Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau Names AMP Agency Official Marketing Partner for Spring Break 2003

Business Wire, Feb 25, 2003

Lifestyle Editors/Business Editors/Travel Writers

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 25, 2003

-- AMP Agency (Alloy Marketing & Promotions) Transforms Top

College Destination Into Consumer Marketers' "Fantasy Island

Spring Break 2003" -- Top Sponsors Include Verizon Wireless,

Panasonic E-Wear, ABC Daytime TV, Microsoft and Hewlett-

Packard

Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCBCVB) today announced the selection of AMP Agency, a division of Alloy, Inc., as its official marketing partner for Spring Break 2003. On behalf of this premiere destination, AMP Agency is developing a custom marketing program, "Fantasy Island Spring Break 2003," that integrates tailored brand sponsorships with on-site contests, events and other activities spanning the spring semester break, March 1-28, 2003. Alloy's 360 Youth division will support the program by promoting PCBCVB's activities through its proprietary media assets including out-of-home media network and college newspaper advertising across campuses nationwide. Newspaper inserts included a sweepstakes offering one lucky winner and three friends a weeklong stay in Panama City Beach.

As designed by AMP Agency, Fantasy Island Spring Break 2003 is a completely modular, semester-long, integrated promotion that enables sponsors to individually tailor program elements to meet their brand objectives. The four-week Fantasy Island Spring Break 2003 media and event promotion will be staged at Panama City Beach's popular beachside resort, Spinnaker Beach Club, home to one of the largest nightclubs in the U.S. The event will stretch across 25,000 square feet of beachfront property, the largest cooperative program executed in Panama City Beach this year.

"Last March, Panama City Beach hosted more than 450,000 students from 300 different colleges during Spring Break. For perspective, consider that the second most popular Spring Break 2002 destination drew a quarter of a million," said Bob Warren, President/CEO of The Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. "How do you improve on success? By upping the excitement and student vacation experience with bigger and better sponsored activities and events. That's why we brought in the AMP Agency. As top marketing experts on the youth market, Alloy's AMP Agency is helping us make Spring Break 2003 the best-ever by turning this stretch of real estate into a true 'fantasy island' -- a hub of non-stop entertainment, music and contests, courtesy of some of the most popular Gen-Y products and media brands."

Confirmed Fantasy Island Spring Break 2003 top sponsors include title sponsor Verizon Wireless (FREEUP), as well as Panasonic E-Wear, ABC Daytime Television, Hewlett-Packard's iPAQ Pocket PC featuring Microsoft's Pocket PC 2002 software, Icebreakers(R), Glow by JLo, Davidoff Cool Water and MXB Magazine.

"Panama City Beach provides the perfect marketing outreach opportunity for companies to directly interact with and build brand recognition among one of the most sought-after demographics -- college students, aged 18-24, who have one of the highest discretionary spending levels in the U.S.(1)," said Tom Schneider, Chief Marketing Officer of Alloy's AMP Agency. "In addition to wonderful on-site exposure, sponsors will enjoy significant publicity as last year's Spring Break sponsors received millions of additional impressions from national and regional print and broadcast media."

Following are some of the highlights of the Fantasy Island Spring Break 2003 sponsored events:

Verizon Wireless (FREEUP) -- The Verizon Wireless Connect Home Call Center

As the title sponsor, Verizon Wireless (FREEUP) is establishing the Verizon Wireless Connect Home Call Center, a (free) service to enable college students to keep in touch with family members and friends while on Spring Break. Additionally, there will be a designated area in Fantasy Island called the Verizon Wireless "FREEUP" Sports Zone where college students can follow their favorite teams during the "March Madness" college basketball tournament.

Panasonic -- The Panasonic e-wear(TM) Oasis

Panasonic will be beachside in Panama City Beach with their e-wear Oasis. The Oasis is an interactive pavilion that highlights cool, new products in the e-wear line, including: Digital Audio Players and SD Audio/Video Recorders. Spring Breakers will be able to send friends and family a Panasonic e-card with their picture. Panasonic also is sponsoring a real life "Treasure Hunt" competition, testing students' camera skills, for the chance to win a Panasonic e-wear SV-AV20 Recorder.

ABC Daytime Television -- All My Children's Sexiest Man In America Search

Another hot event that is sure to grab beach attention is ABC Daytime -- All My Children's Sexiest Man In America Search. Guys who think they're hot will get a chance to prove it in this nationwide search for the sexiest guy in America. Men who think they have it all can strut their stuff at the All My Children booth where cameras will roll all month long. Each participant will have 30 seconds to deliver their video pitch for the chance to win an on air appearance on All My Children. On March 14th, All My Children stars, Rebecca Budig and Alicia Minshew, will take to the main stage to meet the Panama City Beach contestants and judge for themselves.