The overall campaign brings to life the ways in which the American Express Business Card and benefits of the OPEN Network can help fuel business growth. An example is where David Collins funded a portion of the start-up costs for SCOUT's travel expenses during casting and pre-production of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" by redeeming the Membership Rewards(R) points he earned by making purchases on his American Express Business Card. In addition, Collins' OPEN Network line of credit and his ability to manage his OPEN Network account online enables him to effectively direct the development of SCOUT's production and ancillary projects.

SCOUT has blossomed from a small New England production company that scouted locations for film and TV projects to a multi-faceted media company with offices in Boston, New York and Los Angeles. With numerous shows in production and a newly released soundtrack and hardcover book, Scout continues to expand into all forms of media. "The OPEN Network has been an extremely valuable business partner for SCOUT and an integral part of our 11 year history. I'm very proud to be a part of this campaign," said David Collins, SCOUT co-founder and creator of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" whose second season premiered on February 17th on the Bravo network.

"David Collins personifies the creativity, dedication and perseverance that can lead to innovation and business success," said Kerry Hatch, president, OPEN: The Small Business Network from American Express. "By spotlighting the ways David has used the American Express Business Card and benefits of the OPEN Network to help run his company, this campaign demonstrates how the OPEN Network can serve as a valuable resource for business owners."

The ads will air on prime time network television for the first time this evening and premiered on national cable television on February 22. The TV commercials starring Collins were shot on location in New York City and include "The Fab 5" - the cast of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy". In March, radio ads will begin airing on national network and local radio stations, and print advertising will run in regional daily newspapers and small business and entertainment trade publications. In addition, online banner ads will run on select Web sites.

The OPEN Network campaign featuring David Collins is the most recent example of how American Express seeks to reach customers in new and innovative ways. In 2003, the OPEN Network led the Company's first substantive foray into branded product integration on television. The OPEN Network also promoted its free, online networking tool called "OPEN Dialogue" through a unique radio advertising campaign that featured long-form commercials with actual business owners. In the informative two-minute radio spots, business owners shared insight and experience on various business issues, and the campaign extended online to an online community where business owners shares best practices on a variety of business issues.

(Source: BusinessWire.com, 2/23/04)

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