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Summary

• Activity
• Product range
• Key Dates
• Numbers
• Distribution
• Contacts

Activity

Micro Application, which was founded in 1981, is a mass audience software, video games, technical books and IT consumables publisher. Since 1997 the company has been the number one software publisher of Vie Pratique (practical applications) in France (Source GfK).
Thanks to the 5.5 million products sold each year in the French-speaking zone (Canada, North Africa, Switzerland, Benelux and Senegal) the company can boast of being a market leader.

Software, games, IT books and printing paper: each year, 300 new products are published. This highly diverse catalogue reaches a wide audience with varied skills and expectations.

Micro Application aims to broaden the PC use of everyone; beginners and experts: the books are designed to discover, learn or perfect how to use a computer and handle applications. The software packages are developed to create, play, learn or improve PC performance and possibilities. The photographic paper range, whether for practical or fun use, is selected for the general public to be able to make their own designs and print them on a quality medium.
Micro Application has also extended its range to include compatible ink cartridges to make it possible to print documents and creations at a minimal price, so without having to count the cost. More recently, its range includes computer cables.

Intent on satisfying the expectations of our customers, Micro Application strives to produce products that are in tune with the latest trends: games, utility programs, digital technology, fun learning and extracurricular activities, practical life, 3D architecture and decoration, Web design, Internet, graphics, and so on.

The distribution network established by Micro Application guarantees that all of the products are strongly represented in the French-speaking zone. A massive advertising policy in the specialised press and on Internet serves to boost the impact of the sales force.

Product range

“Vie Pratique” software

Undeniably a major player in publishing Vie Pratique (practical applications) software in France, Micro Application is one of the big names in the profession. All software is published in French and published in partnership with French or foreign authors, or designed by our own development studio or adapted to the French and French-speaking markets. Since 1997 the company has been the number one software publisher of Vie Pratique (practical applications) in France (Source GfK).

Its product range, which contains almost 200 references, is constantly being upgraded. The software packages are suitable for beginners who want to learn about computers or transfer their favourite hobby to PC, and for experienced users who are eager to try out high-performing technological innovations.

To meet its goal, Micro Application works in close collaboration with French and foreign partners – companies or freelancers – all of whom are specialists in their field.

Micro Application software packages cover a multitude of fields:

- 3D architecture and decoration
- Daily practical life: letters, legal assistance, etc.
- Highway code and driving licence
- Creative hobbies
- Foreign languages
- Digital technology: video, sound, photo
- Graphics/3D design
- Web design
- CD/DVD burning
- Creative workshops/Printing studios
- Extracurricular and fun learning activities
- Computer utility programs
- etc.

If you want to publish software on the French-speaking market, become a partner of Micro Application. Send us your programs or projects : edition@microapp.com

Games

Since 2003, Micro Application has been actively developing its video games business, aiming to position itself as one of the main independent European players on this market.

Thanks to the strength of distribution in France, each game benefits from high visibility in the shops.

Since the worldwide publication of the PC adventure game "Journey to the Center of the Earth", Micro Application has added to its catalogue: the releases in 2006 of "Dreamfall: The Longest Journey" and "Paradise", real best-seller material, will further strengthen this ambition.

In addition to the adventure segment, Micro Application has started a successful diversification policy by, for example, managing to position itself firmly in the field of car race games with "Xpand Rally". The company is investing in new market segments, particularly with two games consoles. 2006 marks the company's arrival on this new market.

In addition to the French market, development in Europe is also based on a network of local distributor partners who guarantee maximum exposure for games signed Micro Application.

If you want to publish software on the French-speaking market, become a partner of Micro Application. Send us your programs or projects: edition@microapp.com

Solutions

The Micro Application Solutions range consists of software with advanced functions in the fields of Creation, Internet, Office Automation, Security and Utilities.

Targeted at professionals and individuals, these solutions use acclaimed technology such as ZoneLabs and Acronis.

If you want to publish software on the French-speaking market, become a partner of Micro Application. Send us your programs or projects: edition@microapp.com

Books

With a wealth of some ten collections, the Micro Application catalogue puts the latest computer technology within everybody's reach and is intent on meeting all needs.
The collections are aimed at a variety of users, from beginners to experts, initiated in or familiar with computers and are intended for very precise functions. They offer the opportunity to discover, learn, perfect or help to find the right answers to the right questions.
More than 150 titles are published each year, covering subjects as vast as they are timely: digital technology, programming, office automation, graphics, Internet, Windows, etc., from a theoretical or practical viewpoint.

Concerned about quality and with the aim of always being in tune with the latest trends, Micro Application works in partnership with a pool of French and foreign authors.

If you want to publish software on the French-speaking market, become a partner of Micro Application. Send us your programs or projects: edition@microapp.com

Consumables

A comprehensive collection of paper at a single price; a range of ink consumables with unrivalled value for money; a selection of high-performing connections: Micro Application offers an entire universe of consumables and accessories.

Suitable for all uses, professional or private, for a company or an individual, everybody will find something in the Micro Application range.

Thanks to informative and attractive packaging, the user's choice is made easier.

Key dates

From a small and medium enterprise with 3 people (founded by Philippe OLIVIER, the current Chief Executive Officer) and turnover of FRF 250,000 in its first year, in 2004 Micro Application became a company employing 100 people and selling over 5.5 million products each year.
It is also one of the oldest independent French companies on this market.
Here are the highlights of these last 20 years:

From 1981 to 1983: start-up

Philippe Olivier uses his experience as a programmer at Commodore and his management skills learnt at the Paris-Dauphine management school to create Micro Application.
He starts out by designing and publishing a "Master" software (using the Basic language) for the Commodore universe and then, with the arrival of IBM PC, starts to publish software for this market, such as word processing, databases, etc.

1984 to 1985: the turning point

This will have its impact on the final positioning of Micro Application, since Philippe OLIVIER begins, at the same time, to publish mass audience technical books and software for Commodore, Amstrad and Atari.
The future of the company and its development strategy are already taking shape, with changes that reflect the fluctuations in these early beginnings of micro-computing.

From 1986 to 1990: growth

Business is in full swing for books and software.
Superbase for Windows is just being marketed; the La Bible collection and Windows products are launched.

1991: establishment

Micro Application becomes the leading French publisher of IT books.

1992: "the general public explosion"

This period is marked particularly by the launch and success of software for the general public. The Soft Collection is launched: the first range of software on diskettes for 99 French Francs, tax included. Today this collection has over a hundred titles and this range of products counts for almost xx% of turnover.
Also noteworthy is the signing of a contract with IBM (concerning the supply of an initiation book for the release of OS/2 version 2.1) and the release of the first applications on CD-ROM.

1996: culture for everybody

Micro Application launches its first generalist encyclopaedia – Mon Encyclopédie – and has unprecedented success with a record sales figure: over 240,000 copies sold in four years. A result that bodes well for a long series of cultural products to come.

1997: a subsidiary in Canada…

Located in Montréal, the Micro Application Canada subsidiary was founded in May 1997.
On the Canadian market since 1989, before the subsidiary was opened, Micro Application was represented by Flammarion that took care of distributing its products.

... and a new brand territory
From summer 1997, Micro Application uses the services of the agency Carré Noir and kits itself out with a “label” providing immediate visual recognition in the shop shelves.
The logo's three ellipses – eye-catching, ergonomic and dynamic symbols – help to create an identity for and to confirm the brand.

1998: Micro Application backs culture…

A forerunner in many areas, Micro Application chooses Chayan Khoï – a photographer recognised worldwide for his digital works of art – to give a cultural dimension to its image.
Under the name of Cyberéalisme, several exhibitions are organised in the Fnac stores France and thus associate the image of Micro Application with an artist and a universe – digital– that are increasingly appealing.

... and launches a third product line: Creative Paper
With the printer becoming an essential tool for any PC user, Micro Application develops its software offer by proposing a document range for private printing purposes. Today the range has some forty items. The ideal complement to the software range, Micro Application quickly makes a name for itself on the market with almost 400,000 copies sold in the first year. The first titles are "Standard Business Cards", "CD Labels, "Smooth White Paper", etc.

2000: make-over of the Internet site www.microapp.com with on-line sales

Created in 1996, the Micro Application Web site receives new impetus in the second half of 2000 and opens up to e-commerce. The entire catalogue is available on-line, along with several services such as tricks and tips, technical support, "mini-sites" devoted to certain software and book ranges, competitions with prizes, and so on.
To date, the site has had over 400,000 visitors and more than a million pages viewed each month.

2001: fun learning and extracurricular in the spotlight

Micro Application develops prestigious partnerships in the realm of fun learning and extracurricular activities and makes a good position for itself on the market with recognised products, such as:
- "Midnight Ghost” and "Ghost Playtime" designed and developed by Dada Media, a French company specialised in this type of software, known for the quality of its multimedia productions;
- and the range "Tout pour Réussir", created from the partnership with Info Média Communication, a French company founded in 1985, specialised in developing value-added learning products and services for the academic market and creator of the site www.ruedesecoles.com.

2002: change of editorial strategy

In search of new projects, Micro Application decides to diversify its editorial strategy and creates new partnerships with internationally recognised publishers, along with European and French publishers, and develops its own software.

This new strategy enables Micro Application to create and develop its own original products, thus boosting its leadership position on the French hobby CD-ROM market, while at the same time planning to develop its brand internationally: in Europe and the United States.

2003: Micro Application is a market challenger in the ink cartridge sector…

In July 2003, Micro Application launches its “Compatible ink cartridge” range, which covers the major inkjet printer models of the brands Epson, Canon and Hewlett Packard.

... and on the video games market
Micro Application strengthens its position on the video games market by signing agreements with internationally known publishers and developers: Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, 1C Company, etc.

2004: launch of the “Enterprises” range…

In February 2004, the “Enterprises” range is released to meet the needs and expectations of professional users, in all business sectors. The first software packages are: Photo Objects, Disk Expert, Scenario Pro 2, Label Expert, etc.

... and revamping of the Software line
Enjoying its reputation and success acquired over the years with its “blue stripe” packaging, Micro Application wants to stay with this concept, but improve on it, in terms of legibility, elegance and understated modernity.
The typeface is changed to correspond better to the high-tech universe of the products, with a sober and efficient font that perfectly suits the multitude of product references.

2005: connections … a new market to win

Broken down into 4 families (Audio/Video, PC, Network/ADSL, USB), this new range of products has 58 references at its launch in January 2005… The ideal complement to the Micro Application offer, these products meet consumer needs and the expectations of traders who thus have access to a global offer from a brand recognised for its know-how.

Numbers

100 employees
5.5 million items sold
35.5 million Euros of turnover
Micro Application, which in its first year (1981) generated turnover of 250,000 French Francs (€38,000), has experienced exceptional growth in 20 years. The evolution of its turnover demonstrates its performance:

Distribution

Micro Application products are distributed all over the French-speaking zone via its network of foreign partners, and in France via its in-house sales force. Distribution is a definite plus point for the company.

The Micro Application 18-person sales team covers the whole of France. Products are sold in a wide variety of outlets:
Hyper-markets, supermarkets, boutiques specialised in micro-computing, multi-specialists, bookshops with a PC section, newspaper kiosks, Internet sites, etc.
A total 2,000 outlets distribute Micro Application products.

Micro Application has a network of international partners that distribute its products on their respective territories: Benelux, Maghreb countries, Switzerland, Canada and the United States are also part of Micro Application's sales area.

In Europe, Micro Application relies on a network of distributors to develop the video games business.

Distribution is backed up by an intense communications policy. Advertising inserts in the specialised press and a highly active communication division help to build the reputation of Micro Application, its brand and products.

If you would like to know who some of our traders are, click here.

Contacts

In order to meet the needs of our growing clientele, Micro Application has recently increased its number of partnerships with French and international companies that are recognised in their field.

If you want to publish your book in France, or put forward a software application, please write to us at the following address: edition@microapp.com

Our postal address:

Micro Application
20-22, rue des Petits-Hôtels
75010 Paris
France