ARLINGTON, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 06/22/06 -- Hilary Duff and Usher are the coolest of the cool, with Shaquille O'Neal and Johnny Depp not far behind, according to a Decision Analyst and Hypothesis Group survey of the nation's 9- to 12-year- old "tweeners.''

This spring Decision Analyst and Hypothesis Group, two leading marketing research firms, completed their second annual "Hot Or Not?'' survey that measures attitudes of preteens toward celebrities, products, brands, and the nation at large. Conducted by Hypothesis Group and Decision Analyst, the 2006 survey was based on a statistically balanced sample of 1,026 preteens. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percent.

When asked whether certain celebrities and characters are "cool'' or "not cool,'' 63 percent of respondents described Duff and Usher as cool, making them the favored celebrities. Next in popularity were Shaq and Depp, cited as cool by 62 percent of respondents.

The biggest gainers in popularity since last year were Gwen Stefani, up 13 percent; Kelly Clarkson, up 9 percent; and Depp, up 6 percent, the study shows. The biggest losers were Tiger Woods, down 13 percent; Britney Spears, less popular by 10 percent; and Brad Pitt, down 7 percent.

Among all celebrities, some appear to be on the decline in popularity. Spears was considered cool by only 32 percent of respondents, Madonna by 29 percent, Katie Holmes by 25 percent, and Paris Hilton by 23 percent.

Asked which celebrities they were most "sick of,'' respondents most often named Spears, Jessica Simpson, Hilton, and Tom Cruise.

For more information about the study, including a complimentary set of charts based on key findings, contact Allan Hauptfeld at ahauptfeld@hypothesisgroup.com, or call 213-533-7008. For more information about Decision Analyst's American Consumer Opinion® online panel, contact Cristi Allen at callen@decisionanalyst.com, or call 817-640-6166.

About Decision Analyst, Inc.

Decision Analyst Inc. (www.decisionanalyst.com), based in Dallas-Fort Worth, is a leading international marketing research and marketing consulting firm specializing in advertising testing, strategy research, new product development, and advanced modeling for marketing decision optimization. The firm delivers competitive advantage to clients throughout the world in the consumer packaged goods, telecommunications, retail, high technology, medical and pharmaceutical, utilities, and e-commerce industries. Decision Analyst operates the American Consumer Opinion® online panel, one of the world's largest Internet consumer opinion panels, with more than six million participants.

About Hypothesis Group

Hypothesis Group (www.hypothesisgroup.com) is a full-service marketing research and consulting firm with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Hypothesis has particular expertise in the development and implementation of child, family, and educator-targeted research. From concept generation through development, refinement, production, launch, and communications, Hypothesis Group helps clients bring child-, family-, and educator-oriented products, programs, and services to market based on innovative research techniques and consultation.

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Cristi Allen
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817-640-6166
http://www.decisionanalyst.com