Bazaarvoice (NASDAQ: BV) and the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) today announced they are joining forces to develop new industry standards to strengthen the integrity of consumer-generated review content. Brands around the globe recognize that the authentic voice of consumers drives business - and consumers trust these opinions over other forms of content including advertisements and editorial reviews. The new standards ensure social content continues to benefit brands and consumers by remaining transparent and accurate.

Founded on the premise of "changing the world, one authentic conversation at a time," Bazaarvoice powers genuine and transparent conversations for their clients around the globe. A partnership with WOMMA - the standard bearer of word-of-mouth marketing - is a natural extension of that ongoing objective. Both parties share a central mission of creating an environment of trust between consumers and marketers. WOMMA's Ethics Code is a cornerstone of the principles that built Bazaarvoice. The new set of standards is slated for release later this year.

Illustrating their commitment to authenticity, Bazaarvoice announced the appointment of Jim Houlihan as director of Authenticity. Jim brings 17 years of experience in fraud prevention strategies, operations and investigations from leading companies like Home Shopping Network, Dell Financial Service and Citi prior to his role at Bazaarvoice. As director of Authenticity, Houlihan is responsible for driving policy, technology and processes ensuring content is unique, unaltered and transparent.

Comments on the News

• "Bazaarvoice has been committed to authenticity since day one. We have a tremendous track record in educating the industry on the power of authentic reviews - taking on issues like editing consumer-generated content, which we have always been firmly opposed to. The partnership with WOMMA is an important next step in addressing the industry-wide challenges around authenticity and ensuring that consumers and brands continue to benefit from authentic consumer conversations about products and services." - Brett Hurt, CEO, Bazaarvoice.
• "WOMMA has always been an advocate for practices and policies that promote an environment of trust between consumers and marketers. This partnership with Bazaarvoice not only creates an actionable tool to promote honesty and transparency, but also sends a clear message to consumers and brands that ratings and reviews will remain a powerful tool for informing consumer behavior." - Suzanne Fanning, president, WOMMA.
• "Product reviews are some of the most valuable content online, and WOMMA and Bazaarvoice are taking a strong stand on behalf of the brands and consumers who use this content every day."- Jim Houlihan, director of Authenticity, Bazaarvoice.

About WOMMA

WOMMA, http://womma.org, is the leading trade association in the marketing and advertising industries that focuses on word of mouth, consumer-generated and social media platforms -- or marketing techniques that include buzz, viral, community, and influencer marketing, as well as brand blogging. The organization is committed to developing and maintaining appropriate ethical standards for marketers and advertisers engaging in such marketing practices, identifying meaningful measurement standards for such marketing practices, and defining "best practices" for the industry.

Founded in 2004, WOMMA members include marketers and brands that use word of mouth marketing to reinforce their core customers and to reach out to new consumers; agencies that deliver word of mouth services and technologies; researchers that track the word of mouth experience; and offline and online practitioners.

About Bazaarvoice

Bazaarvoice, a leading social software and data analytics company, brings the voice of customers to the center of business strategy for more than 700 global clients like Best Buy, Costco, Dell, Macy's, P&G, Panasonic, QVC, and USAA.

Bazaarvoice helps clients create social communities on their brand websites and Facebook pages where customers can engage in conversations. These conversations can be syndicated across Bazaarvoice's global network of client websites and mobile devices, which allows manufacturers to connect directly with customers. The social data derived from online word of mouth translates into actionable insights that improve marketing, sales, customer service, and product development. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Bazaarvoice has offices in Amsterdam, London, Munich, Paris, Stockholm and Sydney.www.bazaarvoice.com, read the blog at www.bazaarvoice.com/blog.

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