Mortimer Whittaker O’Sullivan promotes AOL Netscape brand

AOL Europe is launching Netscape Online partly to protect the market

share of its main subscription-based AOL UK brand, which was the largest

internet service in the UK before Dixons launched Freeserve last year.

The initiative is an attempt by AOL Europe to grab some of the

fast-growing free internet access market.

The national press campaign, created by Mortimer Whittaker O’Sullivan,

broke on Tuesday and will be followed by a radio and television campaign

next month.

It emphasises Netscape’s pioneering internet heritage and the idea that

Netscape Online is the only free internet service run by a company that

specialises in the web.

This theme is driven home with the message: ’Beware part-time internet

providers. The N is nigh.’

Karen Thomson, managing director of AOL UK, said: ’The purpose of the

campaign is to quickly set Netscape Online apart from other

subscription-free services in communicating the service’s features and

the value associated with the Netscape brand.’

AOL has secured a key distribution deal with Woolworths, under which

Netscape Online CD-Roms will be made available in 800 stores across the

UK.