Verizon Information Services Selects Deutsch Inc. To Handle SUPERPAGES Business

NEW YORK - After a three-month review, Verizon Information Services has announced its selection of Deutsch Inc. to handle the integrated $30 - $50 million SUPERPAGES assignment, which includes SuperPages brand yellow pages and SuperPages.com.

Deutsch will be responsible for general advertising and integrated services, including direct and interactive marketing. Partnering with Deutsch on ethnic advertising will be Casanova Pendrill Publicidad, Inc. Mary Maroun of Combustion Inc. in New York managed the review.

"In looking to establish and heighten the SUPERPAGES brand from Verizon we were in the market for a creative and strategic partner with spirit, and we found that in Deutsch," said Pat Marshall, group vice president - Marketing of Verizon Information Services. "All the agencies we reviewed presented excellent proposals. The Deutsch team has presented us with a breakthrough campaign that we anticipate rolling out this spring."

"We are excited to have this opportunity to help grow SUPERPAGES by creating brand strength with a fully integrated, multi-disciplined campaign," said Donny Deutsch, Chairman and CEO of Deutsch Inc. "There are endless opportunities in how we'll be able to communicate with consumers - bringing the people and the brand together, and demonstrating value to Verizon's advertisers. We'll be able to explore new arenas, new mediums and ways to extend the SUPERPAGES brand."

"I'm thrilled that we'll be partnering with Verizon and fellow IPG family member Deutsch in communicating to the Hispanic community," said Paul Casanova, president of Casanova Pendrill Publicidad.

A new campaign will be on air in the early spring. The review, which began in December 2000, was narrowed to four agencies in January. They included: Deutsch, New York; The Richards Group, Dallas; Temerlin McClain, Irving, Texas; and Tierney & Partners, Philadelphia. Presentations were made on Feb. 26, 27 and 28.

Verizon Information Services and SuperPages.com

Verizon Information Services is a world leading print and online directory publisher and a content provider for communications products and services. The largest directory publisher in the world, Verizon has annual revenues of more than $4.1 billion and employs more than 11,000 people.

Verizon Information Services provides sales, publishing and other related services for nearly 2,300 directory titles in 48 states and the District of Columbia and 17 countries outside the U.S. This includes more than 1,600 Verizon directory titles with a total circulation of approximately 110 million copies in the U.S. and 37 million copies internationally.

Verizon Information Services also produces and markets SuperPages.com, the Internet's preeminent online directory and shopping resource. SuperPages.com has received up to 7.7 million visits and 3.4 million unique visitors per month, and is the exclusive Yellow Pages provider on Excite, Lycos, AOL Service, AOL.com, Digital City, Ask Jeeves, HotBot and BigFoot.

Based in the Dallas area, Verizon Information Services is a unit of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), which was formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE. Verizon is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

Deutsch Inc.

Deutsch Inc., recently named "Agency of the Year" by Adweek for the fourth consecutive year, an unprecedented accomplishment, is a $1.5 billion full-service integrated marketing and communications company. Part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) family, Deutsch works with blue-chip clients including Mitsubishi Motors of America, Pfizer, Domino's, DIRECTV, Revlon, Snapple and Tommy Hilfiger. Deutsch offers clients an array of services including advertising, direct marketing (directDeutsch), Interactive (iDeutsch), design (designDeutsch), youth marketing (dRush), and public relations, promotions, and events (Deutsch PR Promo Plus). Deutsch has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago.

Casanova Pendrill Publicidad

Casanova Pendrill Publicidad, headquartered in Irvine, California, is a leader in marketing and advertising to the Hispanic community. Clients include General Mills, Inc., The Home Depot, DIRECTV, Johnson & Johnson Corp., Nestle and Coors Brewing Company. CPP is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) family.

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