-Initiative, Universal McCann, MAGNA and IPG's Emerging Media Lab to

             Deliver Clients Real-Time Optimization of TV Ads-

 -Navic's Advanced Technology Combines Power of Television With Accuracy of

                                    Web-



    NEW YORK and WALTHAM, Mass., July 28 /EMWNews/ --

Initiative, Universal McCann, MAGNA and IPG's Emerging Media Lab -- four

companies among the newly formalized Mediabrands group -- today announced

that they have entered into a strategic partnership with Navic Networks,

the Microsoft Corp.-owned solutions provider with innovative technology

offerings that are transforming the world of television advertising.



    



    Under the terms of the agreement, the media agencies and their

respective clients will have access to a variety of Navic's closed-loop

solutions and product offerings, including its national media service,

Admira, to help clients optimize their advertising campaigns more

effectively than ever before.



    "We are seeking new technologies to deliver unparalleled accountability

to clients, and aligning with Navic was a natural fit," said Nick Brien,

CEO of Mediabrands. "By combining the power of television with the

accountability of the Web, we're able to offer our world-class clients

cutting-edge technology to help them maximize the ROI for their advertising

dollars."



    "Navic is fully committed to offering innovative technologies that

provide one of the most effective and accurate metrics available," said

Chet Kanojia, CEO of Navic Networks. "The industry has come a long way from

defining keywords for targeted clicks, and we're excited to align with

forward-thinking companies that make bold moves and, like Navic, are on the

cusp of new trends and technologies."



    Using Admira's suite of advanced planning tools, audience behavior data

and real-time viewership reporting, the agencies and their clients will be

able to define their spot placement criteria and locate available spots

during programming that matches the criteria most optimally, providing

exceptionally high target reach efficiency within the advertiser's budget.



    Initiative, Universal McCann, MAGNA and the Emerging Media Lab have

agreed to pledge significant financial and human resources to inventory

presently accessed through Navic's Admira platform, as well as for future

deployments.

    About Navic Networks



    Navic Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft, is a leading

advanced advertising and interactive television technology provider to the

cable and direct broadcast satellite television industry. Navic provides

sophisticated tools that use real-time audience measurement data to

optimize the delivery and placement of targeted interactive media. More

information is available at http://www.navic.tv.



    About Microsoft



    Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in

software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize

their full potential.