Charm Communications Inc. Cooperates with Digital Advertising Consortium Inc.

BEIJING, July 23 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- Charm Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: CHRM) ("Charm" or the "Company"), a leading advertising agency in China, today announced that it has reached a cooperation agreement with Digital Advertising Consortium Inc. (OSE-Hercules: 4281) ("D.A.Consortium" or "DAC"), a Tokyo based digital advertising agency engaged in the planning and placement of online advertising, to strengthen its online advertising capabilities. Charm is servicing its clients' digital needs through its business division, Charm Interactive, which currently employs 31 professionals and delivers communication services on digital platforms.

As online advertising becomes a crucial part of corporate communications in China, international advertisers are looking to develop online advertising solutions tailored for the Chinese culture, social environment and internet users' interests. Cooperation between these two leading advertising agencies will help Charm further upgrade its online interactive technologies and help DAC enhance its service capabilities in China. Through the cooperation:

    -- Charm Interactive will be responsible for all of DAC's online media
       buying in China and will also support DAC's Japanese clients on
       strategy, planning, and creative production.
    -- Conversely, DAC will support Charm's customers looking for access to
       the Japanese market.
    -- The two agencies will also set up a technology sharing platform to
       research and develop online solutions that can capitalize on the latest
       trends and user habits.

"Charm regards online marketing and advertising as a key area for development, and we are excited to work together with DAC to provide extra support to Chinese companies going to Japan and Japanese companies operating in China," commented He Dang, founder, chairman and CEO of Charm. "Although we only launched our digital media business, Charm Interactive, in the first quarter of this year, we are rapidly ramping up our digital service capabilities, and this cooperation with DAC, which is a recognized leader in digital marketing in Japan, demonstrates the progress of this new business."

Hirotake Yajima, President & CEO of D.A.Consortium commented, "We are pleased to collaborate with Charm, a leading advertising agency with deep industry knowledge, rich experience and extensive client relationships in the Chinese market. DAC and Charm share similar foresight in their respective markets and the same determination to constantly improve to meet clients' evolving needs. The cooperation will enable us to further expand our business in China and better serve our China-based Japanese clients."

About Charm

Charm Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: CHRM) is a leading advertising agency in China. Charm operates its business under three brands: Charm Advertising, Charm Interactive, and Shangxing Media. Under the Charm Advertising and Charm Interactive brands, Charm offers integrated advertising agency services from planning and managing advertising campaigns to creating and placing advertisements. Under the Shangxing Media brand, Charm has established a portfolio of television advertising media resources through its exclusive arrangements with four programs on CCTV, and two satellite television channels, Shanghai Dragon TV and Tianjin Satellite TV, which includes not only advertising time but also opportunities for placing branded content. Charm's clients include well-recognized brand names in China across many industries, as well as emerging domestic leading brands. In January 2010, Charm formed a joint venture with international 4A advertising group Aegis Media, its strategic investor, to operate its brand "Vizeum" in China. For more information please go to http://ir.charmgroup.cn .

About D.A.Consortium

D.A.Consortium Inc. was founded in December 1996 as a first-ever establishment of a consortium by several of Japan's top advertising agencies. DAC was established as a "media representative" specializing in Internet advertisement, standing between online media and advertising agencies. DAC's main business is the buying and selling of advertising space, but the company also provides various services related to Internet advertising, such as ad planning, ad data management, consulting, technology development and operational support services. For more information please go to http://www.dac.co.jp .

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    New York

     Amanda Sham
     Brunswick Group
     Phone: +1-212-333-3810
     Email: [email protected]

    Beijing

     Henry Fraser
     Brunswick Group
     Phone: +86-10-6566-2256
     Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Charm Communications Inc.