The Concept Farm Creates Branded Content for Cisco and HP, the First Sponsors of Web TV Series Cool in Your Code

Business Wire, May 10, 2007

New York Agency's Digital Media Partnership with London's Times Media Provides Advertisers with Unique Platform to Reach Online Newspaper Audience

NEW YORK & LONDON -- The Concept Farm in New York and Times Media in London today announced the successful launch of the first in a series of branded content segments for Cisco and HP on Cool in Your Code (CiYC), an exclusive Web TV program that debuted earlier this year on Times Online - the leading web site of The Times and The Sunday Times. The weekly CiYC "infotainment" series provides a behind-the-scenes look at what's hip, new and undiscovered throughout London's 120-plus postcodes, with a focus on fashion, food, music, property, nightlife, entertainment, culture and celebrity.

Under the sponsorship agreements with Cisco and HP, The Concept Farm is developing branded content that ties in with each company's existing brand platform and brand communications program. Cisco is the sponsor of "Culture Code," a regular segment that explores the different cultures of London's diverse neighborhoods. The branded content for these segments builds on Cisco's "Welcome to the Human Network" platform.

In the HP-sponsored "Property Code" segment, an upscale flat in a prime London location, called the HP Launch Pad, serves as a hub for the CiYC hosts. Throughout the segment, the hosts use both the new HP Touch PC and HP Pavilion TX1000 Notebook PC in different areas of the flat to demonstrate the power and portability of HP products, while showcasing the featured postcode's most stunning and unique properties and communicating with a "host-on-the-street" in that neighborhood.

Zach Leonard, Digital Media Publisher for Times Newspapers, Ltd., said, "Branded content delivered through the Cool in Your Code platform is a win-win for everyone. Our viewers are entertained and informed, while our sponsors get their marketing messages across in a compelling and relevant way. As a Web or cable TV show, CiYC is a fully integrated product and brand placement vehicle that elevates how sophisticated marketers reach today's multi-media consumer."

Blake Olson, Partner at The Concept Farm, said, "By connecting brands with what's happening in London's diverse postcodes, CiYC connects different sponsors with the nearly nine million affluent, web savvy consumers who visit Times Online and also purchase products and services on the Internet. The key is to create branded content that is as entertaining as the series itself and seamlessly integrated with the rest of the show for enhanced consumer impact and relevance."

CiYC is part of an award-winning portfolio of branded content platforms developed by The Concept Farm team, spearheaded by partners John Gellos, Ray Mendez, Will Morrison, Blake Olson, Griffin Stenger, Gregg Wasiak and Hank Wasiak.

About Times Media

Times Media consists of The Times and Sunday Times newspapers and Times Online. With a total 12 month audience reach across the group of greater than 15 million, Times Media is one of the UK's leading providers of quality news, comment and analysis.

Times Online (www.timesonline.co.uk) offers breaking news, comment and analysis on global issues, business, sport, travel and entertainment. Launched in 1996, the site has more than 9 million unique monthly users delivering more than 66 million monthly Page Views.

The Times, founded in 1785, has a daily readership of 1.8 million people. The Sunday Times is the market-leading quality Sunday newspaper with a readership of more than 3.6 million people.

Times Media is part of Times Newspaper Ltd (TNL), a subsidiary of News International Ltd.

About The Concept Farm

Established by advertising, marketing and branding industry veterans in 1999, The Concept Farm specializes in brand content creation for leading companies, institutions and personalities. The award-winning agency, based in New York City, brings together unique creative talents, strategic thinking, customer insights and a passion for service excellence to create high impact, imaginative, multimedia, content-driven programs that build brands and enrich customer experiences. More information about the firm is available at www.conceptfarm.com

Editor's Note: The first branded content segments "Chelsea - Culture Code" and "Chelsea - Property Code," developed for Cisco and HP respectively, can be viewed at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/audio_video/cool_in_your_code/