SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Salon Media Group, Inc., (Nasdaq: SALN) (http://www.salon.com ), a leading new media company, today announced that Lexus, one of the world's leading luxury automobile companies, has renewed its exclusive content sponsorship for the fourth straight year. Team One, Lexus' advertising agency, negotiated the comprehensive sponsorship agreement, including the placement of online advertising and offline components. Financial terms were not disclosed.
As part of the renewal, Lexus will sponsor "Masterpieces," an exciting new weekly series appearing in Salon Arts & Entertainment in which esteemed critics will write about great works of art -- how they were made, the initial reaction they received and how they finally became classics. "Masterpieces" will encompass literature, film, music, theater, dance, paint and sculpture. Lexus will also continue its sponsorship of Salon's highly acclaimed weekly series "Brilliant Careers," which offers readers intelligent, in-depth essays on the lives of the most influential figures of our time.
"We're delighted to extend the Salon-Lexus partnership for the fourth year in-a-row," said Michael O'Donnell, CEO and president of Salon Media Group. "Lexus and Salon are kindred brands, both representing the highest quality and appealing to the same group of discriminating, upscale customers. Through continued sponsorship of Salon's award-winning content and offline events, Lexus continues to cultivate an ongoing relationship with our influential audience."
Salon.com and Lexus are currently planning the third annual Brilliant Careers event, a modern day salon discussion of contemporary arts and entertainment at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center. Scheduled participants for this year's event to date include: Oscar-nominated film Director and screenwriter, Phil Kaufman; Actor/comedian/musician, Harry Shearer; Musician and technology trailblazer, Thomas Dolby Robertson; Author/poet/screenwriter, Sherman Alexie and music technology pioneer, Robert Moog.
"Salon.com continues to be at the vanguard of new media brands," said Paul Ratzky, director of Interactive Marketing Team One, the advertising agency for Lexus. "Lexus recognized the value of tapping into the Salon audience early on and is pleased to continue our association with its passionate audience."
About Salon
Founded in 1995, Salon.com is a leading Internet media company that produces 10 award-winning, original content sites and hosts The WELL, a subscription-based online community. Salon logged 3.8 million unique visitors in July 2001, as audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Over 530 companies have advertised on Salon.com including IBM, Lexus, Microsoft, EDS, Hewlett-Packard, Mastercard, AskJeeves, Virgin Megastore Online, Kimberly Clark, Powell's Books and Intel. In December 1999, Salon.com announced a content and equity agreement with Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp. and NBC. Strategic wireless distribution partners include AvantGo, Omnisky and Palm.net.
About Lexus: Lexus is the luxury division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.
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