January 31, 2001
To Whom It May Concern
Plaza Create Co., Ltd.
Network Lab Ltd.
Network Lab and Bull Life Join Forces on a Portal Site-Gokurakuichiba-Offering
a User-Oriented General Picture Service
The Plaza Create Group's Network Lab Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda Ward,
Tokyo; President: Makio Nishizuka) has joined forces with Bull Life
Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo; President: Mutsuya
Ikeda), a company that is developing the Gokurakuichiba site on the
Internet. Both companies have agreed to plan, manage and develop a
general picture service operation for the users of Gokurakuichiba.
Gokurakuichiba is a general information portal site created for the
Internet in 1998 by Bull Life, a ceremonial occasion-related company
that encourages a rich and fulfilling lifestyle, with "memorial" as
its concept. The site provides not only business, entertainment and
event information aimed at supporting the lifestyle of a wide range
of age groups, it also offers online shopping and auctions and is
gaining approval from three generations. Moreover, it employs a massive
user data base, honing in on its targets in categories, and its original
Internet direct mail distribution service, "Pinpoint Marketing," is
both precise and speedy. The contents of the direct mail service include
not only simple product public relations, but also-through the issue
of coupons-invitations to participate in events on the site, etc.
The response rate to the direct mail is high, as is the objective
achievement rate. In addition, the questionnaire aimed at market research
has been financially rewarding and effective. Gokurakuichiba currently
has 860,000 registered members and 750,000 members on the Internet
direct mail list, and growth is increasing on a monthly average of
approximately 13,000.
Network Lab is a subsidiary of the major DPE chain, Plaza Create Co.,
Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo; President: Yasuhiro Oshima),
and is a general laboratory (digital photographic development plant)
that offers the services of inputting various digital picture data
and the processing of its photographic products. Although Network
Lab has previously carried out digital, planning and developing services
for the Internet, this time it has joined together with Bull Life
to jointly create a general digital picture service for users.
The Development of a Colorful Digital Service
Specifically, with the keywords of "memory and memorial support,"
from March of this year, Gokurakuichiba intends to offer users (1)
an online digital photograph storage service (digital album), (2)
a high-quality print service for digital picture data, and (3) an
illustration store ("MY-CHARACTER"), a service where you can turn
children's portraits into a variety of illustrations. In addition,
an individual memorial service menu based on ceremonial occasions
for the user-for example, season plans for the graduation season,
etc.-develops colorfully. Both companies, in synergy with each other,
will work on the expansion of members and guests, and will help each
other in many ways, from marketing to service strategies.
For Further Information
*Enjoy Picture (Network Lab's company-run picture site):
http://nwl.enjoypicture.com/
*Gokurakuichiba:
http://www.gokurakuichiba.co.jp/
*Network Lab Ltd. company outline
Company Name: Network Lab Ltd.
@Head office: Oshima Building, 4th Floor, 4-7-13, Kudan Minami,
Chiyoda-ku,
@Tokyo
@Establishment: 1998
@President: Makio Nishizuka
Main operations:
*Ordering, through the network "Enjoy Picture" album site, of the
printing and
production of goods and character printing through
alliance
*Printing and production of panels for exhibition
*Bull Life Co., Ltd. company outline
Company Name: Bull Life Co., Ltd.
Head office: 3-23-7, Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku,Tokyo
Establishment: 1990
President: Mutsuya Ikeda
Main operations: Providing advertising spots through the community
portal site Gokurakuichiba with its concept based on memorial, offering
clients of the company a proxy "pinpoint marketing" service.
For further information on this project:
ENetwork Lab (Enjoy Picture) Tel: 03-5226-0911
Contact: Nozawa, Konno
EBull Life (Gokurakuichiba) Tel: 03-3227-8188
Contact: Ikeda
EPlaza Create Tel: 03-3222-3265
Contact: Tsuge, Shinada
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