Bell Atlantic Hosts Diversity Supplier Fair For Advertising Industry

Bell Atlantic Hosts Diversity Supplier Fair For
Advertising Industry

Company Brings Together Its Mass-Market Agencies With
Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses

February 24, 1999

NEW YORK -- In the advertising industry, no single company, director or
production house has a lock on creativity and getting the job done on time
and on budget.

In an effort to expand the use of minority- and women-owned businesses
in the advertising industry, Bell Atlantic tomorrow (2/25) will host a
Diversity Suppliers Fair at the company's headquarters, 1095 Avenue of
the Americas, Manhattan.

At the event, Bell Atlantic's mass-market advertising agencies -- Arnold
Communications, The Lord Group, Tierney & Partners, and Draft Direct --
will have an opportunity to see the work of more than 30 minority- and
women-owned supplier companies in the advertising industry.

Production companies, music houses, photographers and directors will be
represented.

"Bell Atlantic is strongly committed to supporting minorities and women
in business enterprises," said Janet Keeler, Bell Atlantic vice president for
Brand Management and

Marketing Communications. "This event will provide an excellent
opportunity for diverse suppliers to showcase their work and creativity.
These advertising professionals have demonstrated an eagerness to work
with our company and roster agencies, and represent some new and
exciting talent in the business."

She added, "We continually stress with our agencies that it is important to
have a diversified pool from which to draw creative and production
talent."

Representatives from Burrell Communications and La Agencia De Orci &
Asociados, Bell Atlantic's ad agencies for the African-American and
Hispanic markets, respectively, that already use several of the suppliers,
also will take part in the event.

The mass-market agencies will have the opportunity to hear first-hand
about creative approaches, success stories and overall capabilities of the
minority- and women-owned firms. In addition, suppliers will have
available sample reels of already-produced television commercials for the
fair.

Said Keeler, "This will be a great networking opportunity for both the
suppliers and the agencies. It goes a long way to fulfilling the Bell
Atlantic goal of expanding and stimulating business for our diverse set of
advertising suppliers."

Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and
information industry. With more than 42 million telephone access lines
and 8.6 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies
are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market
leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory
information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest
investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations
and investments in 23 countries.