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For Immediate Release

20 August 2009

smartFOCUS Group plc

smartFOCUS announces release of multi-channel marketing software in Japan

smartFOCUS and Japanese partner BrainPad Inc. unveil plans to increase momentum and market share in Japan 

smartFOCUS Group plc ('the Company', AIM: STF), a leading international provider of high performance multi-channel marketing software has announced the localisation of its software into Japanese to support its partnership with BrainPad, the leading provider of specialist customer data integration, data-mining and optimisation services in Japan.

The partnership was first established in April 2008, and this latest development will see BrainPad further serve the Japanese and Asia Pacific markets. Together smartFOCUS and the BrainPad team will provide a complete marketing solution and an added value service to regional organisations for increasing marketing returns on investment ('ROI').

BrainPad is a leading marketing solution provider in Japan. It provides services, including data-mining outsourcing, consultancy, behavior based real-time web recommendation, and listing advertisement bid pricing optimisation, to more than 100 clients.  Existing customers include Credit Saison, Fuji Xerox, JCB, Johnson & Johnson, Japan Airlines, HAKUHODO, HMV, McDonalds, Microsoft, NTT DoCoMo, Softbank BB, and Seven Eleven.

Curt Bloom, President of smartFOCUS International and responsible for the Asia Pacific region said:  'This is a great partnership for smartFOCUS, because we are working with the leading Japanese direct and web marketing service company to grow our presence. We are already working well with the BrainPad team and our localised software will further drive traction in these important territories. The partnership will continue to play an increasingly significant role in our strategy for building awareness in the Asia Pacific marketplace.'

Takafumi Kusano, CEO for BrainPad said: 'smartFOCUS is an extremely important strategic partner for both BrainPad and our clients. By working with smartFOCUS, we have the capability to integrate data-mining sources and web-based data sources within a single application. This gives us and our clients the ability to find marketing information quickly, and in turn to use web data sources for data-mining, the results of which can then be used to enhance web marketing. This synergy between data groups is one of smartFOCUS' powerful attributes.'

Chris Underhill, CEO of smartFOCUS said: 'This is a perfect example of our partnership strategy in practice: we identify and work with recognised market leaders across the globe to enter new markets and develop the relationship to serve both parties successfully over the long term. We are delighted to be working with BrainPad, which in combination with smartFOCUS' software, offer vital expertise, value-added and complementary services to the Japanese and Asia Pacific markets.'

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  For further information please contact:

smartFOCUS	Tel No: 0117 943 5800
Chris Underhill, Chief Executive
Arbuthnot Securities Limited	Tel No: 020 7012 2000
Tom Griffiths
Buchanan Communications	Tel No: 020 7466 5000
Lisa Baderoon

  

About smartFOCUS Group plc

smartFOCUS (LSE:STF) is a leading international marketing software company that empowers marketers with the intelligence to drive high performance multi channel campaigns and more valuable customer relationships. Its Intelligent Marketing solutions integrate off-line and on-line data, analysis, campaign and performance management to deliver better targeted more timely and relevant communications that increase campaign conversion rates and improve customer's insight.

smartFOCUS has over 700 customers and partners worldwide using its marketing software including AAA, ABN Amro, ASOS, Centerparcs, EMI, Fig Leaves, Harrods, Hilton International, NSPCC, Societe Generale and QVC.

smartFOCUS is headquartered in the UK, with operations in the US, continental Europe and Asia Pacific.  

For further information please visit www.smartfocus.com 

About Brainpad 

BrainPad direct and web marketing solutions and services enable organisations to increase business productivity and efficiency and increase marketing ROI. BrainPad, based in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan provides its services to more than 30 enterprise customers including Amway Japan, Fuji Xerox, HAKUHODO, HMV Japan, MacDonalds Japan, Microsoft Japan, NTT DoCoMo, Softbank BB, and Toppan Printing. 

BrainPad was named the 10th fastest growing company (404% growth) in Japan by Deloitte's Fast50 Japan and the 130th for Deloitte Fast500 Asia Pacific in 2008.

For further information please visit: http://www.brainpad.co.jpi

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