mediaFORGE Helps Retailers Engage Consumers on Social Networks and Vertical Sites

SALT LAKE CITY, UT--(Marketwire - October 31, 2008) - As retailers prepare for further economic uncertainty, looming concerns of a recession, and lower consumer confidence, mediaFORGE's new distributed commerce platform can help them increase revenue opportunities, escalate brand recognition, and strengthen customer loyalty. The company's proven and affordable widget distribution platform brings a highly interactive, intimate, and compelling brand experience to social and vertical networks.

For many retailers, traffic is trending downward for their destination sites, while activity is significantly growing on social networks and vertical sites like Facebook and Blogger.com. The mediaFORGE distributed commerce platform helps retailers take advantage of these market trends and bridge the gap between the growing social network sites and the downturn in traffic to their destination site.

MediaFORGE's visually rich and highly portable widgets create meaningful brand interactions right on a social network profile page, personalized start page like iGoogle, blog, or other vertical site. Unlike traditional banner ads that redirect consumers away from their original page to a destination site, mediaFORGE's widgets allow shoppers to browse exclusive deals, watch a product demo, check out clearance items, download wallpapers or music, even search the retailer's website -- right from inside the widget.

In addition, consumers can opt to put a retailer's widget on their desktop or profile page, turning casual customers into fans and creating residual brand interactions. The mediaFORGE distributed commerce platform can deliver exclusive offers, targeted announcements and special pricing to these shoppers -- enabling retailers to develop a new loyalty channel and drive incremental sales.

"Distributed commerce is all about bringing the product and brand to the customer. Just like a bank branch office in a grocery store, our distributed commerce platform empowers retailers to reach, and engage, shoppers where they already are," said Tony Zito, CEO and founder of mediaFORGE. "As a result, retailers can tap into the popularity of social networks to boost brand recognition, loyalty, and sales even as traffic to their own website is thinning. Our platform is fast and affordable to deploy, and most importantly, delivers a quick return on investment with increased sales and incremental engagement."

mediaFORGE's interactive ad platform is already in use with retailers such as Overstock.com, Foot Locker, Nordstrom, SkullCandy, Drugstore.com, DogFunk, Rossingnol, REI and Backcountry.com. Clients are experiencing impressive results in such tangible metrics as click through rates (CTR), earnings per click (EPC), and revenue. For example, Overstock.com's 'Daily Steal' interactive widget campaign generated a 19.43% increase in earnings per click (EPC) and 24.5% increase in revenue.

About mediaFORGE

Founded in 2005, mediaFORGE is socializing and monetizing branded, immersive and portable widgets that leverage existing online advertising inventory. The company received a $1.5 million Series A in July 2006 led by Prospector Equity Capital, L.P. and private equity firm Gazelle Investments. www.mediaforge.com