Roger Darnell
DWA for ATTIK
828.264.8898

Ruth Sarfaty
Vice President, America Online
212.652.6360

For Immediate Release

NEW YORK – Oct. 24, 2005 – AOL's AIM service has rolled out its national advertising campaign called "I AM."  Created with AIM's agency of record ATTIK, the new non-traditional advertising campaign introduces AOL's next generation AIM service – called called "AIM Triton" – as a feature-rich communications service that goes beyond instant messaging to offer email and SMS text messaging as well as a variety of live voice and streaming video services (http://www.aim.com). 

The multi-faceted campaign features a colorful new logo and underscores the emotional connection that AIM's more than 43 million users have with the brand (Source: comScore Media Metrix, Sept., 2005).  The campaign includes numerous interactive, traditional, search-based and buzz marketing elements, including print, indoor and outdoor placements on college and university campuses.  An on-campus wild posting campaign, featuring two unique posters per week, will run through mid-November, and full-page, four-color print ads will appear in 43 student newspapers nationwide – from Georgetown University to UCLA. 

Specifically, it highlights the role that the AIM® Screen Name plays as a core component of users' identities, and reveals the variety of shared experiences and communications services that the new AIM® Triton service offers.

"AIM keeps users connected to family, friends and colleagues whether they are at home, school, work, or in-between via mobile.  With AIM Triton, we are giving users even greater flexibility with integrated email, text messaging and improved voice and video services," said Kevin Conroy, Executive Vice President, AOL Media Networks.  "We worked with ATTIK to create a multi-faceted campaign that presents these features to our core youth audiences in a way that impacts them in their daily lives, and we are confident that our new visual identity and creative showcases the flexibility and comprehensiveness of the new AIM Triton service."

In addition, online advertising geared to teens and young adults is appearing on music, sports, entertainment and lifestyle websites, including MTV.com, ESPN.com, TicketMaster, About.com and the AOL.com network.  Running through November, the online advertising campaign also includes social networking services like MySpace, Facebook and Bebo, as well as properties represented by ValueClick and 24/7 Real Media.  On Facebook.com alone, the new AIM brand messaging is reaching more than four million students per month on more than 2,000 campuses. 

As a part of the new campaign, AIM users and Internet users will be driven to a new microsite found at www.aim.com/you (http://www.aim.com/you).  There, they can experience the new AIM brand identity and view an AIM Triton demo.  They will also be invited to try the Preview Edition of the AIM Triton software on AIM.com (http://www.aim.com/get_aim/win/win_beta.adp?aolp).

The AIM service began work with ATTIK in June when the agency launched a viral marketing program geared toward 18-24 year olds featuring wild postings, online advertising, a nationwide sweepstakes, blogs and viral MPEGs for the new AIM® Mail service.

About the AIM® Service
With more than 43 million active users in the U.S. alone, the AIM® service (http://www.aim.com) is at the center of one of the largest and most dynamic online communities. It is available for use on computers, cell phones and other handheld devices. The AIM service is an integrated communications client that offers instant messaging, email and SMS text messaging as well as a variety of voice calling and streaming video services. Features include a Plaxo-enabled AIM® Address Book and integrated access to the AOL® Explorer, AOL® Mail, AIM® Mail, AOL® Radio, AIM® Talk and TotalTalk services.

About America Online, Inc. 
America Online, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. Based in Dulles, Virginia, America Online is the world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies and e-commerce services.

About ATTIK
ATTIK (www.attik.com) is a global creative agency committed to designing extraordinary creative experiences that inspire consumers through compelling communications.  ATTIK's strategic planning, design, advertising, production, client service and young-adult research expertise have driven success across an array of consumer product and service categories.  ATTIK articulates corporate brand strategy, designs creative solutions for advertising, below-the-line and online media, ensuring target audiences are vitally connected to every facet of its clients' brands.  For inquiries, please call Ric Peralta (Ric@attik.com) at +1-415-284-2600.

 



Wild Posting #2 from new AIM campaign
(Image courtesy of ATTIK)
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