April 14, 2003 -- Baltimore, MD – New research released today confirms that traditional forms of media are holding their own against the Internet, and readership of newspapers has increased by seven percent since 2000. Conducted by Vertis, a leading provider of technology-based integrated marketing and advertising solutions, the study also reveals that prime time TV continues to be the primary source of news and information for consumers. “There has been a significant amount of research published that suggests that the Internet is chipping away at traditional forms of media usage and communication,” says Thérèse Mulvey, vice president of marketing research at Vertis. “However, the findings of Customer Focus show that although Internet usage has increased by eight percent from 2000 to 2002, consumers’ use of TV, newspapers and radio has increased at a comparative level, and these outlets are still far more popular.” The Vertis Customer Focus study also demonstrates the differences in consumers’ attitudes and actions based on the individual’s age, gender, household income and ethnicity. Following are additional findings from the research: Ad Inserts – An Influential Authority From 2000 to 2002 Generation Y women have increased their readership of ad inserts in the past seven days by 13 percent, a growth from 55 percent to 68 percent Since 2000, younger men (18-24) and men 35-44 have shown significant increases in their ad insert usage when deciding where to shop for home improvement and home electronics goods Generation Y women are increasingly influenced by housewares and home improvement ad inserts Five percent more Generation Y women turned to ad inserts for help with a decision (22 percent in 2000 versus 27 percent in 2002) The Appeal of a Direct Marketing Offer The use of special offers and discounts in direct mail increased the likelihood of adults opening a mail package by nine percent from 2001 to 2002 In addition, the timing of a direct mail piece is increasingly important to recipients Getting value for money has become increasingly important for wealthy adults in the past year, with 20 percent more respondents saying that a special offer or discount makes a difference “The Vertis Customer Focus research provides valuable insights into consumers’ media usage behavior and provides marketers with the data they need to target their audience through the most effective media,” says Mulvey. “The Internet is playing an increasingly influential role in consumers purchasing behavior, but organizations should continue to utilize media based on its own unique attributes in order to have the greatest impact.”