Publicis Partners with PeerIndex to Support Launch of iHobo App

LONDON, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

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

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 http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ihobo/id364005732?mt=8 or search for 'iHobo' in iTunes.

    - Find out more about iHobo at: http://www.depauluk.org/ihobomedia
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/iHobo-iPhone-App/332454369855
    http://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. http://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, http://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. http://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, [email protected]. http://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

SOURCE Publicis