IMG to handle international marketing for Clear Passage nasal dilator by patent holder Acutek

Business Wire, Jan 8, 1997

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 1997--IMG, the world's largest sports marketing and management firm, has been retained by Acutek Adhesive Specialties Inc. to handle international marketing for the company's Clear Passage nasal dilator.

IMG's Corporate Representation division, based in New York, with staff throughout the United States and around the world, will plan and execute the marketing and merchandising campaign.

Nasal dilators represented an $80 million (at wholesale) category in the United States alone in 1996. Introduced in the professional and sports world, nasal dilators have emerged as an exciting new product in the health, lifestyle and fashion categories.

Acutek currently licenses foreign distribution to Airpower GmbH of Basel, Switzerland. Clear Passage products are currently sold in 20 countries around the world, including Japan, Korea, Germany, England, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.

``There is so much growth potential for this product, and we are delighted to have IMG on our team,'' said Jerry Muchin, president of Acutek.

``Their worldwide reach, many contacts with celebrity athletes, and their work in the sports, fashion and leisure-time industries, combined with their involvement in international marketing, assures that Clear Passage will live up to its potential,'' he added.

``The worldwide growth projections for the category are staggering,'' said Michael Wright, senior corporate vice president of IMG.

``Clear Passage not only has an excellent track record, but its new first-ever translucent nasal dilator (`Transparent'), combined with the Clear Passage `Classic' (beige) and Clear Passage `Fashion' (custom-colored and/or printed), provide us with numerous exciting opportunities.''

Nasal dilators are adhesive strips that hold the nostrils open and make nasal breathing easier, reducing nasal-airflow resistance up to 31 percent. Acutek now has the right to control the manufacture, sales, distribution and/or license of nasal dilators. The company, which has designed and manufactured medical adhesive components for the past 20 years, is based in Inglewood, Calif.

IMG, founded by Mark McCormack in the early 1960s, is the world's largest sports management and marketing company, and IMG's television division, TWI, is the world's largest independent source of televised sports.

IMG promotes, owns and organizes hundreds of sports and cultural events around the world; is a sports marketing consultant to major corporations; is the world's largest celebrity, corporate and trademark-licensing company; and is a literary agency and book packager, manager and presenter of world-renowned classical-music artists through its IMG Artists.

Its IMG Models is an international modeling agency, and IMG's Investment Advisors International (IAI) is one of the world's most respected financial-consulting firms.

IMG's clients are as diverse as Arnold Palmer, the Nobel Foundation, Itzhak Perlman, Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi, John Madden, Wimbledon, Joe Montana, Pete Sampras, Monica Seles, Wayne Gretzky, Rolex, Bob Costas, supermodels Niki Taylor and Tyra Banks, Chris Evert, Michael Schumacher, Raggedy Ann & Andy, Martina Navratilova, Chris Webber, Ray Allen, Herschel Walker, the Federation International de Ski (FIS) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.

Among the company's televised events are the Skins Game (PGA, LPGA, Senior PGA), the ATP Tour Championships, the World Championships of Women's Golf, the World Professional Figure Skating Championships, the USA Track and Field Indoor Circuit and several stops on the men's and women's golf and tennis tours, the grand prix racing circuit and worldwide soccer, sailing, cricket, rugby, skating, skiing, football and other competitions.

CONTACT: Linda Dozoretz Communications, Los Angeles

Linda Dozoretz, Ria Rosenberg or Jennifer Berman

213/656-4499