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Valassis Releases Findings on Consumer Behaviors and Motivations for Seeking Savings and Value

There are both rational and emotional insights that truly resonate with today's savers and together build a profile of our target consumer's mindset. Rationally, saving on staples helps them liberate their budget to spend on other things they really want, particularly spending time with their family. Many see managing the household budget as their job, even more important to those with children and in today's challenging economic environment. Emotionally, participants indicated they felt smart while looking for coupons and deals. Getting the best deal for their family motivates them to do so. Happiness, success, power, relief, winning, confidence and caring are emotions associated with saving as revealed in the focus groups.

"People are very passionate about savings and value and like to talk about it," said Suzie Brown, Valassis Chief Marketing Officer. "We've all had an experience when we found a great deal and couldn't wait to share the story with a friend or family member. Not only do consumers like to brag about their finds, they truly enjoy the thrill associated with saving money and see it is as playing a game, making them feel more powerful. This consumer research provides a glimpse into the hearts and minds of our target consumers and how they're spending, saving and relating these savings activities to caring for their families."

Consumer research indicates big-ticket purchases require substantial research driven by household budget and the level of complexity. Electronics, appliances, furniture, autos and trips top the list of more expensive items that require planning. When seeking big-ticket purchases, participants said the Internet is central to finding value. Redplum.com, a savings and lifestyle site launched earlier this year, provides consumers local and national deals and offers. The site also features original, weekly editorial articles on parenting, fashion, beauty, dining, home, yard, entertainment, pets, autos, electronics, healthy living and money.

Couponing and deal seeking have become time-honored rituals that save Americans nearly $3 billion annually. According to the Promotion Marketing Association's (PMA) Coupon Council, spending just 20 minutes a week taking advantage of coupons and special offers can save consumers up to $1,000 a year or more. For more facts about saving in today's economy, please visit http://www.valassis.com/combo/pdf/redplum_economy.pdf .

"Based on what we've learned from our research, I have never been more confident than in today's tough economy that RedPlum is relevant to today's consumer," Brown added. "RedPlum is a leading provider of consumer-oriented deals and savings on brands consumers want most and provides the savings they seek with ease and convenience, which is important to today's budget manager."

Editor's Note: September is National Coupon Month. The PMA has declared September as National Coupon Month since 1998. This year, the economy is the theme of the 11th annual Coupon Month.

About Valassis

Valassis is one of the nation's leading media and marketing services companies, offering unparalleled reach and scale to more than 15,000 advertisers. Its RedPlum media portfolio delivers value on a weekly basis to over 100 million shoppers across a multi-media platform -- in-home, in-store and in-motion. Through its newest offering -- redplum.com -- consumers will find compelling national and local deals online. Headquartered inLivonia, Michigan with approximately 7,000 associates in 28 states and nine countries, Valassis is widely recognized for its associate and corporate citizenship programs, including its America's Looking for Its Missing Children(R) program. Valassis companies include Valassis Direct Mail, Inc., Valassis Canada, Promotion Watch, Valassis Relationship Marketing Systems, LLC and NCH Marketing Services, Inc. For more information, visit http://www.valassis.com or http://www.redplum.com .

Safe Harbor and Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements found in this document constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Valassis to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following: price competition from our existing competitors; new competitors in any of our businesses; a shift in customer preference for different promotional materials, promotional strategies or coupon delivery methods including as a result of declines in newspaper circulations; an unforeseen increase in our paper or postal costs; changes which affect the businesses of our clients and lead to reduced sales promotion spending including a decrease in marketing budgets which are generally discretionary in nature and easier to reduce in the short-term than other expenses; challenges and costs of achieving synergies and cost savings in connection with the ADVO acquisition and integrating ADVO's operations may be greater than expected; our substantial indebtedness, and our ability to incur additional indebtedness, may affect our financial health; certain covenants in our debt documents could adversely restrict our financial and operating flexibility; fluctuations in the amount, timing, pages, weight and kinds of advertising pieces from period to period, due to a change in our clients' promotional needs, inventories and other factors; our failure to attract and retain qualified personnel may affect our business and results of operations; a rise in interest rates could increase our borrowing costs; the outcome of ADVO's pending shareholder lawsuits; possible governmental regulation or litigation affecting aspects of our business; and general economic conditions, whether nationally or in the market areas in which we conduct business, may be less favorable than expected. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional risks include, but are not limited to those risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2007 (the 2007 Form 10-K) and our other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

SOURCE Valassis