Motorola, AOL Strike Marketing Alliance

Motorola plans to market across a variety of AOL Time Warner media and provide content and services to wireline and wireless consumers through a package of mobile and instant messaging solutions under the terms of a new marketing and technology agreement between the two companies. Actual terms of the “multi-million dollar, multi-year alliance” were not disclosed.

The agreement calls for the Schaumburg, Il.-based Motorola to license Warner Bros. content, including Looney Tunes characters, for ring tones, screen savers and wireless games on mobile devices sold in Europe. Motorola will also be increasing its marketing presence across the AOL Time Warner family of brands in a campaign that could include television, print and online media, including Turner network properties, Time Inc. magazines, and America Online interactive brands like AOL, CompuServe and Netscape.

Motorola, with 2000 sales of $37.6 million, specializes in integrated communications solutions and embedded electronic solutions including software-enhanced wireless telephone, two-way radio, messaging and satellite communications products and systems, as well as networking and Internet-access products, for consumers, network operators, and commercial, government and industrial customers.

The agreement also lays the groundwork for the creation of new applications, allowing network operators to provide new services to their consumer and enterprise customers. One such service is AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), which will be made available as a built-in convenience on Motorola devices. The two companies will also work across their portfolios to bring new functionality to current and next-generation cellular products.

In another example of the companies’ collaboration, announced last week, America Online and Motorola are exploring ways to include some AOLTV features like email and instant messaging on Motorola digital set top terminals in the DCT2000 and DCT 5000 families.

The agreement takes advantage of each company’s brand and marketing strengths through a broad package including:

*Integrated marketing concepts that will link wireless users with customized features within numerous media properties of AOL Time Warner in publishing, broadcast, music, film and online;

*Commercial launch and cross promotions of Motorola/AOL products including mobile phones and personal communicators containing AIM with corresponding carriers; and

*America Online Keyword promotions.

“This agreement will also enable us to further our AOL Anywhere strategy and assist us as we work toward providing consumers with technology to make the digital household arrive faster. Working through our Global Marketing Solutions group, we will enable Motorola to reach more consumers through integrated marketing programs across AOL Time Warner’s unparalleled family of brands,” said Bob Pittman, co-chief operating officer of AOL Time Warner.