Electus Announces Exclusive Partnership with Will Arnett & Jason Bateman To Launch New Digital Comedic Content and Marketing Company

Award-winning duo joins Electus' growing roster of companies

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Jan 08, 2010, 12:00 ET

NEW YORK, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ben Silverman's newly formed multimedia company, Electus, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), today announced an exclusive partnership with comedic actors/writers Will Arnett and Jason Bateman, for which Electus will work to develop the duo's new sponsor-driven advertising and production company DumbDumb. Electus will package the twosome's original digital content within Electus' Comedy division where they will be partnered with advertisers to create original commercials and programming for distribution across multiple media platforms, including television and film.

"Will and Jason are not only great actors and comedians, but they also have an intrinsic talent for understanding what makes something funny and how that content will resonate with audiences," said Ben Silverman, CEO of Electus. "Their comedic instinct, combined with our ability to bring them together with the best advertising, production and web-pioneers in the industry, makes this a groundbreaking venture in the evolution of advertising, multimedia production and distribution."

DumbDumb is a comedy enterprise led by Will Arnett and Jason Bateman where the twosome will create commercials along with short and long form programming for distribution across all platforms. For the new endeavor, DumbDumb will utilize web production and development expertise from CollegeHumor.com, an operating business of IAC working in partnership with Electus, whose original content creations have been viewed over 300 million times and its viewers watch 100 years worth of video content each month. With CollegeHumor.com's 10+ years of experience marketing and producing for the web, to create and produce digital content that is in line with a brand's personality and marketing objectives is the perfect match for Arnett and Bateman's well-known comedic tone.

"Ben has been responsible for some of the most interesting stories and greatest comedy in recent memory," said Jason Bateman. "Now, however, he says he'd like to shift the focus away from himself. His new challenge - make them laugh online and on purpose. We're excited to be a part of it."

"Electus is the ultimate partner for Jason and me. Not only is Ben a media pioneer, but he has a great sense of humor and really understands what we want to accomplish," said Will Arnett. "Ben's extensive experience as an agent, producer and advertising innovator will help transform DumbDumb into a truly next generation enterprise."

In addition to a digital partnership, Electus will have an overall first-look deal and international distribution rights on all of DumbDumb's content, including television, motion picture and digital.

Capitalizing on the ever-evolving world of multimedia production and distribution, Electus is the industry's first non-traditional entertainment studio that connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling sponsors to be a partner in campaigns and content creation.

For no further information, please visit www.DumbDumb.com.

About Electus

Electus is the first integrated multimedia company to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world. Headed by Ben Silverman, in partnership with IAC, the company will connect advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be a true partner in campaigns and content creation.

About IAC

IAC operates more than 50 leading and diversified Internet businesses across 30 countries... our mission is to harness the power of interactivity to make daily life easier and more productive for people all over the world. To view a full list of the companies of IAC please visit our website at www.iac.com.

    Contact Information:
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    IAC Communications
    Stacy Simpson / Leslie Cafferty
    (212) 314-7470 / 7326

    Electus
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    Sunshine, Sachs & Associates
    Jessica Berger
    (212) 691-2800 / (917)748-9830
    [email protected]

    Sunshine, Sachs & Associates West
    Sara Vicendese
    (310) 275-3222 / (917)620-3908
    [email protected]

SOURCE IAC