MediaBuys Press Release

CELEBRITIES TURN OUT IN NUMBERS TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR 2006 MARDI GRAS
Formidable Hollywood celebrity contingent, accompanied by New Orleans Mayor, Hon. Ray Nagin, rally in support of initiative at the BFCA Critics' Choice Awards

LOS ANGELES - (January 13, 2006) - Celebrity guests and honorees at the BFCA Critics' Choice Awards, this past Monday, eagerly volunteered their star power on-camera to aid in the campaign encouraging Americans to visit New Orleans for the 2006 Mardi Gras celebration - part of a landmark effort spearheaded by the City of New Orleans and Los Angeles-based MediaBuys, LLC to help bolster economic development in New Orleans after the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Cameos filmed at the pre-show cocktail party captured the likes of Terrence Howard, Brendon Fraser, Angela Bassett, David Strathairn, John Leguizamo, Taye Diggs, Virginia Madsen and Rosario Dawson, among a host of others who stepped up to urge the intended audience with tags like "Celebrate the 150th Mardi Gras this February and help rebuild New Orleans," and "Help New Orleans come back. Go to Mardi Gras." The Honorable Ray Nagin, Mayor of the City of New Orleans, who was in Los Angeles to help promote the return of filmmakers to New Orleans on behalf of the Louisiana Film Commission, was on-hand at the reception to thank those participating - and found himself in front of the lens assisting on several of the cameos.

MediaBuys, LLC, which hosted the party on behalf the City of New Orleans, is planning to use the cameos in a national ad and promotional campaign to launch in February. There is no word yet as to which of the cameos will make it to air, and no further details on the ad creative are available at this time.

As an added gesture toward the City of New Orleans, celebrities including George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Matt Dillon signed a special Velux motor-scooter that is to be auctioned off online, with the proceeds to be donated to the City. Velux is distributed by Diamo USA. Details for the auction are yet to be announced.

The lobby of the Santa Monica Civic Center was decked with banners reading, The show must go on. The first step to recovery is to rebuild the economy. Go to Mardi Gras., and featured a Mardi Gras street-theme, with the ornate wrought iron benches and street lamps so characteristic of New Orleans.

Full list of celebrities who participated in cameos for national ad campaign and related promotions:

Al Capone (Rapper/Songwriter)
Angela Basset (Actreess)
Brandon Fraser (Actor)
Cedric The Entertainer (Actor)
David Strathairn (Actor)
Gustavo Santaolalla (Composer)
John Leguizamo (Actor/Comedian)
Ludacris (Rapper/Songwriter)
Mayor Ray C. Nagin (Mayor of New Orleans)
Nancy Wilson (Composer)
Ol' School (Rapper/Songwriter)
Pat O'Brien (Television Host)
Romany Malco (Actor)
Rosario Dawson (Actress)
Rusty Schwimmer (Actress)
Taye Diggs (Actor)
Terrance Howard (Actor)
Virginia Madsen (Actress) Rusty Schwimmer (Actress)


Full list of celebrities who signed the Velux motor-scooter to be auctioned:

Amy Adams (Winner - Best Supporting Actress for "Junebug")
Andy Serkis ("King Kong")
Angela Bassett (Presenter)
Brendan Fraser (Presenter)
Catherine Keener (Winner - Best Comedy Movie for "The 40 Year Old Virgin")
Cedric the Entertainer (Presenter)
Chris "Ludacris" Bridges (Presenter & Winner - Best Acting Ensemble for "Crash")
Colin Hanks (Presenter)
David Strathairn (Best Actor Nominee for Good Night & Good Luck)
Dennis Miller (Host)
Emmy Rossum (Presenter)
Eric Bana (Presenter)
George Clooney (Honoree)
Jared Padalecki (Presenter)
Jensen Ackles (Presenter)
John Leguizamo (Presenter)
Leslie Mann (Winner - Best Comedy Movie for "The 40 Year Old Virgin")
Matt Dillon (Presenter & Winner - Best Acting Ensemble for "Crash")
Paul Giamatti (Winner - Best Supporting Actor for "Cinderella Man")
Pat O'Brien
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Winner - Best Actor for "Capote")
Mayor Ray C. Nagin (Mayor New Orleans)
Robert Patrick (Presenter)
Romany Malco (Winner - Best Comedy Movie for "The 40 Year Old Virgin")
Rosario Dawson (Presenter & Nominee for Best Acting Ensemble for "Rent")
Sanaa Lathan (Presenter)
Seth Rogan (Winner - Best Comedy Movie for "The 40 Year Old Virgin")
Taye Diggs (Nominee for Best Acting Ensemble for "Rent")
Terrence Howard (Presenter & Winner - Best Acting Ensemble for "Crash")
Tracie Thoms (Nominee for Best Acting Ensemble for "Rent")
Virginia Madsen (Presenter)
Rusty Schwimmer (Actress, Appeared in North Country)
Wilson Jermaine Heredia (Nominee for Best Acting Ensemble for "Rent")
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About "Mardi Gras Advertising Support and Sponsorship Program"

As part of a landmark effort to help bolster economic development in New Orleans after the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, MediaBuys, LLC and the City of New Orleans are seeking out corporations willing to participate in Mardi Gras as the event's Official Sponsors and Supporters ­ a first in the carnival's 150-year history. The aggressive initiative is designed to help pay for a major advertising blitz aimed at attracting tourism back to New Orleans, and to help the City offset some of the significant cost associated with the event's production.

Mardi Gras will be held on February 28th. Ad space reservation deadline is January 27th. All interested parties may visit the program website (www.mediabuys.com/mardigras) for a complete set of details and contact information. MediaBuys is joined with New Orleans advertising agency Bright Moments and outside agency The Sharpe Alliance who are helping with strategic organizational plans. In addition, special program partners include Universal Studios, BFCA, Keep Me Posted, L.A. Digital, Media Distributors, Razor & Tie, Koeppel Direct, Telecasters and DG Systems, all who are offering special in-kind contributions to the effort.

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About MediaBuys

The MediaBuys media buying club concept began in September 2002 as a way to make B2B ad space buying easier and cheaper for 35 clients of its original ad agency in Los Angeles. The club became a company (MediaBuys, LLC) in September of 2003 after adding B2C buys.

MediaBuys' Media Store (a shopping cart environment for media) is a highly unusual way of selling ad space, especially when it comes to broadcast, which is typically driven by detailed media planning research and CPP values. Mediums available in the online process include ad space for Cable, Spot and Network Television, DRTV, Local and National Radio, Magazines, Newspapers, Newsletters, Out-Of-Home, On-Screen and Interactive, in both B2B and B2C categories.

In addition to 3750 advertising vehicles in its online Media Store, MediaBuys is an authorized representative for many high-profile entertainment events such as the GRAMMY® Awards, the Latin GRAMMY® Awards, EIF's GRAMMY® Jam, the BFCA's Critics' Choice Awards®, The Sundance Film Festival®, and MusiCares®.

Today, MediaBuys has become America's fastest growing media buying club. It has matured to over 850+ buying members covering thousands of corporations nationally, and represents millions of dollars in available media space.

PR Contact:
Eban Howell
PMK/HBH
212-373-6138
Email: eban.howell@pmkhbh.com

City of New Orleans
Ernest Collins
Executive Director of Arts and Entertainment
Telephone: (504) 658-4940

Corporate Contact:
MediaBuys, LLC
Chick Ciccarelli, Managing Member, CEO
Ken Rose, V.P. Business Development
Telephone: (818) 755-5020
Email: info@mediabuys.com