Press releases 

Cozi Reaches 1 Millionth Family Member Milestone and Announces New Partnership with Better Homes & Gardens
Technology Designed to Simplify Daily Life Broadens Reach with Busy American Families

SEATTLE — November 25, 2008 — Cozi (www.cozi.com), a free web service that helps busy families organize and simplify their daily lives, announced today that it has registered more than one million family members. Simultaneously, the company unveiled its partnership with leading family-oriented brand, Better Homes and Gardens. Through the partnership, BHG.com users will be able to manage their family calendar, track shopping and to do lists, organize household chores and share information with each other using a co-branded version of Cozi’s popular web service.

As family life becomes more hectic and stressful, Cozi’s popularity reflects a growing trend towards adopting new technologies to better manage age old challenges. In a recent survey of households, 83% of families expressed interest in giving up their existing family organizational methods in favor of a comprehensive, web-based solution*.

"Reaching one million family members is far more than just a milestone," said Robbie Cape, Cozi co-founder and CEO. "It affirms our belief that delivering on the promise of 'Family life, Simplified' is important to families across the United States and even around the world. We have identified real needs that families have and know that families are open to using technology, but only if it improves rather than complicates their busy lives. Cozi’s growing popularity clearly underscores the value and necessity of our service, as more and more families welcome Cozi into the center of their busy lives."

The collaboration with Better Homes and Gardens is an extension of Cozi’s current partnership with Meredith Corporation’s (NYSE: MDP) leading Web sites, which also include Parents.com. The Better Homes and Gardens edition of Cozi, available through www.bhg.com, launched last week and gives families a new way to stay organized and coordinated with a shared family calendar, customized shopping and to do lists, an easy-to-use family journal and simple messaging tools to stay in communication—all in one place. Better Homes and Gardens families can access Cozi from home, work or on-the-go with any computer or mobile phone so they are always connected to the information they need.

"Our readers and online subscribers look to us for information and new solutions to improve, enjoy and simplify their lives," said Andy Wilson, Meredith's vice president and general manager, new media marketing. "Family organizational tools are very high on their list. By partnering with Cozi, Better Homes and Gardens will be offering its consumers the leading online organizational solution for families while also increasing our very valuable touch points with them throughout their busy day."

Cozi launched its organizational web service for families in fall of 2006. Its one million family members are largely based in the US and represent families in over 125 countries around the globe.

* Survey of 4,169 households conducted by Cozi in October 2008

 

About Meredith Corporation

Meredith Corporation (http://www.meredith.com) is the leading media and marketing company serving American women. Meredith combines well-known national brands—including Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Ladies' Home Journal, Family Circle, American Baby, Fitness and More—with local television brands in fast growing markets. Meredith is the industry leader in creating content in key consumer interest areas such as home, family, health and wellness and self-development. Meredith then uses multiple distribution platforms—including print, television, online, mobile and video—to give consumers content they desire and to deliver the messages of its marketing partners. Additionally, Meredith uses its many assets to create powerful custom marketing solutions for many of the nation's top brands and companies. The goals of these programs are to increase consumer loyalty and produce repeated consumer interaction. In the last two years, Meredith has significantly added to its capabilities in this area through the acquisition of cutting-edge companies in areas such as online, word-of-mouth and database marketing. Meredith employs approximately 3,000 people throughout the United States. Meredith's fiscal 2008 annual revenues were $1.6 billion.