including marketing consultation, strategic planning, identity programs, advertising, direct marketing, print collateral, broadcast production, media services and channel and point-of-sale programs. Both Parallel Interactive and Parallel Communications are members of the Parallel Inc. family of companies.

CONTACT: Parallel Interactive

Jim Hutchins, 206/869-6319 or 206/868-0969

CompuServe: 74764,3246