BrandIntel Identifies Diesel Technology as an Emerging Alternative to Hybrid, Gasoline Engines

TORONTO--(Marketwire - December 12, 2007) - BrandIntel, a leader in online market intelligence solutions, today announced the findings of an alternative engine technology report, which highlights the consumer discussion and sentiment for diesel and hybrid technologies against the traditional gasoline engine. Due in part to new EPA fuel ratings announced in late 2006, diesel engines have been the most resilient to consumer sentiment changes, as opposed to hybrid and gasoline technology, which both witnessed a larger drop in appeal.

"In a time where gas prices are at a record high, it's clear that consumers are seeking alternative choices to help defray costs at the pump. Our research indicates that although hybrids have previously been a good substitute for gasoline engines in the eyes of the consumer, diesel engines are emerging as a comparable alternative, especially as many OEMs have released -- or have plans to debut -- this type of clean engine technology," said Alan Dean, VP of business Innovation at BrandIntel. "With that in mind, it's possible that diesel technology could become the new alternative engine of choice, making it all the more important for manufacturers to understand how best to target this type of technology to the intended automotive consumer. By better understanding consumers through their online engagement, auto makers are better equipped to effectively target marketing campaigns and are able to make improved business decisions in the automotive space, as a result."

The BrandIntel report, titled "Engine Technology Analysis," focuses on consumer discussions and sentiment scores around gasoline, hybrid and diesel engines. Based on analysis of consumer-created content, the report captures data from January 1, 2006 to October 31, 2007. Key findings from the report include:

--  Discussion share for diesel engines increased by 75 percent in 2007
    versus 2006, while hybrid discussion increased by just over 16 percent.
--  Over the course of 2007, Mercedes-Benz gained momentum relative to the
    diesel engine market leader, Volkswagen.  Discussion share for Mercedes-
    Benz diesel technology increased over 106 percent, while discussion volumes
    for Volkswagen experienced a 46 percent decrease.
--  Although consumers expressed high sentiment around hybrid technology's
    reliability as opposed to clean engine diesel technology (partially due to
    the perceived quality associated with top hybrid manufacturers such as
    Toyota and Lexus), the top three attributes consumers discussed around each
    technology were fuel economy, engine appeal and environmental impact.
    Diesel engines received more positive consumer sentiment around these three
    attributes than hybrid technology.
--  Despite high gasoline technology discussion levels, this type of
    engine experienced a significant drop in discussion share in Q3 2007, as
    consumer content shifted towards more efficient clean engine alternatives
    like hybrid and diesel technology, which have both seen an increase in
    discussion volume since the latter part of 2007.
    

For this report, BrandIntel tracked more than 480 million raw search results on the Internet but refined those results through technological filters and human analysis to utilize only the highest quality data -- totaling more than 34,127 consumer mentions on diesel, hybrid and gasoline engine technology. BrandIntel analyzed the most pertinent consumer-created content on the Internet to measure for assigned sentiment scores and share of discussion, rating the physical and emotional value of the results (positive or negative). For automotive companies, this is especially important in properly assessing consumer wants and needs and is effective in forecasting macro level trends in the market place.

To learn more on this issue, BrandIntel, in conjunction with Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), will host a Webcast on December 12 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM EST. To register for the Webcast, please visit http://www.thearf.org/. The Webcast will also be available after the initial airing by visiting https://thearfevents.webex.com/mw0304l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=thearfevents&service=6. To purchase a copy of the report, please contact Ted Morris at 905.271.3725 x252 or tmorris@brandintel.com.

About BrandIntel (www.brandintel.com)

BrandIntel, a Brandimensions Inc. company, translates consumer-created content into reliable intelligence, enabling businesses to advance the science of decision-making. The company offers an information-delivery platform combining human intelligence with award-winning technology for the most trusted market data in the industry. The BrandIntel data helps businesses validate critical business decisions, uncover new opportunities for value creation, and get closer to customers. BrandIntel works with Fortune 1000 companies and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with offices in the United States.

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