AQNT Aquantive (MM)

aQuantive, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQNT),๏ฟฝtoday announced that its pay-for-performance franchise marketing subsidiary, Franchise Gator, launched a new Web portal (www.FranchiseGator.co.uk.) specifically to serve franchisors, potential franchisees and advertisers in the U.K. Franchise Gator was acquired by aQuantive in May 2006 and is part of the company๏ฟฝs Digital Performance Media business segment. Founded in 2001, Franchise Gator has become a leader in generating franchisee leads for franchisors. ๏ฟฝThis launch is particularly good news for companies looking to expand their franchise businesses in the U.K., as well as for people who are interested in owning their own franchise,๏ฟฝ said Brent Turner, vice president and general manager, Franchise Gator. ๏ฟฝThis comes in response to the many interested U.K. visitors who visited our U.S. portal over the last year.๏ฟฝ According to the 2007 NatWest/British Franchise Association Survey, Franchise businesses have grown dramatically in the U.K. over the past decade, and now account for nearly ๏ฟฝ11 billion (GB) of annual revenue in the U.K. economy, an increase of ๏ฟฝ500 million in the last year alone. In addition, the vast majority (87 percent) of franchisors in the U.K. now use the internet to recruit new franchisees, compared to 61 percent in 2005. Franchise Gator๏ฟฝs lead generation program is unique to the industry in that advertisers only pay for prospects they receive, and a stringent qualification process virtually eliminates invalid or unqualified prospects. Turner added, ๏ฟฝFranchise Gator has built a strong pay-for-performance business. Its franchise marketing platform, coupled with aQuantive๏ฟฝs core digital marketing capabilities, serves as a ๏ฟฝmust-have๏ฟฝ platform for franchisors everywhere. We๏ฟฝre very excited about our U.K. team and the launch of our U.K. portal.๏ฟฝ (EDITOR๏ฟฝS NOTE: Company executives and Franchise Gator clients are available for interviews upon request.) About Franchise Gator Established in 2001, Franchise Gator LLC (www.franchisegator.com) is an internet-based franchise pay-for-performance marketing service. Now in its fifth year of operation, the Web site presents prospective franchisees with profiles of more than 550 leading franchise opportunities and businesses from 100+ industry sectors. In turn, Franchise Gator provides franchisors with a quality, yet cost-effective, mode of franchise marketing. Franchise Gator promotes franchising best practices and is an active member of the International Franchise Association's Supplier Forum. About aQuantive, Inc. aQuantive, Inc. is a global digital marketing company founded in 1997 to help marketers acquire, retain and grow customers across all digital media. It is the parent company of Avenue A | Razorfish, the largest interactive agency in the U.S., and five international agencies, DNA, Amnesia, NEUE DIGITALE, e-Crusade and Duke; Atlas, provider of integrated digital marketing technologies and expertise; and DRIVEpm and Franchise Gator, performance media and behavioral targeting businesses. Through its business units, aQuantive is positioned to bring value to any interaction in the digital marketplace. Its stock (ticker symbol: AQNT) is listed on the NASDAQ exchange. aQuantive's Web site address is www.aquantive.com.