Press Release: Carlson Marketing Group
October 10, 2001
MINNEAPOLIS, NEW YORK & LONDON -- In a move that will dramatically enhance the ability of packaged goods providers
to identify their end customers and build better relationships with them, Carlson Marketing Group has announced
a multi-million dollar plan to acquire the beenz.com business. beenz.com is the creator of beenz®, a rewards-based
loyalty program for the Internet. The acquisition of beenz.com includes the hardware and software assets, the beenz
brand and all of the company's intellectual property assets including its patents.
``The merging of the beenz patents with our existing proprietary technology opens a whole new frontier in building
brand loyalty for our clients, particularly the packaged goods marketplace,'' said Jim Ryan, president and chief
executive officer, Carlson Marketing Group. ``The RewardzCodes(SM) technology and Carlson's expertise in Relationship
Marketing will expand traditional loyalty concepts into exciting applications for the consumer packaged goods industry,
an industry that has had limited options to identify customers and ways to build strong consumer loyalty.
``beenz's patented technology coupled with Carlson Marketing Group's relationship-building strategies make this
a compelling acquisition,'' continued Ryan. ``We've already begun to design several unique applications using beenz
technology for client programs. In addition, the beenz system for developing unique on-package award codes will
be used to further develop and expand our Gold Points Rewards program internationally. The fact that we will now
own these patents puts us in a strong leadership position.''
beenz technology lives on
``In the midst of the downturn in the Internet economy and a challenging business environment, we worked tirelessly
to maintain the beenz network and to continue the development of our sophisticated technology while aggressively
and effectively mitigating the business' liabilities,'' said Stephen T. Limpe, president and chief executive officer
of beenz.com inc. ``Today's announcement marks the successful culmination of this difficult process and enables
us to return significant value back to our shareholders. We are particularly proud that our technology will be
carried forward and enhanced by Carlson Marketing Group. We view this integration of our core business into Carlson
Marketing, one of the world's pre-eminent marketing companies, as the ultimate testament that beenz established
an extremely viable and valuable business.''
Carlson Marketing Group's acquisition includes the following:
Gold Points Rewards
The technology and intellectual property assets of beenz.com will be integrated into Gold Points Rewards, a subsidiary
of Carlson Marketing Group. Gold Points Rewards is a consumer loyalty program that rewards its members both online
and offline each time they use their card at participating partners.
Today there are more than six million Gold Points Reward members who earn and redeem points at more 3,500 partner
locations. The Gold Points Rewards program is centered around the issuance of points that never expire. These points
are redeemable for rewards such as travel, hotel stays, cruises, airline miles, dining options, car rentals, flowers,
and a wide variety of merchandise and personal services.
``The acquisition of beenz.com and its technology will not only allow us to develop a stronger online rewards capability
for our Gold Points Rewards members, it also gives us access to an impressive global online community,'' said Harold
Schrum, executive vice president and general manager for Gold Points Rewards. ``The beenz offline and online technologies
are powerful tools that will help strengthen Gold Points' position as the leading brand in the rewards and loyalty
field.''
Carlson Marketing Group plans to leverage the beenz patents and assets far beyond the Gold Points Rewards program.
``This is a tremendous enhancement for Gold Points, but we see hugely exciting opportunities for our consumer products
clients to reward long-term brand allegiance,'' concluded Ryan. ``We see well beyond traditional loyalty programs;
we see consumer products companies building better relationships with their best customers because of services
we can now design and deliver.''
About Carlson Marketing Group
Carlson Marketing Group, ranked by Advertising Age Magazine as the largest marketing services agency in the U.S.,
is a Relationship Marketing company with international capabilities that span 22 countries including the U.S. and
the UK. The company helps global Fortune 1000 clients improve their sales and profits by designing marketing strategies
which build better relationships with the audiences that clients depend on for their success: employees, channel
partners, and consumers. Carlson Marketing Group understands that in today's increasingly complex marketplace,
one thing is clear: relationships always drive business results. The company offers well-designed Relationship
Marketing strategies and helps clients optimize their marketing spend through the design and delivery of custom
solutions.
Carlson Marketing Group has a presence in the following major North American business markets: Atlanta, Chicago,
Dayton, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Toronto. www.carlsonmarketing.com
About Gold Points Rewards
The original Gold Points Rewards(SM) test program was launched by Carlson Companies' founder Curtis L. Carlson
in 1996 as an electronic reincarnation of the Gold Bond Stamp Company, started in 1938 and upon which today's $31
billion Carlson empire was eventually built. The electronic consumer incentive program rewarded members for consistent
loyalty and stimulated growth in sales for a network of well-known retail, service, and hospitality partners. Today,
more than six million Gold Points Rewards members can earn and redeem points at more than 1,000 Gold Points Partner
locations including many of Carlson's nationwide brands such as Radisson Hotels & Resorts Worldwide®, Country
Inns & Suites By Carlson®, T.G.I. Friday's® restaurants, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, and Carlson Vacation
Ownership timeshare properties. Members may also earn and redeem points by doing business with Thrifty Car Rental,
FTD.com, the SkyMall merchandise catalog and more. In Canada, merchants include Crabtree & Evelyn, Service
Master, along with Carlson Wagonlit Travel. www.GoldPoints.com
About beenz.com Inc.
beenz.com, creator of beenz, the web currency(TM), is headquartered in New York. beenz was an online marketing
tool designed to attract and maintain the attention of online consumers. beenz technology partners are Oracle Corporation
(Nasdaq:ORCL), Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq:SUNW) and Exodus (Nasdaq:EXD).
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Contact:
Carlson Marketing Group, Minneapolis
Barry Wegener, 763/212-5629
bwegener@carlson.com
or
beenz.com
Band & Brown Communications
David Vindel, +44 207 419 7000
david@bbpr.com