3 New alliances
Kazoo3D PLC
2 November 2000
KAZOO3D ANNOUNCES ALLIANCES WITH HP, SUPAPIC.COM AND E-FRAMES.COM
KazooStudio software to be bundled with HP Pavilion home PCs in the US
and to be made available for download on two leading digital photo websites
Kazoo3D plc (LSE: KZO), the online 3D software and content specialist, today
announces that it has secured three further alliances for KazooStudio, its
consumer software product, that enables users to create 3D-enhanced digital
photographs. These relationships, with Hewlett-Packard Company, supapic.com
and e-frames.com, will significantly enhance awareness of KazooStudio in the
fast growing digital imaging market and will make the software available to
hundreds of thousands of targeted potential users.
Today's relationships with HP, supapic.com and e-frames have been secured as
part of Kazoo3D's strategy of achieving cost effective rapid market
penetration for its 3D software platform amongst significant end user
communities in selected target markets. The relationships are based on a
revenue sharing formula linked to purchases made at the www.kazoo3d.com
website.
The KazooStudio software comes with a limited number of free, ready to use 3D
models and also contains links to Kazoo3D's website, www.kazoo3d.com, where
users can browse and purchase additional 3D models from Kazoo3D's rapidly
growing online library. Kazoo3D can identify the referral partner for each
transaction on its site and will pay a referral commission to the respective
partner. In this way, Kazoo3D believes it will secure the support of its
partners in the active promotion of its 3D software platform and online 3D
content library to their customers.
KazooStudio enables users to incorporate 3D models into digital photos,
position them at any angle and transform them using painting and lighting
options. From here, they can share their 3D enhanced KazooPictures with
friends and family via email, order printed copies of the photographs, create
customised greetings cards and gifts, or even upload them directly to photo
sharing albums on the web.
There are currently 66 commercial photo activity websites in the US,
attracting some 12 million unique visitors per month. Research from
Infotrends forecasts that the US photo merchandising market will grow from
$18.5m in 1998 to $1.4 billion in 2003.
Commenting on the relationships, Stuart Green, Chief Executive of Kazoo3D
said:
'This is another important stage in the development of our business plan and
brings us one step nearer to realising the revenue side of our business model.
The launch of our website at the end of August opened up the opportunity to
demonstrate how our KazooStudio software could add value to potential partners
in the digital imaging market.
'All the research indicates that this is a huge potential market for us.
Online photo sharing is already widespread in the US and is starting to grow
in Europe. Today's announcements build on our existing relationship with
Adobe and are a further step towards reaching this exciting market and our
goal of putting KazooStudio on the desktops of as many potential users as
possible. Discussions with other web merchants and OEMs are ongoing and we
expect to be in a position to announce further partnership deals over the next
few months.'
Details of the alliances follow:
HP:
Kazoo3D has entered into an agreement with HP for a special CD-version of
KazooStudio to be bundled with thousands of HP Pavilion home PCs that will be
part of a special promotion in North America over the coming Thanksgiving
holiday season. The CD will contain over 90 free Kazoo3D Models together with
a link to the www.kazoo3d.com website where users will be able to purchase
additional 3D models, including Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends, as well as
Halloween and other holiday themed model packs.
eframes.com:
Kazoo3D has entered into a partnership with eframes.com, a leading US website
for printing, framing and sharing digital photographs. The agreement will
result in KazooStudio being available as a free download on the eframes
website together with links to the KazooStore on the www.kazoo3d.com website.
eframes.com will promote KazooStudio to its users, providing them with the
added capability of creating 3D-enhanced digital photos, in return for a share
of revenues generated by eframes customers on the Kazoo3D website.
eframes.com is also a leading supplier of technology to other websites wishing
to offer a photo printing and production service on their site. Discussions
are ongoing between Kazoo3D and eframes regarding other potential
opportunities for further collaboration.
supapic.com:
Kazoo3D has entered into a partnership with superpic.com, the UK's first
online photography company that offers a unique 'next business day' photo
delivery service for online customers in the US and Europe. The agreement
will result in KazooStudio being available as a free download on the superpic
website together with links to the KazooStore on the www.kazoo3d.com website.
superpic.com will promote KazooStudio to its users, providing them with the
added capability of creating 3D-enhanced digital photos, in return for a share
of revenues generated by superpic customers on the Kazoo3D website.
For Further Information Contact:
Kazoo3D plc
Stuart Green, Chief Executive Officer
John Warden, Chief Financial Officer 0114 290 0026
Hogarth Partnership
James Longfield/Chris Matthews 020 7357 9477
About Kazoo3D
Kazoo3D (LSE: KZO) is creating a consumer-friendly 3D platform that adds to
and enhances all kinds of visual communications - business and personal -
including Website based images, interactive e-mail, electronic notices as well
as photos and hard copy documents. Established in 1998 in Sheffield, England,
Kazoo3D obtained admission to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in the
UK in March 2000 and has marketing and sales offices in Walnut Creek, Calif.
Kazoo3D partners include Adobe Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: ADBE), ScreenFriends
Corporation, Streetwise Software, Inc. and Universal Studios Consumer Products
Group.
Kazoo3D is available on the Internet at www.kazoo3d.com.