Middleberg Associates, webnet-marketing Form Alliance

Public relations agency Middleberg + Associates and webnet-marketing inc., an independent interactive media placement and planning agency, formed a marketing-communications alliance.

Under the terms of the alliance, M+A and webnet will offer clients joint marketing services that combine M+A's public relations and Web promotions and webnet-marketing's media planning, placement, tracking and analysis services. Financial arrangements were not disclosed.

"M+A's mission is to add value to every area of our client's Internet business," said Curtis Hougland, M+A director of new media/technology. "Through our alliance with webnet, we are able to combine the best in public relations with the best in Internet marketing. This alliance will help us to communicate consistent messages throughout all aspects of the marketing campaign, both online and offline."

"webnet's strategic alliance with M+A provides companies with a broad-based online marketing solution," said Brayton Johnson, president of webnet. "Our goal is to help our clients optimize their interactive media investment, and we have always felt that a balance between public relations, advertising and marketing is the key to successfully achieving our clients' online marketing objectives."

In working with clients, webnet will focus on its core competencies of media planning, media buying, placement, reporting and placement analysis. M+A will continue to focus on its core public relations services, including traditional media relations, Internet public relations, strategic planning, branding and interactive crisis communications. Both agencies will continue to utilize best of breed interactive agencies for high-end site design.

Middleberg + Associates clients include CDnow, AccuWeather.com, Datek Online, Wit Capital, Lucent Technologies and Cablevision, among others. In January, M+A opened an Internet marketing group concentrating on Internet public relations, promotions, events and non-paid Internet marketing.

Bethesda, MD-based webnet-marketing manages online placements approaching $2 million monthly. As its client list continues to expand, webnet expects to increase billings over four-fold by the end of 1998.