Press Releases

40 Customer Wins Mark LinkShare's First Year in the UK

Established UK Brands Join the LinkShare Affiliate Network

London -- December 18, 2007 -- LinkShare, a global pay per action (PPA) affiliate, search and lead generation marketing company, is celebrating a successful first year in the UK, having gained a total of - 40 new customer partnerships (25 of them exclusive) since its official launch in August 2006.

These new customers include brands such as global fashion and home furnishing brand Laura Ashley, leading UK Department Store House of Fraser as well as Goldsmiths – one of the world’s largest quality jewellers and popular fashion retailers Boden and Kew. Outside of retail, leading travel sites such as Kayak, Radisson Edwardian, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith have completed partnerships with LinkShare in 2007.

LinkShare credits this success to a level of client service that is unique to the UK market and includes offering customers both strategic and tactical insight into using data to improve brand promotion, leverage emerging media like social networking and increase traffic and sales throughout the life of their program.

“LinkShare has over ten years of experience in the US – an ecommerce market that is highly competitive. As a result, we are consistently finding more innovative ways to deliver value add services to our customers, an approach that is finding strong success in the UK,” says Kevin Kozinchik, director of Europe.

In addition, LinkShare’s UK partners are also able to benefit from ten years of affiliate marketing expertise, global affiliate relationships and leading ad tools developed in their US and Japanese markets.

“Kew chose LinkShare due to the proactive approach they take in undertaking both the management and marketing of our affiliate campaign. LinkShare provide us with an unmatched level of client service, the opportunities they present for networking with affiliates, sharing ideas and creating business relationships is helping us make this first leap into affiliate marketing. The access to their large global network provides assurance that these guys can deliver,” comments Angus Jenkins, head of home shopping, Kew.

- More - LinkShare is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Internet leader Rakuten. The London office is a central part of Rakuten’s international expansion. Rakuten acquired LinkShare in September 2005, and the London office represents Rakuten’s first step into the European market.

About LinkShare Corporation
LinkShare Corporation provides ecommerce businesses with a vast, high quality pay per action marketing network, along with expert consultative services and patented technology. LinkShare's cost-efficient pay per action (PPA) affiliate, search and lead generation campaigns acquire new customers, increase revenue and drive results. LinkShare clients are Fortune 500 and prominent companies doing business online, including J.C. Penney, 1-800-Flowers.com, American Express and Avon Products. LinkShare was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco, Chicago, London and Tokyo.

About Rakuten
Headquartered in Tokyo, Rakuten is one of the world's largest and most comprehensive Internet service companies, providing leading services in e-commerce, portal & media, travel, financial services, and professional sports. Rakuten focuses on new business development and increasing its scope in order to improve and diversify service offerings. Rakuten is a publicly traded company in Japan (JASDAQ: 4755).

UK Media Contact:

Reva Seth
Blanc & Otus UK
020 7413 3338/0207 413 3501
rseth@blancandotus.com

US Media Contacts:

Mark Kirschner
LinkShare
646-943-8359
mkirschner@linkshare.com

Dan Dent
Blanc & Otus US
617-451-6102 x216
ddent@blancandotus.com