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Forrester Research Consumer Forum 2005

WHAT: Forrester Research (NASDAQ:FORR) Consumer Forum 2005: Innovating In A Consumer-Driven World

Businesses are talking, but consumers aren't listening. Consumers are increasingly ignoring traditional media and advertising, and taking cues from each other by using emerging technologies and tools like blogging, mobile messaging, comparison shopping sites, word-of-mouth marketing, smart point-of-sale systems, and peer-to-peer networks.

Smart companies are not ignoring this social trend. They are learning how to use technologies to tap into the power of consumers to drive the innovation of products, services, marketing, and design. They are altering their innovation process from an authoritarian "top-down" approach to more of a "bottom-up" one using technology and insights from consumer-to-consumer communication in order to involve their consumers in the innovation process.

According to Forrester:

-- Brand loyalty is waning. Close to 50 percent of consumers value price over brand, up from 41 percent in 2000.

-- Ads are overwhelming and less effective. Between 2002 and 2004, 40 percent fewer consumers agreed that ads are a good way to learn about new products, and 59 percent fewer said they buy products because of the influence of ads.

-- Trust in traditional media is falling. Between 2002 and 2004, consumer confidence in content received from print newspapers, magazines, and direct mail fell, with losses in consumer trust of 4 percent, 11 percent, and 4 percent respectively. During the same period, trust in the Internet rose by 6 percent.

The Forrester Consumer Forum 2005 will feature companies that have embraced new technologies and capitalized on new consumer behaviors to drive innovation. The Forum will answer the following questions:

-- What is the economic value of consumer-driven innovation?

-- How will broadband, mobile devices, and networked homes change the way consumers decide what to buy, what to watch, and how to communicate?

-- Which new marketing approaches -- word-of-mouth, mobile messaging, interactive TV, search, long-form video, and behavioral targeting -- hold the most promise?

-- How are new technologies like kiosks, self-checkout, in-store television, and smart point-of-sale systems changing the role of physical stores?

WHEN: September 27-28, 2005

WHO: Keynote speakers include:

-- Jeff M. Fettig, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Whirlpool

-- Vyomesh Joshi, Executive Vice President, Imaging and Personal Systems Group, Hewlett-Packard

-- Greg Joswiak, Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing for iPod, Apple Computer

-- Gerald L. Storch, Vice Chairman, Target

-- Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner, National Football League

Forum Tracks:

In-depth tracks and roundtable discussions focused on the retail, consumer products, healthcare, automotive, telecommunications, travel and leisure, media, and consumer electronics industries, featuring executives from companies such as Nextel Communications, Stop & Shop, REI, Best Buy, Neiman Marcus, frog design, AutoTrader, Ziba Design, Linden Labs, and LEGO.

WHERE: New York Marriott Marquis 1535 Broadway New York, NY

CONTACT: For complete information on attending the Event, contact Forrester Events at +1 888/343-6786, or visit http://www.forrester.com/Events/Overview/0,5158,1015,00.html

MEDIA: To request interviews and register for the Event, please provide your full contact information to:

Erica Cantwell Manager, Public Relations Forrester Research, Inc. +1 212/672-1757 ecantwell@forrester.com