News this morning concerning ETrade - you'll love this:
PALO ALTO, Calif., March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Acknowledging a commitment to
creativity and innovation, the American Marketing Association (AMA) has
selected E*TRADE(R) Group Inc. (Nasdaq: EGRP) to receive the AMA's prestigious
Edison Award for the development of the Destination E*TRADE Web site, which
was launched in September 1998.
The AMA established the Edison New Products Awards in 1987 to recognize
excellence in innovation of new products for the American marketplace. AMA's
Edison award winners are selected based on marketplace creativity and success,
technological innovation, market dominance and societal impact.
"In today's fast-paced, interconnected world, Destination E*TRADE empowers
individuals to take control of their personal finances and investments and
embraces the new financial lifestyle enabled by technology," said
Jerry Gramaglia, senior vice president of marketing for E*TRADE.
A major factor in the AMA's judging criteria for selecting the Best New
Products is the overall societal impact a new product displays. New products
must be positioned creatively and demonstrate staying power in the
marketplace, improve a consumers' lifestyle, be on the cutting edge of
technology and increase a consumers freedom of choice.
"Our public site has truly had an impact on the financial services
industry and has helped to foster the movement toward self-directed investor
empowerment," Gramaglia added.
Since the launch of the Destination E*TRADE site, E*TRADE has become the
Web's most highly trafficked site among leading online investment services
providers, according to Media Metrix(TM), which measures the Internet reach of
major Web sites. According to Media Metrix(TM), E*TRADE's Internet audience
was equal to the combined reach of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., and Ameritrade,
Inc.
In a process similar to that used by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences, senior marketing executives on an AMA Edison Steering Committee,
monitor the development, successful launch and innovative marketing of new
products. Collectively, a comprehensive ballot is compiled and mailed to more
than 4,000 senior marketing and advertising executives through out the United
States. Ballots are officially tabulated at the AMA's international
headquarters in Chicago, IL. Finalists in individual product categories are
then notified.
Other Edison award recipients in this year's Online Services category
include Excite, Inc. for its development of the Product Finder/Jango Personal
Shopper technology and Yahoo, Inc. for its Yahoo! Pager product. Technology
and financial services companies receiving an Edison award in 1998 included
Chase Manhattan for its Walmart MasterCard marketing effort, MCI for its
Collegiate Calling Card program, 3Com for its PalmPilot product,
Hewlett-Packard for its PhotoSmart/PC Photography system and Netscape for its
Netscape Communicator, version 4.0.
About E*TRADE
A leading branded provider of online investing services, E*TRADE has
established a popular destination web site for self-directed investors. The
company offers independent investors the convenience and control of automated
stock, options and mutual funds order placement at low commission rates.
In addition, E*TRADE has a suite of value-added products and services that
can be personalized, including portfolio tracking, real-time stock quotes,
Smart Alerts, market commentary and analysis, news, investor community areas
and other information services. E*TRADE was the first securities and
financial services company to be awarded the CPA WebTrust seal of assurance by
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). E*TRADE also
was ranked the number one overall online brokerage service in two consecutive
quarterly reviews conducted by Gomez Advisors, a leading independent authority
devoted to online financial services (Q3/Q4 1998).
In October 1998, the E*TRADE Web site was named the number one online
investing site in a quarterly international survey of the industry's top
20 Internet brokerage firms by Lafferty Information and Research Group, a
global provider of high-value and business information research.
Investors can access E*TRADE at www.etrade.com on the Internet and through
many other electronic channels and online services, including AOL
(Keyword: E*TRADE) and via the TELE*MASTER interactive telephone system.
E*TRADE Securities Inc. (Member NASD/SIPC), and its parent company, E*TRADE
Group Inc., are headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif.
Important Notice
E*TRADE is a registered trademark of the Company. All other Trademarks
are properties of their respective owners. The statements contained in this
news release that are forward-looking are based on current expectations that
are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, and actual results may
differ materially. The uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited
to, changes in market activity, market acceptance of the new E*TRADE
destination web site, anticipated increases in the rate of new customer
acquisition, the conversion of new visitors to the site to customers,
seasonality, the development of new products and services, the enhancement of
existing products and services, competitive pressures (including price
competition), system failures, economic and political conditions, changes in
consumer behavior and the introduction of competing products having
technological and/or other advantages. Further information about these risks
and uncertainties can be found in the information included in the annual
report filed by the Company with the SEC on Form 10-K (including information
under the caption "Risk Factors") and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
SOURCE E*TRADE Group, Inc.
-0- 03/19/99
/CONTACT: Ken Sporleder , 650-328-5555, ext. 129, or
ksporled@nealemay.com, or Doug Hendrix, 650-328-5555, ext. 115, or
dhendrix@nealemay.com, both of Neale-May & Partners, for E*TRADE/
/Web site: etrade.com |
