Press ReleasesMore than 5 Million ServedPowered surpasses 5 million consumer enrollments for its online education programs. Powered programs have driven nearly 80 million consumers to its clients' sites, including Atkins, BusinessWeek, Gateway, HP, iVillage, Sony, and P&G. Atkins, BusinessWeek, Gateway, HP, iVillage, P&G, and Sony partner with Powered, Inc. to underwrite and offer free online education courses and seminars Austin, Texas — May 22, 2006 — Powered, Inc., the leading provider of online consumer education for Global 2000 brands, today announced that it has surpassed 5 million consumer enrollments for its online education programs. Powered programs have driven nearly 80 million consumers to its clients' sites and Powered has doubled its growth in each of the past two years. Companies including Atkins, BusinessWeek, Gateway, HP, iVillage, Sony, and P&G are currently using Powered's pioneering consumer education programs to provide consumers with rich online learning experiences that increase sales, improve brand loyalty, and deliver new insights into consumer attitudes and buying behavior. Powered credits its ongoing success with the surge of interest in non-traditional marketing vehicles. "Consumers now access a huge range of tools to screen out marketing messages they do not want," said Dave Ellett, Chairman and CEO of Powered. "Some studies suggest as many as two-thirds of consumers feel advertising overload, intrusion, and irrelevance. Online education programs give brands a new permission-based way to connect with consumers by delivering something of value: informative and relevant educational content." "Today's online consumers are sophisticated and savvy, and they are looking to engage with brands on their own terms," said Sarah Fay, president of Isobar U.S. "Powered lets brands sponsor educational and entertaining experiences that turn enrollees into buyers." Today, Powered also released research from Next Century Media showing that consumer education produces a powerful "gratitude effect," significantly increasing product sales and enhancing the relationship between a consumer and the brand or products they buy. Key findings include:
"True sponsorship on the Internet produces a far greater persuasion effect than a 30 second TV commercial," stated Bill Harvey, CEO of Next Century Media and author of Consumer Education Produces High ROI. "We credit this to a form of subconscious or conscious "gratitude" – rather than intruding on the consumer's attention with an unwanted sales pitch, the sponsor provides a gift of content with no strings attached. We posited – and the numbers proved – that online consumer education programs show a very high persuasion effect, far surpassing direct marketing and traditional media buys." In addition to providing a marketing ROI that far surpasses any other program, online consumer education provides a win-win situation for marketers and consumers. A recent series of Powered courses on iVillage, sponsored by Sony, attracted consumers eager to learn about such topics as digital photography, scrapbooking, and keeping kids safe on the Internet. But more importantly, 90% of students said they would enroll in another course, and 91% would recommend a course to a friend. Powered for Retailers, Manufacturers and Publishers For Manufacturers and Retailers: Powered works with Global 2000 brands to create relevant and informative education programs that help to drive purchase behavior, create an ongoing permission-based relationship, and better understand the end consumer. Programs are designed, created, managed, and hosted by Powered. For Publishers: Powered partners with publishers to use educational content as a premium advertising product. Advertisers sponsor these online experiences to start opt-in relationships with highly targeted, highly involved consumers. Key components of both Powered solutions include:
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