Atlas: First Third-Party Ad Server to Achieve Online Ad Measurement Certification; Media Rating Council Accreditation Awarded for Compliance with IAB Standard

Business Wire, July 21, 2006

SEATTLE -- Atlas today announced it is the first third-party ad server to complete the auditing process and achieve ad measurement accreditation by the Media Rating Council (MRC). Atlas, a provider of digital marketing technologies and expertise, is an operating unit of aQuantive, Inc. (Nasdaq:AQNT).

MRC accreditation certifies that Atlas technology adheres to the marketing-industry standard for counting interactive advertising impressions and that its processes supporting this technology are accurate.

"As a leader in third-party ad serving, Atlas is committed to fostering much-needed industry-wide consistency in measuring interactive advertising," said Atlas President Karl Siebrecht. "Completing the auditing process and achieving MRC accreditation is an important, necessary step toward a universal measurement system vital to the successful, long-term growth and maturity of the interactive advertising industry. This is the most recent example of how Atlas continues to be committed to leading the industry in delivering meaningful solutions in managing and tracking interactive marketing," Siebrecht added.

The ad impression measurement guidelines were developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) in conjunction with its members and representatives from the major online publishers and ad serving organizations around the world. Published in November 2004, the guidelines address long-standing marketer and agency concerns about the need for a standardized method of measuring interactive advertising impressions.

"The IAB applauds Atlas' leadership in completing this important initiative," said Interactive Advertising Bureau CEO Greg Stuart. "Their investment in time, effort and resources towards compliance with the IAB standard demonstrates a real commitment that interactive will be the most accountable mainstream medium and indicates a continued maturing of the industry."

The online advertising measurement initiative marks the first time any advertising medium has developed a measurement standard that measures the ad itself, as delivered to a consumer -- versus other media (such as television, radio and magazines) that measure the programming or content.

Interactive is also the first medium to launch a "global" measurement standard that has been accepted by the key industry stakeholder organizations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Other media use different measuring techniques depending on the country and region. These firsts have been considered major strategic advantages for the interactive medium.

To merit MRC accreditation, Atlas:

--adheres to the MRC's Minimum Standards for Media Rating Research and the Interactive Advertising Bureau's (IAB) Ad Impression Counting and Auditing Guidelines;

--provides full and complete information to the MRC regarding all details of its operation;

--conducts its processing and reporting substantially in accordance with representations to its clients and the MRC; and

--submits to, and pays the cost of, thorough annual audits of its procedures by CPA firms engaged by the MRC.

The IAB measurement guidelines offer a detailed definition for counting an online ad impression, the primary currency of the medium, which is a critical component in establishing consistent and accurate online advertising measurements across publishers and ad serving technologies in the US and around the world. The U.S. guidelines also include an industry-driven third-party auditing and certification recommendation. The guidelines are available at www.iab.net/measurement.> In November 2004, the IAB published Global Internet Ad Impression Measurement Guidelines to address long-standing marketer and agency concerns about the need for a standardized method of measuring interactive advertising. In August 2005, the IAB announced that member companies with a proprietary ad-serving technology were on track to achieve wide implementation of the Global Internet Ad Impression Measurement Guidelines. More information on the guidelines is available at http://www.iab.net/standards/measurement.asp.> About MRC

The Media Rating Council (MRC) is a nonprofit industry association whose members consist of the blue chip companies of our industry, including television and radio broadcasters, cablecasters, print organizations, advertisers, Internet organizations, advertising agencies and industry trade associations. The MRC charter is to maintain audience research confidence and credibility with the goal of securing for the industry audience measurement services that are valid, reliable and effective. The MRC was formed in 1964 at the urging of the United States Congress. Audience measurement services desiring MRC Accreditation are required to disclose to the MRC membership (and all customers) all methodological aspects of their service; meet MRC Minimum Standards For Media Rating Research; and submit to MRC designed audits to authenticate and illuminate their procedures. The membership evaluates these audits and the MRC Board grants Accreditation if deemed warranted. In addition, the MRC membership actively pursues research issues they consider priorities in an effort to improve the quality of Research in the marketplace. Further information about MRC's accreditation and auditing procedures can be obtained from: http://www.mrc.htsp.com/ or Executive Director, Media Rating Council, Inc., 370 Lexington Avenue, Suite 902, New York, NY 10017.