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Company Selected as Technology Innovator in the Mobile Marketing and Advertising Category for 2009

Helsinki, Finland, January 28, 2009 — Blyk, the free mobile network for young people funded by advertising today announced that it has been selected to the 2009 OnMedia 100 List. The OnMedia 100 Award is given to private, emerging technology companies in the advertising, publishing, marketing, branding and public relations spaces. Blyk was selected by the AlwaysOn editorial team based on demonstration of growth, market opportunity, quality of innovation and customer traction.

“Blyk launched its service in the UK in September 2007 and by the end of 2008 over 200 brands were using Blyk Media against a wide range of marketing needs. We are pleased to be delivering great results for our advertisers and honoured to be recognized by AlwaysOn as a leader in mobile marketing and advertising.“ said Pekka Ala-Pietilä, Blyk’s CEO and co-founder.

Blyk and the other OnMedia 100 winners will be recognized at the OnMedia 100 Conference at the Ritz Carlton, New York City, on February 2-4. This two-and-a-half day executive conference is co-presented by Forbes and will feature presentations and high-level debates from CEOs, journalists, industry experts, investors and publishing and advertising executives.

“The 2009 OnMedia 100 companies have demonstrated their tenacity even in the toughest economic conditions that the technology world has ever encountered,” said Tony Perkins, founder and editor of AlwaysOn. “We applaud their success in pushing the boundaries of innovation, creating market opportunities and transforming the industry even in the earlier stages of their businesses.”
The OnMedia 100 winners were selected from among hundreds of other technology companies nominated by investors, bankers, journalists and industry insiders. The AlwaysOn editorial team conducted a rigorous three-month selection process to finalize the 2009 list.

A full list of all the OnMedia 100 winners can be found on the AlwaysOn website at http://alwayson.goingon.com/permalink/post/30893

Pekka Ala-Pietilä, global CEO drives international expansion

Helsinki, Finland and London, UK, 9 January, 2009 – Blyk, the free mobile network for young people funded by advertising today announced that as part of the company’s recent organizational realignment, Antti Öhrling, the co-founder and current executive director of Blyk will take the helm in the UK as Shaun Gregory, Blyk’s current UK CEO, resigns for personal reasons.

“In 2008 Blyk achieved milestones in member and advertiser growth in the UK and it was a pivotal year for Blyk in demonstrating that the model works for both young people and advertisers alike. We thank Shaun for his contribution to this success.” said Antti Öhrling.

Antti Öhrling co-founded Blyk in 2006 with former Nokia president, Pekka Ala-Pietilä, and has been a driving force in the company’s strategic direction. Öhrling’s move to the top spot in the UK will ensure that the company’s innovative model continues to be a leading force in UK youth media.

At the same time Pekka Ala-Pietilä will lead Blyk’s international media partnering approach through which the company will gain greater flexibility and speed to capitalize on new growth opportunities and global demand for its media model.

This announcement follows the company’s recent news of an additional €40 million in funding to support it’s ongoing operations and accelerated international expansion.