MTU-INFORM HAS WON HONORARY TITLE "BRAND OF THE YEAR 2001"

Moscow, November 5, 2001. MTU-Inform, a leading commercial telephone communications operator in Moscow, wins the reward "Brand of the Year / EFFIE 2001" under "High-tech Goods and Services" nomination. The results of the competition were announced on November 1, 2001. The bestowal ceremony took place the same day in the Moscow Exhibition Hall "Novy Manezh".

"Brand of the Year" is an annual reward granted to most successful projects for creation and promotion of the brands on the Russian market. In 2001, this Russian National Reward in marketing and advertising has become a part of EFFIE International system. EFFIE is the most authoritative world reward in the field of effective marketing communications. The competition was first organized by American Marketing Association in 1968. Now EFFIE competitions take place annually in 19 countries including USA and most of the West Europe's countries.

"The competition is aimed at revealing companies that have achieved the best results in brand promotion on the Russian market. Certainly, we are happy to win such a high reward," says Dmitry Dronov, MTU-Inform marketing director. "We won in the 'high-tech services' category, and this was not accidental. All our activities are meant to provide customers with the most up-to-date services of highest quality."

The company had already won several competitions before. In 2000, it was nominated the "Computer Elite 2000" for its substantial contribution into development of the Russian computer market. It was also awarded the "Company of the Year 2000" prize in the special nomination "ISP of the Year." "It is a great honor that the high reward 'Brand of the Year / EFFIE 2001' has added to the list of company rewards," said Dmitry Dronov.