Have you ever heard of ANA's Star Alliance or JAL's Oneworld?

These are services that utilize global airline networks to allow code-sharing (a system that allows passengers to board other airlines' flights) and redeem frequent flyer miles with other airlines. These systems are a win-win for both users and companies, and have become commonplace.

■The Alliance Concept Driven by the Digital Age

In the digital age, Yves Bucon, President and CEO of Hearst Fujingaho, believes that this idea of "alliance" will become more effective between publishers. A project proposed by Kodansha and Hearst Fujingaho launched on March 2, 2016, supporting this belief.

The shop corner of Kodansha's online magazine "Mi-Mollet" (http://mi-mollet.com/) has been directly linked to "ELLE Shop" (http://elleshop.jp/web/contents/top/).
MiMore's external editor-in-chief, Naoko Oguma (Kodansha's first external editor-in-chief), along with popular writers and stylists, suggest outfits using items available on the e-commerce site, ELLE Shop. If you find a product you like, you can head over to the e-commerce site and shop.
Launch of the e-commerce site, ELLE Shop, in 2009, was a pioneer among publishers. The unique feature of the site is its select-shop-style design, featuring products selected by ELLE editors and buyers, resulting in a limited number of brands and items.
What sets it apart from other e-commerce sites is the lack of a customer review section. Instead of user reactions driving product recommendations, the site relies on the trust between discerning editors and users.
Led by Naoko Oguma, MiMore launched in January 2015 as a purely online magazine focused on the real (real and practical). Taking advantage of the power of the web, the site offers video suggestions for specific outfits, and members can chat with the editor-in-chief and staff for limited hours to discuss fashion, beauty, and other concerns.

This sense of realism has captured the hearts of users and made the site popular. When Mi-Mo-Lé first launched, if readers wanted to purchase a featured product, they would simply link to the site that carried it, even if it was on another company's website. However, due to the high frequency of purchases from the ELLE Shop, Mi-Mo-Lé felt a strong affinity with the site, and so the two companies decided to partner.

The ELLE Shop selects items, Mi-Mo-Lé highlights their merits, and items that are popular with users become popular. This creates an ideal triangle, creating a win-win-win relationship.

This incident should be seen as a "good story" that occurred during the process of shifting mindsets toward digitalization, opening up the wall of competitors and invigorating a new era.


--"Considering the future of media: The future of media brought about by digital strategies -- Hearst Fujingahosha 1/3: Yokoi Yuri"

--"Considering the future of media: The style of Cosmopolitan, a media aimed at digital natives -- Hearst Fujingahosha 2/3: Yokoi Yuri"