Publicis Partners with PeerIndex to Support Launch of iHobo App

By Publicis, PRNE
Monday, April 11, 2011

Partnership key Part of Online Influencer Strategy for Charity Depaul UK's Updated iPhone app

LONDON, April 13, 2011 - Publicis London has partnered with opinion-leading marketing platform
PeerIndex to target influential social networkers and opinion leaders during
the launch of the new iHobo iPhone App.

The partnership is an important part of the strategy for the new iHobo
App, which has been produced pro bono for youth homelessness charity Depaul
UK. PeerIndex has created a bespoke list of well-connected, respected
Tweeters with a loyal following, which will be used by the agency and Depaul
UK as the basis of an online influencer strategy.

By measuring status and reputation on the social web PeerIndex's
technology will allow Publicis and Depaul UK to target key social media
influencers in order to get people talking about the new version (v1.1) of
iHobo, an app which aims to encourage the debate around youth homelessness
amongst a younger, more affluent audience.

PeerIndex examines activity on multiple social platforms such as Twitter,
Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs and Quora in order to calculate reputation, or
'social capital' by looking at various factors including how individuals'
ideas and opinions spread, how other people interact with their content, how
interesting other people find that content and the quality of a user's
engaged network.

PeerIndex technology allows brands to identify and target the people who
are most likely to be of value to their business or organisation and helps
them to influence the conversations that they are having.

PeerIndex founder Azeem Azhar said: "Twitter has uncovered expressive,
connected people - people who are becoming the new tastemakers. PeerIndex was
delighted to help Depaul identify opinion leaders in London - people who we
felt could help draw attention to homelessness in London."

Will Arnold-Baker, Managing Director of Publicis London, said: "iHobo was
a huge success for Depaul in 2010, and we're excited that with this evolved
1.1 version, and with PeerIndex's invaluable help targeting key influencers,
we will help take it to the next level of success in 2011."

- To download iHobo click on
itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ihobo/id364005732?mt=8 or search for 'iHobo' in
iTunes.

- Find out more about iHobo at: www.depauluk.org/ihobomedia

www.facebook.com/pages/iHobo-iPhone-App/332454369855

www.youtube.com/user/donotignoreiHobo

About PeerIndex

PeerIndex helps businesses identify and target the people most likely to
be of value to topic-based approach allows you to find the people most
relevant to your business (as opposed to just finding micro-celebrities who
may have engaged followers who are not relevant to your business). Someone
with a high topic resonance in your category is quite likely to be a net
promoter of that category - and more importantly a net promoter with a strong
network for trusted contacts. PeerIndex works directly with marketeers and
brands to deliver benefits and offerings to opinion leaders in their
categories. PeerIndex was founded by Azeem Azhar, an internet investor and
entrepreneur. Azeem started his career covering the tech sector for The
Guardian and The Economist. At both papers he launched their first Web sites
in the mid90s. He also had roles in strategy at the BBC and Reuters. During
the bubble he ran a dotcom incubator, before moving into senior management
roles in various tech companies (including a search engine and blogging
platform). An active internet investor in media-tech firms such as Daylife,
Powerset, New Energy Finance and Dopplr, he now concentrates exclusively on
PeerIndex. www.peerindex.net

About Publicis London

Publicis London is a full service advertising agency that creates
contagious campaigns that change the conversation. Clients include Pernod
Ricard, Renault, Procter and Gamble, United Biscuits, Garnier, the
Government, UBS and Zurich. Latest campaigns include The Megane Experiment,
www.themeganeexperiment.com, and Va Va Voom for Renault UK. Publicis
London is part of Publicis Group UK, which also houses agencies expert in
digital, demand generation, contract publishing and content solutions, itself
part of the Publicis Groupe, the world's third largest communications group
with activities spanning 104 countries on five continents.
www.publicis.co.uk

About iHobo

iHobo, the UK's most downloaded charity iPhone App, this week returned to
the Apple iTunes store. The App comes with extra features to improve user
engagement and understanding and capitalise on the power of social
networking. The free, interactive App uses live action and urges users to
take care of a 'virtual' homeless young person. Over three days iHobo is the
iPhone user's responsibility with every decision made - such as offering
food, money or emotional support - impacting on his life. Initially launched
in May 2010, it reached number one in the free download chart after just a
week. To date, it has been downloaded more than 600,000 times, helping the
charity raise awareness of the needs of homeless young people and gain
thousands more new donors. It has won a number of awards and acclaim for its
innovative and brave approach to charity marketing. The revised App builds
understanding of the issue of homelessness by introducing hidden 'truth'
items throughout the App, which when collected reveal facts and information
about youth homelessness. It is also more personal, encouraging players to
input their own names and develop a real relationship with the virtual young
person.

About Depaul UK

Depaul UK is the largest youth homelessness charity in the UK. It
provides and supports 145,000 bednights a year to homeless, disadvantaged and
vulnerable young people and has helped more than 50,000 people since it was
founded in 1989. The charity continues to work with more than 3,500 young
people a year. Depaul UK is the new name for Depaul Trust, Registered Charity
No .802384. For more information on the charity contact Rachel Slade,
rachel.slade@depauluk.org. www.depauluk.org

Contacts:

    Catherine Turner
    Publicis UK PR Manager
    Tel: + 44 (0)207 830 3476

    Contact: Azeem Azhar
    PeerIndex CEO
    Tel: +44 (0)7974 222 583

Contact: Catherine Turner, Publicis UK PR Manager, Tel: + 44 (0)207 830 3476,
Mobile: +44 (0)7971 861082; Contact: Azeem Azhar, PeerIndex CEO, Tel: +44 (0)7974 222 583

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