Simon Takes Aim at Marketing Bulls-Eye With Signature Events for Teens, Women

July 28, 2004 "Simon DTour Live" and "Simon Mall for You" Bring Interactive Branding to the Next Level

INDIANAPOLIS, Jul 28, 2004 (PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX) -- Simon Brand Ventures, the business-to-consumer arm of Simon Property Group, Inc. , today announced the August 2004 launch of major marketing events targeting teens and women: Simon DTour Live(TM), a national road trip of hip teen music and brands; and Simon Mall for You(TM), a uniquely branded tour about relaxation, fashion and rejuvenation -- just for women.

"Simon DTour Live and Simon Mall for You follow Simon SuperChefs Live! (TM) as our latest innovations in bringing Interactive Branding to the next level," said Stewart Stockdale, chief marketing officer of Simon Property Group and president of Simon Brand Ventures. "Teens and women are obviously vitally important segments. Teens visit Simon Malls an average of nearly five times per month, so we know youth are looking for entertainment as much as great shopping and access to the latest, coolest brands. And women make up over 60% of Simon's shopper base," Stockdale said.

Simon DTour Live, a key pillar of Simon's teen platform, is a proprietary teen marketing program that integrates tailored brand sponsorships with on-site entertainment, events and contests sponsored by top brands including title sponsor Visa Buxx, as well as Coca-Cola and magazine, among others. The tour launches August 6th in New York and will run through October 16th in Seattle, visiting Simon's premier shopping destinations throughout the country. A local extension event to Simon DTour Live including an amateur music competition for teens with prizes will be launched at additional Simon malls.

The centerpiece of Simon DTour Live is the Main Stage, the central venue for Coca-Cola's sponsorship of exciting live performances by emerging pop singing sensations. Breakout singing stars Ashlee Simpson, and Cherie will each take turns appearing nationally across Simon DTour Live tour stops.

Ashlee Simpson is a rapidly emerging singer and actress whose just-released first album, Autobiography, on the label, is a fun mix of rock, punk and pop. She also stars in her own reality-TV series, "The Ashlee Simpson Show" on MTV, and as the character Cecilia on the WB hit, "Seventh Heaven."

Heartthrob singer, songwriter and guitarist Ryan Cabrera has released his first album, Take it Away, on the Atlantic Records label this summer. Cabrera is an enthusiastic performer who loves a live audience. He began touring with his first band at major Dallas clubs when he was still in high school.

Lava Records' breakout vocalist Cherie will heat up the Main Stage with signature songs from her long awaited self titled debut album, Cherie, set to hit stores August 3. This teen sensation is garnering critical praise from audiences and critics alike. Cherie's breakthrough first single, "I'm Ready," was #2 most added at Top-40 radio, and her second single, "Older Than My Years," has been receiving rave reviews. "... one of the best pop ballads of the year." -- Billboard Magazine.

In addition to the main stage performances, Simon DTour Live will also offer teens the chance to check out the latest fashions and experience some of the latest technology gadgets and gizmos. Other Simon DTour Live events will include:

* Henna Tattoo Station: Selecting from a variety of designs, teens will receive henna tattoos from professional artists presented by Visa Buxx, the prepaid, reloadable Visa card specifically designed for teens that helps them learn about responsible spending.

* ELLE girl: The popular teen magazine will showcase the latest fashions and accessories and hand out free product samples from advertisers.

* hip-e Spin-to-Win Wheel: Teens can catch a glimpse of this hot new brand and spin to win exciting prizes at the hip-e pavilion.

* Sprite DJ Crash Course: Teens can learn to scratch their own mixes with a pro, DJ Rhythm.

* Tamagotchi Connection Friendship Bracelets: Teens can craft a personalized friendship bracelet and learn more about Tamagotchi Connection virtual pets.

* Grab On! Green Up!: Teens show their support of the Wrigley's greenup campaign by grabbing on to a simulated tree trunk and holding on as long as they can for a chance to win prizes and pledge to fix-up, clean-up or "greenup" their local community environments.

* Playtex "Get Comfy" Bedroom Makeover Sweepstakes: Teens can register to win one of three bedroom designs courtesy of Dry Ice and receive free product samples and bedroom decorating tips at select malls on the tour.

* Kaplan Pop-A-Shot Challenge: Teens will compete side by side in this basketball free throw shooting challenge for the chance to win valuable prizes at five of the tour malls.

* Swag Bags: At the event's registration area, teens can pick up their free "Swag Bag" filled with product samples, premiums and offers from sponsors and retailers such as Visa Buxx, Tamagotchi Connection, hip-e, Kaplan, Narbles, Finish Line, Claire's, Aeropostale, Hat World and more.

"Simon has their finger on the pulse of our top audiences," said Steve Diamond, Visa U.S.A. vice president. "Simon DTour Live's live music/fashion mix resonates with Visa's teen audience and introduces them to our Visa Buxx prepaid product. And the promotion is an ideal complement to the other components of our marketing partnership with Simon Malls."

Visa Buxx is sponsoring the Henna Tattoo Station. This prepaid card gives teens experience with managing money on a budget and builds their confidence in making financial decisions while allowing parents to remain in control. Parents must apply for the card and determine the amount of prepaid funds on it. All transactions can be tracked and statements are emailed to the parent and the teen to foster a dialogue about smart money choices. For more information, visit http://www.visabuxx.com/ .

Simon Mall for You is a "women's escape" marketing program that incorporates targeted brand sponsorships with interactive pavilions and expert speakers on topics of interest to busy women who want to take a break from their hectic lifestyles. The national Simon mall tour brings the all- important women's segment a range of free activities such as spa facials and important fashion tips, along with mini massages, all sponsored by top brands including Diet Coke, Self magazine and Cotton Incorporated. The tour launches August 20th in Boston and concludes October 24th with its final stop in Orange County, CA. In addition, a number of Simon malls across the country will host a Simon Mall for You extension program combining both national and local sponsors to create a "girls' night out" atmosphere in the mall.

Simon Mall for You events answer the rising demand among women for "experiential" gifts (such as facials), as a way to de-stress and have fun at the same time. Simon Mall for You offers beauty consultations, makeovers and fashion advice; mini-massages and samples; seminars and expert speakers. The event was created for women looking to take a break and enjoy a relaxing day with plenty of interesting and relevant activities in their favorite place -- the mall.

Areas of interest at the mall will include:

* Self Magazine's "SELF Style": Bring your inner beauty into focus with mini facials, demonstrations and skincare advice.

* Diet Coke's Relaxation Pavilion: Treat yourself to massage therapy, reflexology, product sampling and more. Register to win free trips from Club Med and American Airlines.

* Cotton Incorporated "Color Me Cotton" Pavilion: Find out what colors and fabrics are right for you; experience a one-on-one colorist consultation; and while you're there, don't forget to check out the latest fall styles.

"Simon Mall for You is a perfect complement to the daily Diet Coke break, as it gives women a fun and relaxing 'girls' night out' setting that resonates with the needs and desires of today's busy woman. It is also a natural extension of our multifaceted marketing relationship with Simon Malls," said Ed Klein, vice president, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola North America.

Alloy Marketing and Promotions, the nation's leading promotional agency, is providing technical and production support for both promotions. Simon will support Simon DTour Live and Simon Mall for You with radio, print, peer-to- peer viral marketing, email blasts and Simon and partner websites.

About Visa

Visa is the world's leading payment brand and largest consumer payment system, enabling banks to provide their consumer and merchant customers with a wide variety of payment alternatives. Nearly 21,000 financial institutions worldwide rely on Visa's processing system, VisaNet, to facilitate $2.5 trillion in annual transaction volume with virtually 100-percent reliability. Consumers in more than 150 countries carry more than 1 billion Visa-branded cards, accepted at millions of locations worldwide. Within the United States, nearly 14,000 financial institutions issue 429 million Visa cards, accounting for more than $1.1 trillion in annual transaction volume. Visa offers a trusted, reliable and convenient way to access and mobilize financial resources -- anytime, anywhere, any way. For more information about Visa, please visit http://www.visa.com/ .

About Simon Property Group

Simon Property Group, Inc. , headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership, development and management of income-producing properties, primarily regional malls and community shopping centers. Through its subsidiary partnerships, it currently owns or has an interest in 246 properties in North America containing an aggregate of 192 million square feet of gross leasable area in 37 states plus Canada and Puerto Rico. The Company also holds interests in 48 assets in Europe (in France, Italy, Poland and Portugal). Additional Simon Property Group information is available at http://www.simon.com/ .

About Simon Brand Ventures

Simon Brand Ventures (SBV), Simon's business-to-consumer arm, has pioneered the transformation of shopping malls into a medium where consumer brands can build one-on-one relationships with shoppers who make approximately 2 billion visits to Simon Malls each year. Simon's vast franchise of market- leading shopping centers nationwide provides SBV the foundation to monetize the distribution system through numerous consumer ventures. SBV has engaged in a number of consumer business initiatives, including the Simon Giftcard(TM), launch of Simon platform programs such as Simon Kidgits Club(TM), Simon Super Chefs Live!(TM), Simon DTour Live(TM) and Simon Mall for You(TM), a national media delivery channel including experiential marketing methods, and multiple national and local marketing alliances with Coca-Cola, Visa U.S.A. and Cingular Wireless, among others.

SOURCE Simon Property Group, Inc.

Sarah Heffernan, +1-314-982-8680,[email protected] ; or Billie Scott of Simon Property Group, Inc., +1-317-263-7148, [email protected]