News Releases

Canada Post considering alternatives to commercialize fetch

Dec. 14, 2005

After a successful in-market pilot and positive reaction from consumers, advertisers and media, Canada Post has decided to evaluate the best alternatives to commercialize fetch^TM. This decision reflects the post office's strategy to focus on improving its core business. As an exciting new service, fetch provides an excellent opportunity to support advertisers, consumer choice and privacy.

Launched in Calgary earlier this year, the three-month fetch pilot was supported by a total of 14 advertisers/brands including large national and international brands, such as Safeway, H&R Block, Dominos, Citi Financial, Shoppers and Universal Music. The in-market results were very positive with the number of consumers using fetch being seven times greater than originally projected.

"The acceptance of this totally new service and the results told us that we have developed a broad service that met the real needs of advertisers and consumers," said Warren Tomlin, co-inventor of fetch and Canada Post's lead on the service. "The Business Plan and in-market results that we have developed for fetch provide an excellent foundation and proof point that will make it attractive to a number of investors," Tomlin added.

The response from other postal organizations interested in bringing fetch to their market also exceeded initial expectations, and is indicative of the potential scale of the fetch opportunity. "Developing, bringing to market and promoting a completely new product, especially on an international scale, is a considerable proposition," said Jacques Côté, Chief Operating Officer at Canada Post. "Canada Post believes that continued success for fetch is best achieved by assessing all alternatives for its commercialization," added Côté.

About fetch
fetch has been developed to give consumers the control they want over when, where, and how, they respond to advertising and to give advertisers the opportunity they seek to create more relevant and persuasive consumer interactions. fetch is based on an innovative marketing technology platform that shifts the advertising paradigm from consumer impressions to direct response across all media channels. It plays to the enormous changes taking place in the advertising and marketing community today - media fragmentation, multi-channel integration, pressure to demonstrate ROI on advertising spend, and a shift of control and choice over to the consumer. Visit www.myfetch.com