MTV Networks Expands Vertical Ad Network Strategy with 'Tribes'

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MTV Networks Expands Vertical Ad Network Strategy with 'Tribes'
'MTV Generation Tribe' Launches with Pepsi as Charter Advertiser and Dozens
  of Artist and Entertainment Web Sites from echo, a Ticketmaster Company

    NEW YORK, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks (MTVN), a division of
Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today expanded its vertical ad network strategy
with "Tribes," a series of demographic-focused vertical ad networks built
around the company's core online properties. The youth-targeted "MTV
Generation Tribe" launches today with Pepsi as its charter advertiser and
will include a network of publishers focused on music, movies, teen sports,
gaming and style. Among its launch publishers is echo, a Ticketmaster
company which hosts the official Web sites of artists including Alicia
Keys, Kanye West and KoRn.

    Tribes from CMT, Spike and VH1 are also set to launch this month, with
a COMEDY CENTRAL Tribe launching in the first quarter of 2009. The new ad
networks join MTV Networks' Parenting Tribe, which launched in February and
is anchored by ParentsConnect.com.

    "The heart of MTV Networks' success lies in connecting targeted, niche
audiences with content that speaks to their unique passions, interests and
lifestyles," said Nada Stirratt, Executive Vice President, Digital
Advertising, MTV Networks. "Through Tribes, we're giving marketers the
opportunity to reach an even greater number of relevant consumers in a
targeted and efficient way."

    "The new MTV Tribes network provides us with reach and relevancy along
with granular targeting and reporting," said John Vail, director,
Interactive Marketing Group, Pepsi-Cola North America.

    MTVN's Tribes are anchored by the company's core digital properties and
extend to sites beyond its online portfolio. Each Tribe focuses on a
specific demographic group and its shared interests and passions. MTVN
hand-selects all partner sites and sells premium, advertising inventory and
packages across each Tribe, utilizing extensive capabilities including
demo-targeting, geo- targeting, day-parting and contextual targeting.
Moving forward, MTVN will extend its integrated marketing promotions and
syndicate video content to Tribes' partner sites, and seek to integrate
them into the Flux social media platform's publisher network.

    Launching today with sponsorship from Pepsi, the MTV Generation Tribe
is anchored by MTV.com and its growing network includes dozens of official
artist and fan club sites, via MTVN's partner echo, a Ticketmaster company.

    "echo's sites open a powerful channel for the conversation between
entertainment brands and their consumers and, by joining the MTV Generation
Tribe, we're in an even stronger position to help marketers tap into that
conversation," said Mark Montgomery, chief executive officer, echo.

    As part of the announcement, MTVN named Heather Hopkins Senior Vice
President and General Manager of Tribes. Hopkins joins MTVN from Digitas,
where she served most recently as Senior Vice President, working in
leadership roles on the Nike, American Express and Barnes & Noble accounts.

    "Tribes is about leveraging the power of the Web to connect the right
marketer to the right consumer at the right time and place," said Hopkins.
"This initiative plays perfectly to MTV Networks' strength in reaching
highly targeted and valuable demos, and I'm excited to bring Tribes and the
opportunities it holds for advertisers to the marketplace."

    To power Tribes, MTVN has partnered with Burst AdConductor for
ad-serving, as well as publisher recruitment and management.

    About MTV Networks

    MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the
world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage
and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games,
virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more
than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide,
and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite,
Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land,
Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.
SOURCE MTV Networks
http://www.mtv.com
http://ParentsConnect.com
CONTACT:
Mark Jafar of MTV Networks, +1-212-846-8961,
mark.jafar@mtvstaff.com; or Paul Freundlich, paulf@pfamedia.net,
or Maria Malta, mmalta@pfamedia.net, both for PFA,
+1-212-334-6116 for echo