Berkshire Bank Selects Bridgeline Content and Insights

Berkshire Bank Chooses iAPPS Content Manager and iAPPS Analytics          

BURLINGTON, Mass., Dec. 21, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bridgeline Digital, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLIN), a provider in cloud-based Web Content Management, eCommerce and Marketing Automation software, announced that Berkshire Bank, a rapidly growing regional bank headquartered in western Massachusetts, has launched their new website (www.berkshirebank.com) on iAPPS Content Manager and iAPPS Analytics. The iAPPS Product Suite is an innovative SaaS solution that unifies Content Management, Analytics, eCommerce, and eMarketing capabilities - enabling users to swiftly enhance and optimize the value of their web properties.

To develop a web solution that could match the expectations of Berkshire's image as "America's Most Exciting Bank," Bridgeline delivered on a multi-faceted project plan that included extensive interactive strategy creation, a complete user-centered design process, and sophisticated technical development on the iAPPS platform. Core to the overall effort was integration of Berkshire Bank's primary lines of business that make up their full service orientation -- Personal Banking, Commercial Banking, Insurance, and Wealth Management -- onto a single website platform. Prior to this integration on the new site, branding, messaging, and cross-selling among divisions was difficult. "The Bridgeline team truly delivered on their promise of an interactive technology solution," says Fedelina Madrid, Vice President of Marketing at Berkshire Bank. "They engaged with us at the beginning of the process to identify, in the context of the website, the best opportunities for growth in terms of new customer acquisition, customer retention, and cross-selling activities. Their ability to integrate our four divisions on iAPPS gives us a new tool-set to easily and more effectively promote targeted products and services across divisions. By taking our website to the next level, we can better communicate and engage with our online customers and community members.

"Utilizing iAPPS as a technology and content management platform gives Berkshire many advantages over their previous website. In addition to its ability to consolidate their four business divisions on a single platform, iAPPS is also able to store and provide management capabilities for all Berkshire Insurance Group forms and applications. Additionally, iAPPS is able to provide improved security and workflow for the online loan payment section of the site. And like all iAPPS-powered websites, Berkshire's various non-technical site administrators leverage both standard and advanced content management functionality such as real-time content updates, inline content editing, and multi-site management. Moreover, their use of iAPPS Analytics provides critical reporting insight into specific promotions and overall site effectiveness.

One dynamic area of the new site is called "Join the Excitement". This subsection caters specifically to a younger demographic and makes extensive use of video, all managed through iAPPS, to tell the story of why Berkshire is America's Most Exciting Bank, and to engage with and gain life-long customers at an early age. Utilizing an iTunes-like video slider, site visitors can view newly produced videos of actual Berkshire customers on topics from customer service, competitive rates, and community involvement, along with a personal message from Bank President and CEO, Michael P. Daly. "Join the Excitement" is one of the biggest draws on the new Berkshire site. Since launch in November 2009, over 17,000 site visitors have submitted votes on how the bank should distribute a $20,000 grant to worthy non-profits. Says Madrid, "iAPPS has proven to be intuitive, user-friendly, and capable of enabling our different teams to manage a complex site on their own. The Bridgeline solution and easy deployment of iAPPS is definitely helping us to save time and money, and realize our overall business goals."

About Berkshire Bank

Berkshire Hills Bancorp is headquartered in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It has $2.7 billion in assets and is the parent of Berkshire Bank -- America's Most Exciting Bank®. The Company provides personal and business banking, insurance, investment, and wealth management services through 46 financial centers in western Massachusetts, northeastern New York, and southern Vermont. For more information, visit www.berkshirebank.com or call 800-773-5601.

About Bridgeline Digital

Bridgeline Digital, The Digital Engagement Company™, helps customers maximize the performance of their full digital experience - from websites and intranets to online stores and campaigns. Bridgeline's Unbound (formerly iAPPS®) platform deeply integrates Web Content Management, eCommerce, eMarketing, Social Media management, and Web Analytics to help marketers deliver digital experiences that attract, engage, nurture and convert their customers across all channels. Headquartered in Burlington, Mass., Bridgeline has thousands of quality customers that range from small- and medium-sized organizations to Fortune 1000 companies. To learn more, please visit www.bridgeline.com or call (800) 603-9936.