AGE Edwards AG

A.G. Edwards Launches First National Marketing Initiative in 117-Year History Firm Scheduled to Kick Off Marketing Effort by Ringing NYSE Opening Bell On Feb. 17 ST. LOUIS, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the first time in its history, A.G. Edwards is launching a national advertising program to share the company's philosophy and set it apart in the competitive financial services marketplace. Beginning today, advertising highlighting the firm's longstanding "client first" philosophy will appear nationwide in business and lifestyle media outlets. Until now, the St. Louis-based firm has relied on client referrals and local advertising by individual branches to share the firm's philosophy and grow its investor base. One of the largest national investment firms outside of New York City, the company still applies the same client-first philosophy today as it did when it was established in 1887. While this approach is not changing, the way the firm is telling people about it is. The national advertising effort is intended to create a broader and more uniform awareness of the firm and its attributes, while still giving individual branches the freedom to promote themselves in their local markets. "We have a special culture that revolves around one thing -- doing what's best for our clients and their financial needs," said Robert L. Bagby, chairman and chief executive officer of A.G. Edwards. "We look forward to sharing this with a larger audience through national advertising." National Integrated Marketing Initiative a First for A.G. Edwards The advertising will begin with print ads in a variety of formats which will appear in business, financial and lifestyle publications. Television spots will run nationally on network and cablechannels and concentrate on lifestyle and news programming, using both 15- and 30-second formats. Online ads will also run on select business and financial websites. All of the creative elements are designed to entrench the A.G. Edwards name, its client-first approach, and the objectivity of its sales force given the firm does not have product sales quotas and does not have its own branded mutual funds. These efforts mark the beginning of the firm's long-term commitment to integrated marketing communications. "Our approach is straightforward. Our client is at the center of everything we do -- both philosophically and structurally," said Peter M. Miller, executive vice president and director of sales and marketing. "We believe these values willappeal to the investing public now more than ever and that our advertising captures these positive qualities in a witty and appealing way." In addition to the advertising effort, the firm is continuing to roll out its new logo and tagline, which was unveiled last fall. The logo -- a stylized wing and flame -- represents the freedom of the firm's financial consultants to serve the clients' best interests and the passion that has driven the firm and its employees for decades. The new tagline -- "Fully Invested in Our Clients" -- supports the A.G. Edwards mission as well. From Main Street to Wall Street To kick off the national marketing effort, 10 A.G. Edwards employees from across the country accompanied Bagby and Miller to the New York Stock Exchange to take part in one of the exchange's oldest traditions -- ringing the opening bell. The employees were selected through a company-wide drawing. "These employees represent many different areas within the company," Bagby said. "Because our brand is our people, we felt it important that employees from across the country share in this important and historic day for A.G. Edwards." About A.G. Edwards A.G. Edwards, Inc., is a financial services holding company whose primary subsidiary is the national investment firm of A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. For more than 117 years, individuals and businesses have turned to A.G. Edwards to develop strong personal relationships with financial consultants dedicated to a client-first philosophy of providing financial solutions tailored to their clients' individual needs. A.G. Edwards and its affiliates encompass approximately 7,000 financial consultants in more than 700 offices nationwide and two European locations in London and Geneva. DATASOURCE: A.G.Edwards, Inc. CONTACT: Rebecca Boone, +1-314-955-2096, , or Byron Goodrich, +1-314-955-3235, , both of A.G. Edwards Web site: http://www.agedwards.com/

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