For Immediate Release, February 28, 2001 Contact: Jana Muntsinger

Parable Sponsors Carman World Concert Tour

“Heart of a Champion” World Tour 2001 Combines with Parable Stores & Parable Interactive

San Luis Obispo, California—Parable Christian Stores announce it is the exclusive retail sponsor of the latest Carman concert tour, “Heart of a Champion” World Tour 2001. The tour is taking place in major venues in 40 cities from February 12 to April 14, 2001. There are 98 Parable member stores within 50 miles of the concert venues.

Parable undertook this partnership with Carman because it was a practical tool for helping stores grow. “With thousands of people attending each Carman concert, we knew there would be great opportunity for ministry and commerce,” says Steve Potratz, founder and president of The Parable Group. “By aligning Parable with Carman’s tour, we will expose thousands to the life-changing music and products available at Parable stores.”

Parable will be promoted every concert through a variety of advertising impressions. Each person who buys product at the concert will receive a 20% off coupon valid at any Parable store and a toll-free Parable store locator number that allows him or her to pinpoint a local Parable retailer. Every tour program distributed will contain a full-page ad for The Parable Group, promoting Parable’s Easter 2001 “He Did It Just for You” Promotion. And each venue will air a 60-second video on the jumbotron to promote Parable’s e-commerce site, www.parable.com.

Parable will distribute more than 7,000,000 pieces in its four spring 2001 flyers and catalogs to promote the concert tour. Carman, the “Heart of a Champion” World Tour and Carman’s related product, are featured in Parable’s February 2001 catalog, April Easter Flyer, April Catalog and Father’s Day mailer.

One Parable member store will win an in-store appearance by Carman during the concert tour. Carman will stop by that store for an hour to meet fans and sign CDs, videos and books. As of today, the winning store has not been chosen, but an announcement is forth coming.

On Parable’s nearly 200 Private Label e-commerce sites and www.parable.com, the tour is featured as well as a national contest to win a complete Carman library of CDs, videos and an autographed “Heart of a Champion” CD set. Online contest winners will be announced on www.parable.com on April 2.

-more-

Parable Sponsors Carman World Tour, page two

The Parable Group is a California-based marketing and retail services company representing over $400,000,000 in annual sales of Christian products to consumers. The Parable Group provides diverse marketing tools for its member stores such as e-commerce sites, in-store merchandising kits, exclusive products, weekly bestseller lists and catalogs. In 2000, Parable distributed more than 29.7 million catalogs, newspaper inserts, and other promotional mailings in 25 marketing campaigns. Parable Christian Stores consists of more than 300 independently owned Christian retail outlets located in North America.

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February 28, 2001