THUNDER FACTORY Selected as Agency of Record for Leading Local Search and Content Provider
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 20, 2006--Citysearch, the leading provider of local search services and trusted content, today announced the appointment of Scott Morrow as the company's Executive Vice President of Product and Marketing. The company also recently retained THUNDER FACTORY, an integrated marketing agency based in the San Francisco Bay Area, for brand development and public relations services.
"The addition of Scott Morrow to our executive management team brings Citysearch the product vision and marketing leadership needed to fuel our continued growth plans," said Briggs Ferguson, CEO of Citysearch. "Scott's deep experience and expertise in product strategy and marketing will significantly enhance Citysearch's brand and engagement with consumers. Through his holistic approach to the business, he will have a tremendous impact on strengthening the profitable connections between Citysearch's merchant customers and users."
"This is an exciting opportunity to grow and extend a powerful brand that has had a long-standing commitment to ensuring trusted content for both consumers and local merchants," said Morrow. "The level of quality, innovation and leadership that Citysearch brings to the local search market is what attracted me to the company. This is a critical time in the evolution of the Internet and I believe Citysearch has a major opportunity to leverage its heritage of trusted content to significantly advance its reach, impact and revenues. I am also very pleased to be partnering with THUNDER FACTORY, which will play an important role as we look to further increase our marketing strength and results."
Prior to joining Citysearch, Morrow worked more than five years for CNET Networks where he most recently served as Vice President, Marketing & Sales for the Download.com business unit. In that capacity he led a shift in business models that generated a 400 percent growth in revenue, while maintaining a 70 percent operating margin. Earlier, Morrow held executive marketing and sales positions at the Edison Schools division of Whittle Communications. Morrow has also launched several entrepreneurial ventures. Morrow holds a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University.
Following a competitive review, Citysearch chose THUNDER FACTORY as its integrated marketing and PR agency of record. THUNDER FACTORY will support the company's new brand positioning through an integrated mix of national and local marketing efforts, including developing a new messaging platform, media outreach, partnership marketing and promotions.
""We are thrilled to be working with Citysearch and supporting Scott Morrow and his terrific team," said Patrick U. Di Chiro, chairman and CEO of THUNDER FACTORY. "Citysearch's longstanding leadership in building the most valuable and credible local content sets it apart from the competition. We look forward to supporting Citysearch's efforts to leverage its brand position to grow and realize its enormous market potential."
About Citysearch
Citysearch is a leading local search service, providing the most up-to-date information on businesses, from restaurants and retail, to travel and professional services. Citysearch empowers users to make informed decisions about where to spend their time and money by delivering more than 500,000 editorial and user reviews of local businesses. Through its unique Local Pay For Performance (PFP) service, Citysearch enables businesses to capture their most relevant customers online while paying only for the leads received. Citysearch is both the number one provider of in-depth restaurant information on the web, influencing more than a million people a month about where to eat, and the number three local directory, supplying information for every domestic zip code. Citysearch is an operating business of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ:IACI - News).
About THUNDER FACTORY
THUNDER FACTORY was founded in 2000 and has built its reputation by delivering integrated performance-driven marketing services with a single-minded focus on helping clients build their business. The firm provides a comprehensive range of services in five key marketing areas: strategy and brand development; communications (including advertising, public relations and buzz/viral marketing); web development and interactive marketing; direct/online marketing; and partnership marketing. Consistent with its performance-driven marketing approach, the firm employs a unique results measurement methodology to demonstrate ROI for clients. THUNDER FACTORY has been honored two years running as one of the Silicon Valley Business Journal's 50 Fastest Growing Private Companies. Clients range from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-sized, pre-IPO companies, and include Ameritrade, AT&T Wireless/Cingular, Match.com, Computer Associates, Dr. Pepper/Seven Up Company, Fleetwood RV, McKesson Corp., San Jose State University and ZANTAZ. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, THUNDER FACTORY also has offices in Los Angeles, New York City, Newport Beach and London. For more information, visit www.thunderfactory.com.