Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 21 April, 2002 (PRN):NFO Middle East & Africa, the largest custom marketing research company in the Middle East and part of global research leader NFO WorldGroup, and Maktoob.com, the world's largest Arab online community, have decided to join forces to launch the biggest online marketing research project to study the region's Internet users. The study is aimed to provide marketers with a better understanding of the demographics and psychographic profile of Internet users and their behavior. The study will supply marketers with the necessary tools to better formulate their online marketing strategies.

NFO Middle East & Africa and Maktoob.com have identified a genuine need among marketers to understand the Arab Internet user, his usage habits, attitudes to the Internet and future expectations.

"NFO Middle East & Africa feels that by utilizing Maktoob's demonstrated reach among online users in the Arab world, this study will help us and our clients learn more about the habits and needs of the fast growing numbers of Arab consumers who are online," said Stephan Hamilton Clark, Managing Director of NFO Middle East & Africa (Arabian Gulf).

NFO Middle East & Africa and Maktoob.com are conducting a multi-phase Pan-Arab syndicated online study. The research will be conducted among Internet users from Egypt, Lebanon, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. More than 700,000 Internet users will be contacted for the study. Based on a pilot study we recently conducted, we estimate a response rate of 7000 Arab Internet users. More Arab countries will soon be added.

The study will focus on gathering demographics and psychographics of Arab Internet users, as well as studying their media habits, Internet behavior, and e-commerce potential.

"This study will go a long way in helping advertisers and marketers to maximize the effectiveness of their online and offline marketing plans in the region. We're especially pleased to be working with NFO WorldGroup, the world's leader in online research, on this first of its kind project in the region," said Hussam Khoury, President and Chief Technology Officer at Maktoob.

The study will have the following objectives:

NFO Middle East & Africa

NFO Middle East & Africa has a specialized knowledge of the Arabian culture and markets, providing added value research solutions to a wide range of international clients.

About NFO WorldGroup

NFO WorldGroup is one of the world's leading providers of research-based marketing information and counsel. "Marketing Minds Specializing In Research TM ", NFO has facilitated Fortune 500 clients' business decisions for more than 50 years by providing in-depth knowledge and understanding of consumers and brands through research. Their services include comprehensive counsel on market evaluation, product development, brand management, customer satisfaction, pricing, distribution and advertising effectiveness. NFO is a worldwide leader in Internet-based research and maintains one of the world's largest interactive panel communities. They are one of The Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG), and have majority-owned operations in 40 countries. Visit NFO WorldGroup on the web (www.nfow.com).

About Maktoob

Since its launch more than three years ago, Maktoob.com has played a crucial role in uniting Arabs worldwide by providing sophisticated and reliable web-based communications and community tools, including the Arab world's first free bilingual Web-based email service. Launched in October 1998, Maktoob.com gained instant success among Arabs around the world. It currently boasts of a membership base of more than 2 million registered members worldwide. Besides the free email service, the company offers a range of interactive web-based facilities including Voice Mail, WAP, a comprehensive business directory, Arabic music, chat, online auction, electronic greeting cards and information services.

For more information, contact:

Ken McDermott (Mohammed Suhaib)
Director- Special Projects
NFO Middle East & Africa, Dubai, UAE
Tel: (+971-4) 2822-688 ext. 260
Fax: (+971-4) 282-2711
E-mail: kenmcd@nfomea.com

George Bouchra Sabry
Senior Account Executive - Special Projects
NFO Middle East & Africa , Dubai, UAE
Tel: (+971-4) 282-2688 ext. 266
Fax: (+971-4) 282-2711
E-mail: georgeS@nfomea.com

Hussam Khoury
President and Chief Technology Officer
Maktoob Inc. Amman, Jordan
Tel: (+9626) 461-3194
Fax: (+9626) 461-3189
E-mail: hkhoury@maktoob.com

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