Wednesday, January 7, 2009

BUNCHBALL ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONS TO CLIENT LIST

Bunchball, creator of the consumer engagement and interaction platform “Nitro,” announced today the addition of Comcast, Exent, Piczo, Ultimate Movie Site and Meredith to their client roster.

“The diversity of our client list demonstrates the cross-vertical appeal of Nitro,” said Peter Daboll, CEO of Bunchball. “Traditional brands like Meredith understand the critical need for innovation in marketing, and the power of engaging with consumers using Nitro. By the same token, cutting-edge gaming companies like Exent recognize the super-charge Nitro can give their customers in harnessing the connection to and relationship with their users.”

Marketers worldwide are being faced with declining ad performance, increasing costs and dramatic budget reductions. In this challenging environment, clients are recognizing Bunchball’s ability to change the marketing game for brands and consumers.

“The trend toward building relationships with consumers by creating compelling activities on a site that enlist people’s feedback and loyalty is one that will continue to turn traditional marketing on its head and create real opportunities for brands who are trying to differentiate and be cost-effective in a tough financial climate,” said Kurt Scherf of Parks Associates. “Bunchball is well-positioned to fill this need for brands of all types and sizes and has shown an impressive track record thus far.”

Nitro in Action

Comcast turned to Bunchball and Nitro to increase page views, time on site, logged-in users, and overall customer engagement on the Comcast.net portal site, one of the most heavily trafficked sites in the United States.

"The Nitro product launch was a great experience. A collaborative effort between the teams, Bunchball proved to be knowledgeable and proactive throughout the integration,” said Jean-Claire Fitschen, Sr. Product Manager, Games, Comcast Interactive Media. “Since launch, the program has been successful and can be tied back to metrics-driven results (like high member conversion and page views per unique) which is essential for internal communication."

Better Recipes, a Meredith property, is an ever-expanding online cookbook of recipes for any meal. Meredith implemented Nitro on Better Recipes to incent users to create and rate the site's core content, recipes. Users earn Kitchen Bucks by participating and can use them to customize a virtual kitchen, which provides Meredith with revenue-generating virtual item sponsorship opportunities. Meredith also anticipates that the increased engagement and time spent with the Better Recipes and Better Homes and Gardens brands will increase subscriptions to the print Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Piczo empowers teens worldwide to creatively express themselves, build personal communities, and share experiences with their friends in a safe environment. On Piczo, Nitro's activity-tracking and self-expression widgets are being used to build customer loyalty and lock-in, increase page views and ad impressions, and drive additional revenue through branded and sponsored virtual items targeted specifically to their teen demographic.

Exent is a global leader in delivering video games over broadband, with customers including Verizon, Orange, and Virgin Media. Exent views Nitro as a value-add for their distribution network partners, as it encourages users to spend more time playing games, and to play more often. By wrapping their game catalog in the same game mechanics that resonate so strongly with their end users, Exent is using Nitro to increase the value of their service to their customers and increase engagement among their end users.

About Bunchball

Bunchball enables brands to cost-effectively measure and drive consumers' most valuable behaviors. Bunchball's customers range from startups to multinationals, including Hearst, NBC and Comcast. Bunchball’s proprietary engagement engine, Nitro, plugs seamlessly into a brand’s web site, enhancing online communities, and promoting consumer interaction and loyalty while driving revenue. Based in Redwood City, California, and founded in February 2005, Bunchball’s investors include Granite Ventures and Adobe Systems Incorporated.

For more information, visit Bunchball online at www.bunchball.com.

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