Omnicom Agency Forms Unique Technology Partnership

Auckland, New Zealand. 9 June 2000. - E-commerce software company JADE have announced the formation of a groundbreaking partnership with brand response agency Trigger Australasia, part of the global giant Omnicom Group. The agreement, the first of its kind locally, will see Trigger working with JADE and JADE development companies to deliver e-commerce solutions to organisations in New Zealand, Australia and Asia.

Trigger's Managing Director Rafe Ring said it was a unique partnership that will interest forward thinking companies. "Brands are important in the new economy, but it is a customer's relationship and experience with the whole business that is of fundamental importance. It is about bringing the brand to life at an individual level - with customers, staff, suppliers, and shareholders - the entire value chain."

"We were interested in JADE because not only are they leaders in providing the back-end technology crucial for e-commerce, they also have a strong understanding of the importance of wider communications surrounding the solutions that are built."

The agreement was a reflection that consumer power is increasing exponentially with the growth of e-commerce and causing a major shift in the way organisations reach and relate to their customers, says Owen Scott, JADE's General Manager, Sales & Marketing. "The online connection to a customer is becoming a defining part of the business relationship and that poses huge challenges for any business."

"The e-business challenge, that we are meeting head-on with JADE, is providing business computer systems that are capable of conducting user-friendly, secure transaction processing over the Internet for electronic commerce.

"But that's only part of the whole solution - the shift in human attitudes necessary to enable the co-operation behind initiatives such as supply chain integration are equally as important and the two have to work together."

Mr Ring said this was a timely technology partnership for Trigger. "We are responding to a need evident in our customer base for e-commerce frameworks that can be tailored to their particular needs - JADE technology offers us that speed and flexibility as well as their immense credibility in the marketplace."

CONTACTS Mr Rafe Ring, Trigger Australasia tel 09 377 9177, mobile 025 960 430, rafe@trigger.co.nz Owen Scott, JADE tel 03 358 0102, mobile 021 229 6599 Greg Williamson, JADE tel 03 358 0102, mobile 021 229 5870, gwilliamson@jade.co.nz

ABOUT JADE JADE is an international software company based in Christchurch, New Zealand. JADE produces a software product of the same name. This single product is everything an organisation needs to build and run enterprise systems for electronic commerce. Over 100 JADE Partners, including companies such as IBM, Ernst & Young, Hitachi Data Systems, Wang, Motherwell Information Systems and Cardinal use JADE in their product or service offering. JADE is used in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Korea, India and the United Kingdom. For more information visit www.discoverjade.com

ABOUT TRIGGER Trigger Australasia is an Omnicom-backed brand response agency launched in May 1999. Since then, Trigger has been appointed by a number of major multi-national clients in both Australia and New Zealand. Trigger delivers communications solutions to help clients grow both their brands and their bottom lines in a continually changing communications landscape. For more information contact Rafe Ring.

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