Distinguished Professor and Integrated Marketing Communications Authority Tom Duncan To Make Two Southern California Appearances

Founder and Director of IMC Graduate Program at University of Colorado To Speak in Newport Beach and Santa Monica

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – (February 25, 2004) – Tom Duncan, founder and director of the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) graduate program at the University of Colorado, and one of the nation’s foremost authorities on brands and brand building will appear at two venues in Southern California next month, March 10 and 11, to address the importance of identifying and managing a brand’s contact points.

On Thursday, March 10, Mr. Duncan will appear at 7:00 p.m. at the Pacific Club, 4110 MacArthur Boulevard in Newport Beach. The presentation is open to the public at a reserved cost of $50 (before the event) or $60.00 at the door. A special $30.00 student rate also is available, as well as a rate of $38.00 for members of the Southern California Business Marketing Association, which is hosting the event. Included in the price of admission are refreshments, beginning at 5:30 p.m. and a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m. Reservations may be made online at: www.socalbma.org/programs.html.

The following morning, March 11, at 9:00 a.m., Mr. Duncan will be speaking at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, located at 1010 Wilshire Boulevard, in Santa Monica. The presentation is open to the public at a reserved cost of $38.00 (before the event) or $48.00 at the door. Included in the price of admission are breakfast (served from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.), the presentation by Mr. Duncan and a question-and-answer session afterwards. A special $30.00 student rate also is available. Reservations may be online for the Santa Monica event at: www.thephelpsgroup.com/duncan.

Duncan’s presentations are the third in a distinguished lecture series sponsored by The Phelps Group, one of the country’s leading integrated marketing communications firms, featuring America’s top marketing experts. In 2004, Don Schultz, Professor Emeritus-in-Service of Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, and nationally renowned branding expert David Aaker each gave lectures.

In his presentation, Mr. Duncan will describe how marketers can better identify and manage the brand messages they are sending to consumers and provide tips on the most economical means for delivering desired brand communications.

“Everything a company does (and sometimes what it doesn’t do) can send powerful brand messages,” said Mr. Duncan. “While advertising and other marketing communication messages are important in generating sales and building a brand, unless all other critical brand messages are identified and managed, a company risks not only wasting money on advertising, but also missing very economical ways to deliver desired brand,” he added.

Co-author of Driving Brand Value and Creating and Delivering Winning Advertising and Marketing Presentations, Mr. Duncan has over 30 years of marketing experience. He has worked in account and brand management at a number of major advertising agencies and has held corporate marketing positions at major companies such as Beatrice Foods.

In addition, Mr. Duncan has done IMC consulting and workshops for companies such as Sun Microsystems, Nestle and Del Webb Properties. He also has done extensive public speaking and conducted IMC workshops in Europe, Asia, Africa and North and South America. He currently serves on IBM’s Mobile Computing Marketing Advisory Board.

Based in Santa Monica, with another office in Laguna Beach, Calif., The Phelps Group is an integrated marketing communications firm offering public relations, advertising, direct response, promotions, strategic alliance and interactive services. Its clients include PETCO, ARAMARK,

Tahiti Tourism, Countrywide, City of Hope, Fairmont Hotels, Great American Group, NuSil Technology, Panasonic, Whole Foods Markets, Dunn-Edwards Paints, Monrovia Growers and divisions of TDK and Seiko. The agency has more than 70 associates and annual billings in excess of $60 million.