BANKDIRECT SELECTS AVENUE A, INC. AS ITS ONLINE MEDIA AND DATA
MARKETING COMPANY OF RECORD
DALLAS (May 15, 2000) - BankDirect, the nation's fastest growing online bank,(www.bankdirect.com),
announced today it has chosen Avenue A, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVEA), the leading
Internet media and data marketing company,
(www.avenuea.com)
, as its online media and data marketing firm of record.
Avenue A, Inc. will provide media strategy, planning, buying, and proprietary
technology designed to increase BankDirect's brand awareness and attract
customers to its competitive banking products and financial services. Using its
data collection and analysis methodology to test the way consumers respond to
different marketing messages, Avenue A will increase the effectiveness of
BankDirect's existing advertising campaign.
"Avenue A brings an excellent reputation, distinguished client list and proven
track-record in brand building to its partnership with BankDirect," said Rose
Hultgren, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of BankDirect.
"By leveraging Avenue A's experience and success in the Internet world with our
overall marketing program, we can continue to build awareness for and position
BankDirect as the Internet financial services destination."
"We're looking forward to working with BankDirect on their online brand identity
campaign," said Brian McAndrews, president and chief executive officer of
Avenue A. "Avenue A's Internet advertising expertise - complementing the
existing marketing efforts of BankDirect - will be instrumental in effectively
communicating a powerful message to the company's target audiences."
BankDirect announced in July of last year the debut of an aggressive advertising
campaign to generate online customers. The campaign, which is being run
nationally with a concentration in Texas cities, consists of online, print and
radio elements. Marketing messages touting increased customer convenience and
higher interest-paying checking, money market accounts and CD's have been
incorporated into the BankDirect advertising campaign.
About Avenue A Avenue A integrates Internet planning and buying,
proprietary ad management technology, anonymous user profiling, data analysis
systems and Precision E-mail™ services to help advertisers increase the
effectiveness and return on investment on their Internet advertising and e-mail
campaigns. Avenue A clients include Gateway, Inc., Microsoft (through its MSN
division), Expedia.com and Uproar.com. The company is based in Seattle with
offices in Chicago and New York, and will soon open its first European office
in London. Avenue A also owns iballs, LLC, a subsidiary based in New York.
About BankDirect BankDirect is redefining value in personal finance by
leveraging the power of the Internet to provide convenient, competitive banking
products and responsive service. BankDirect provides no-fee, high interest
checking, money market accounts and CDs, as well as free bill-pay service to
customers around the nation. In addition, BankDirect has partnered with
American Airlines to become the first Internet-based bank to offer mileage
opportunities to its AAdvantage members. Launched in May 1999, BankDirect is
the national Internet banking division of Texas Capital Bank. Texas Capital
Bank is privately owned and operated by the holding company, Texas Capital
Bancshares, Inc., which was founded in December 1998 with the largest start up
capitalization in U.S. banking history.
Contact Information:
Rose Hultgren
BankDirect
214-932-6690
Teri Franklin
Avenue A
terif@avenuea.com
206-816-8245