GeoCities to Launch Major Marketing Campaign

In another sign of the intensifying competition among the Internet portals, GeoCities Inc. plans to spend up to $20 million on a new marketing campaign.

GeoCities announced Friday it has tapped New York advertising agency Young & Rubicam Inc. to spearhead the effort. Various Y&R subsidiaries will work on everything from advertising and relationship marketing to media research.

“Y&R is able to deliver a custom agency approach that will address our needs and will work with us on all facets of our marketing efforts. From strategy development to consumer advertising to design, Y&R will provide us with a multi-layered approach that will help us effectively deliver all the possibilities of our brand to consumers,” said Thomas R. Evans, GeoCities President and Chief Executive Officer.

GeoCities decision to intensify its marketing efforts comes on the heels of a study by the Gartner Group which projects there will be only five major portals by the year 2000. The technology research firm said businesses that want to reach the broadest audience possible will have to find ways to align themselves with a portal site to advance their marketing strategies.

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