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HEINEKEN USA AND REALNETWORKS TEAM UP TO OFFER FREE DIGITAL MUSIC DOWNLOADS THIS SUMMER
White Plains, NY, and Seattle, WA — January 9, 2004 — Heineken USA and RealNetworks®, Inc. (NASDAQ: RNWK) have joined forces to heat up the summer for digital music fans by giving away millions of free songs. Slated to kick-off during the Memorial Day holiday period and run through July, 2004, every specially marked 12-pack of Heineken will include a unique code redeemable for 2 free songs from RealNetworks. Heineken will support the promotion with a comprehensive marketing program. The Heineken USA/RealNetworks partnership marks the first major sponsorship of a digital music service by the nation’s largest beer importer.
Consumers will receive their free downloads through he RealPlayer® Music Store, which is integrated into RealPlayer 10, the new media player from RealNetworks that makes it easy for digital music fans to find, play and manage all the digital media on the Web - including the ability for them to play content in every major format.
"2004 will be the year digital music takes off and Heineken is proud to work with a pioneer like RealNetworks to deliver the best digital music experience to consumers," said Steve Davis, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Heineken USA. "The combination of great beer and great music can’t be beat, especially when the songs are free."
"Heineken’s tremendous marketing savvy and deep commitment to the music industry makes them the ideal partner to promote RealNetworks," said Dan Sheeran, Senior Vice President of Marketing, RealNetworks. "Heineken’s ability to reach millions of consumers and deliver free music to their lives is a great way to help celebrate the ten-year anniversary of RealNetworks."
The RealPlayer Music Store is expected to include 400,000 songs by the end of January 2004 in the highest quality of any download store: 192 Kpbs RealAudio® with AAC.
For More Information:
Marvin Mack/Anu Rao, Grayling USA, (212) 686-5300 x307, anu.rao@us.grayling.com
Matt Graves, RealNetworks, (415) 290-3503, mgraves@real.com
Greg Chiemingo, RealNetworks, (206) 892-6234, gchiemingo@real.com
ABOUT HEINEKEN
Heineken USA Inc., the nation’s largest beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken N.V. (Netherlands), which is the world’s most international brewer. Brands imported into the U.S. include: Heineken Lager, the world’s most international beer brand; Heineken Special Dark; Amstel Light, the largest-selling imported light beer brand; and Buckler non-alcoholic brew.
ABOUT REALNETWORKS
RealNetworks, Inc. is the leading creator of digital media services and software including the award-winning Rhapsody Internet jukebox service and RealPlayer 10, the first product to integrate finding, organizing, buying, playing and managing digital audio and video in a single product. Consumers can access and experience audio/video programming and download RealNetworks’ consumer software at http://www.real.com. Broadcasters, network operators, media companies and enterprises use RealNetworks’ products and services to create and deliver digital media to PCs, mobile phones and consumer electronics devices. RealNetworks’ systems and corporate information is located at http://www.realnetworks.com.
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