rEvolution Announces Strategic Alliance with Knowledge Networks

CHICAGO (June 2007) — rEvolution, the Chicago-based integrated sports marketing and media services agency, announces a strategic alliance with Knowledge Networks, a leading market research firm in the United States. Through the alliance, rEvolution and Knowledge Networks will deliver the next generation of sponsorship research and consulting services by arming clients with crucial data and strategic insights in order to maximize the ROI of their sponsorship investments.

“The consulting component of our business drives our strategic credibility in the sports marketing world,” said John Rowady, President, rEvolution. “We need to be better, faster and more targeted to break away from what every other agency is doing. The alliance with Knowledge Networks inherently boosts the business intelligence we provide our clients. Our combined expertise will be a major differentiator in the market and our clients will be the beneficiaries.”

The research foundation of the alliance is built on Knowledge Networks’ state-of-the-art sponsorship ROI model. Knowledge Networks’ proprietary model, which is used by many of the leading corporate sponsors in the United States, is the only model to truly isolate and quantify the additional sales generated by a sports sponsorship program.

“Knowledge Networks has developed and successfully delivered a sponsorship ROI model and related research programs that address such important issues as deciding to sponsor, choosing from the many alternatives, and measuring the success of the implementation and the ROI,” said Simon Kooyman, Chief Executive Officer, Knowledge Networks. “This exciting alliance with rEvolution will help us bolster our leadership position in this research field.”

In addition to the exclusive sponsorship ROI model, Knowledge Networks and rEvolution have formed a think tank to develop new, customized sponsorship research tools that are specific to each client’s needs. Several new models currently in development include:

• Pre-selection sponsorship systems
• Corporate hospitality sales conversion models
• Sponsorship portfolio optimization systems
• Activation analysis recommendation and analysis
• Strategy enhancement design

“Of all the firms we’ve worked with in the past, rEvolution has been the most focused on research as a driver of business building ideas for clients,” said Darren Marshall, Vice President, Knowledge Networks. “Both Knowledge Networks and rEvolution share the belief that by using sophisticated research and analytic modeling we are better equipped to truly guide our clients’ sponsorship decision making efforts.”

The emergence of consulting groups in marketing services has grown dramatically in recent years due to the rising cost of sports sponsorships and the diminished size of corporate marketing departments. Through the alliance, rEvolution’s leadership will be able to provide clients with a new, quantifiable measurement of the results of sponsorships and better information prior to activating sponsorships. Access to Knowledge Networks’ research furnishes rEvolution’s team with the most accurate data and insight so that they may recommend changes to a strategy, appropriate spending levels to acquire rights and integrated activation planning.

According to Rowady, “We have only just begun through this alliance. There is always a better way for our clients, and we are tireless in our effort to forge the new path.”

About rEvolution
rEvolution is the only independent and fully-integrated sports marketing and media services agency in the industry. Chicago-based with an international vision and reputation, rEvolution joins forces with its clients in creating and implementing innovative business-building marketing programs through sport. rEvolution's integrated services environment includes: sponsorship, media buying and planning, promotion, event management, hospitality, mobile marketing, research and measurement. rEvolution’s team of industry experts specialize in action/youth sports; collegiate sports; international sports; lifestyle sports; motorsports; and professional sports. More information about rEvolution and the unique experiences they have created and executed for corporations is available at www.revolutionworld.com.

About Knowledge Networks
Knowledge Networks specializes in solving complex, high-impact problems, providing extraordinary quality and service to leaders in business, government and academia. We work closely with clients to create healthy consumer-brand connections, effective marketing and advertising, sound public policies, and accurate social science research. We have established respected practices in media, marketing, advertising, and government & academic studies. KN excels in study design, analytics, and custom panel creation; we deliver affordable, statistically valid online research through KnowledgePanelSM – the only available probability selected, nationally representative Internet panel.

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