INTERACTIVE SUMMER ESCAPE WITH MASTERCARD AND OPTUS

Over one thousand Optus viewers will soon be able to interact with advertisers thanks to MasterCard International's interactive promotional site - Summer Escape.

From 15 to 31 October, around 1,000 trial households will see a direct response advertising campaign that ties in with a TVC and an interactive website.

The campaign focuses on MasterCard's Summer Escape promotion, which gives MasterCard cardholders who register their MasterCard purchases the opportunity to win a week on Daydream Island with nine friends plus weekly chances of winning Queensland weekend getaways sponsored by Tourism Queensland and Sunlover Holidays. There are also 'instant win' prizes of newly released videos to be given at random to cardholders who register their purchases.

Martin Dalgleish, Director of Marketing for Optus Consumer & Multimedia said Optus is pleased to be pioneering new advertising capabilities with MasterCard.

"The key feature of our campaign with MasterCard is a trigger advertising capability coupled with a return path. This powerful combination allows immediate and direct response to the campaign."

"During a broadcast, our trialists will see an icon appear on the MasterCard commercial. By clicking a button on their remote control, they will be taken directly through to the MasterCard promotional site to register for the Summer Escape promotion," Mr Dalgleish said.

MasterCard International General Manager Australia and New Zealand, Mr John Verco, said the direct response interactive digital television commercial was an ideal fit for MasterCard, and for Summer Escape.

"Through Summer Escape and through our Priceless campaign, we have been telling consumers that while payment cards can help them towards memorable experiences, only the card holders themselves can create priceless moments," he said.

"Now, interactive television is another means through which consumers can get the lifestyle and experiences they really want."

Mr Verco said MasterCard's status as a payments technology innovator also made interactive television a logical choice.

"MasterCard is at the forefront of payments technology development. We're the driving force behind SPA, the world's most advanced online security application; Smart Data Online, the only web-based management information system; and we're the first payments company to introduce the e-wallet to Australia," he said.

"With this record, it makes sense that we be involved in the advent of interactive television in Australia."

For more information contact:

Melissa Favero
Optus Public Affairs
Phone: 02 9342 5030

Belinda Farrelly
CPR Communications for MasterCard
Phone: 02 9279 0266,
Mobile: 0403 241 129