All-New Arabic-Language Version of the World's Leading Online Community for Teen and Tween Girls is Tailored to Reflect the Cultural and Aesthetic Sensibilities of the Region
Stockholm, Sweden and Dubai, UAE-- November 05, 2008: Stardoll, the world's largest online entertainment destination devoted to girls interested in fame, fashion and friends, has announced a partnership with Maktoob, the world's largest Arabic online community, to launch an all-new Arabic-language version of Stardoll.
The partnership, which was announced at the Dubai World Game Expo, introduces the Stardoll community to Middle Eastern fashion enthusiasts exclusively on the Maktoob network at stardoll.maktoob.com. The site is now available in 13 countries in the region including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and United Arab Emirates.
Users who join Stardoll's interactive global community can enjoy the full Stardoll experience; they can create customized 'MeDoll' avatars in their own likeness, be able to use Stardollars, the site's virtual currency, to shop for virtual fashions in the Starplaza, and purchase virtual décor to furnish their personalized suites--all while navigating the site seamlessly in Arabic. Other features of the site include the recently launched Stardoll Magazine, member-created clubs and StarDesign--a virtual design studio.
"Maktoob is proud to partner with Stardoll to bring this one-of-a-kind fashion community for girls in Arabic," said Ahmed Nassef, Vice-President and General Manager of Maktoob.com. "Teen and Tween girls already make up a huge segment of our audience, currently mostly focused around our casual gaming channels. By partnering with an international leader like Stardoll, we are bringing a whole new level of fun and interactivity to this online-savvy audience.
"In keeping with the unique cultural traditions of the Middle East, the Arabic-language version of Stardoll has been tailored to reflect the values and sensitivities of the region, while ensuring the confidentiality of user identities as per Maktoob standards," Nassef added.
"Stardoll is thrilled to partner with the highly regarded Maktoob to bring our content to the Middle East," said Mattias Miksche, CEO of Stardoll. "As home to more than 20 million users worldwide, Stardoll prides itself on its global reach. We're happy to connect young fashionistas throughout the Middle East to our global community of girls all over the world who share similar interests."
Stardoll receives nearly 8 million unique visitors every month from across the globe--94% of whom are teen and tween girls. One of the few places on the Internet designed specifically with girls' interests in mind, Stardoll began as the hobby of Scandinavian-born Liisa, a retired factory worker in her late 50s with a lifelong aspiration to become a famous fashion designer. She taught herself basic design programs on her computer and shared her fashion creations with a few friends. With the help of her son, she then posted those fashions on the Internet for others to see, and soon Stardoll grew into a passionate online community of millions from more than 200 countries worldwide.
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MORE ABOUT STARDOLL
Stardoll (www.stardoll.com), a premier virtual fashion entertainment destination on the web, empowers users to express their creativity within a unique "social play" environment that blends childlike play with social networking to deliver a playful, fun-filled approach to fashion, celebrity and dress-up. Drawing a core worldwide audience of girls aged 9-17, the site enables kids to build stunning likenesses of themselves while offering them an extensive collection of thousands of garments, accessories and other virtual goods from a variety of real world brands. With the site's innovative StarDesign application, users hone their fashion sense by creating their own virtual apparel. The site is updated weekly with new dolls as well as hand-crafted fashions to fulfill the overwhelming demand and interests of the site's nearly 8 million unique monthly visitors. Between 30,000 and 40,000 new fans join daily, adding to the existing fan-base of more than 21 million registered users in over 200 countries. The company is based in Stockholm, Sweden with an office in Los Angeles, California. Stardoll is backed by two of the world's top venture capital firms: Sequoia Capital, whose track record includes Yahoo, Google and YouTube among many others; and, Index Ventures, whose track record includes Skype among many others.
MORE ABOUT MAKTOOB
Maktoob.com was founded in the year 2000 as the world's first Arabic/English email service. In a few years, Maktoob has grown to become a full-service web portal, offering world-class communications and information tools that empower the Arab Internet user. More than just the best and most popular Arabic/English email service in the world, Maktoob.com offers everything from chat to discussion forums, from e-cards to mobile downloads, from news to the latest jokes and everything in between.
Maktoob's main mission is to maintain and grow its position as the world's leading Arab Internet portal by constantly offering its users a unique experience and by providing them with new services and products that encourage open communications and community building.
Media Contacts:
For Stardoll
The Morris + King Company
Jennifer Moses/ Justin Kazmark
212-561-7463/212-561-7466
jennifer.moses@morris-king.com
justin.kazmark@morris-king.com
For Maktoob
HEADLINE Public Relations
PO Box 64349, Dubai,
United Arab Emirates.
Telephone: + 971 4 2289655 ext. 120
Facsimile:+ 971 4 2282125
Email: sue@headlinepr.com
© Press Release 2008
