Visa and MasterCard lender First USA Inc. signed a $90 million ad
pact to promote its credit cards across Microsoft’s MSN network for the next
five years.
Microsoft called it the largest Internet
ad deal ever. Ads will appear on such sites as MSNBC, Hotmail, Carpoint and
Expedia
First USA said it will use the full breadth of the advertising offerings on
MSN, as well as new ad types created jointly by First USA and the Microsoft
online sales and marketing team.
“We think this is a pretty strong endorsement of the MSN as one of the pre-
eminent distribution points on the Internet,” said Charlotte Guyman, general
manager for MSN sales, operations and marketing at Microsoft in Redmond, WA.
James W. Stewart, executive vice president, partnership and Internet marketing
at First USA, said: “MSN, as one of the preeminent distribution points on the
Web, gives us excellent visibility for our products and services.”
Wilmington, DE-based First USA is a subsidiary of Bank One Corp. and has $65.2
billion in managed loans.