MARLTON, NJ, September 28, 2000 - ScreenFriendsÔ Corporation, developer of voice-activated on-screen characters designed to simplify computer and web navigation, announced today they have signed Rich Little, world-famous celebrity impersonator, as the voice-over talent for a line of ScreenFriend characters to be targeted to baby boomers.
Included among the characters Mr. Little will voice are Edward G. Robinson, Sammy Davis Jr. (licensed from Global Icons, Los Angeles, CA) and a character of Rich Little as himself.
"People 55 and older have doubled their computer usage in the last year and will triple that number in the next three years, that's a very appealing trend to our clients," commented Gregory Santore, ScreenFriends' CEO. "Rich Little and Edward G. Robinson are personalities this group know and trust, when you combine that with ScreenFriends' ability to make computer usage easier and more natural you have a very effective device for corporations to market to this demographic group."
"I'm amazed at this technology." Said Mr. Little. "I think it's only a matter of time before everyone has a ScreenFriend, and this will go a long way toward immortalizing some of the world's best entertainers and celebrities."
Rich Little has been entertaining audiences for years as the "man of a thousand voices." In his latest venture he stars in The Presidents, playing all the presidents from Kennedy to Clinton. It is hoped the forthcoming tour will eventually make its way to Broadway. Mr. Little has had countless film and television appearances, including his own weekly series, The Rich Little Show and Kopy Kats. He has also made three HBO comedy specials, including Rich Little's Christmas Carol, in which he played all the roles of the Dickens classic, winning top prizes at the Montreux Festival in Switzerland and earning an Emmy in the United States. He has appeared in several movies, recently starring as Johnny Carson in the HBO movie, The Late Shift.
Edward G. Robinson is best known for his creation of the gangster prototype in American films, including "Little Caesar" (1930). He is being honored by the U.S. Post Office this year with a commemorative stamp in his image for his over 50 years of celebrity, including the SAG "Lifetime Achievement Award" and an OscarTM for his noteworthy film career spanning from 1923-73.
Founded in 1998, ScreenFriends Corp. is currently in the process of being acquired by WENR Corp (OTC:WENR). With the ScreenFriends Personal Inter(Face)TM software installed, a user can operate their computer and navigate the web simply by speaking to an interactive character in everyday language (instead of using the keyboard or mouse). Characters are easily interchangeable and the product is distributed free to the public via retail promotions, entertainment promotional tie-ins, CD mailings and web site downloads and has an emphasis on simplifying online shopping. ScreenFriends Corporation partners with companies to provide a valuable "relationship branding" tool, allowing these corporations an infinite number of impressions with customers who interact with their ScreenFriend character. It also offers other web site affiliates and sponsors a dynamic and revolutionary new customer access and advertising venue. The company had a preview launch of its product earlier this year with its first five characters (Universal Studio's Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris, Natasha, and Fearless Leader) and also has an exclusive sponsorship deal with former host of Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous, Robin Leach. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.screenfriends.com.
WENR (www.wenr.net) is a holding company that provides senior management expertise and funding for post start-up, growth companies. As such, it serves as a BDC (business development company).
Disclaimer
This news release contains information that is "forward-looking" in that it describes events and conditions, which WENR Corp. reasonably expects to occur in the future. Expectations for the future performance of the business of WENR is dependent on a number of factors, and there can be no assurance that WENR will achieve the results as contemplated herein. The accuracy of these statements cannot be guaranteed as they are subject to a variety of risks including the possibility that the described activities will not be completed.
Contact: Jonathon Barbato
EVP, Mktg, ScreenFriends
Phone: 303/331-8091
jbarbato@screenfriends.com
SOURCE: WENR Corporation
CO: WENR Corporation; ScreenFriends Corporation
ST: California, New Jersey
IN: FIN MLM CPR
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