HSBC Brings Relationship Banking Online for Start-up Companies with LiveWorld’s Social Network Services

LONDON & SAN JOSE, Calif. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HSBC (LSE:HSBC)(NYSE:HBC)(www.hsbc.com), has selected LiveWorld, Inc. (Pink Sheets:LVWD)(www.liveworld.com), a leading online social network marketing agency, as provider of its new “Business Network” online community for start-up companies in the United Kingdom. LiveWorld partnered with communications agency Mindshare to develop and implement the program.

The focus of HSBC’s Business Network is to empower new start-up companies to succeed by enabling them to network and form relationships with each other, as well as leveraging the expertise and support of HSBC’s business specialists across the UK. New businesses will leverage the Business Network to form relationships, share experiences and learn about a wide range of relevant topics such as:

• Starting Your Business: writing a business plan, financing, researching your market, securing premises
• Growing Your Business: sales strategies, marketing, selling on the web, tax and employment law
• People Issues: Expanding overseas, buying commercial property, franchising

“HSBC is dedicated to the success of our customers. For businesses, especially start-ups, this means creating a successful relationship network and leveraging the knowledge and contacts of others,” said Amanda J. Rendle, Head of Business Marketing, HSBC. “We chose LiveWorld to leverage their best-in-class social network platform, and as important, their thought leadership for Internet relationship marketing.”

The online community will feature the highly-rated Start-Up Stars program in which HSBC annually showcases successful and innovative start-up entrepreneurs. HSBC’s business specialists who focus on building relationships with start-up managers and to help them succeed will be active members of the community. The social network is integrated with HSBC’s Knowledge Centre web site featuring a wide array of business resources.

“HSBC is at once the largest bank in the world and the most dedicated to connecting with their customers at a local level,” said Peter Friedman, Chairman & CEO, LiveWorld. “In the 21^st century, this means connecting globally and locally through social networks. Their commitment to empowering their customers to connect with each other, as well as HSBC, represents the market leader’s customer centric-thinking.”

HSBC’s Business Network launched this Spring and can be visited at http://network.hsbc.co.uk/index.jspa. Built on LiveWorld’s industry-leading Community Center platform and moderation services, the business network features rich profiles for businesses and individuals, blogs, photo albums, video, podcasts, topical message forums, showcase galleries, HSBC community calendar and many other features.

About HSBC Holdings plc

HSBC Holdings plc serves over 128 million customers worldwide through around 10,000 offices in 83 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of some US$2,354 billion at 31 December 2007, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'The world's local bank.’

About LiveWorld

LiveWorld is the go-to social media marketing agency for everything Fortune 1000 companies need to leverage the power of social network to build their brands and their business. LiveWorld thinks differently about how companies can use social networks for customer dialogue and relationships and is the only company that offers the combination of a full technology platform, community management and marketing strategy, all in one place. This combination - unique in the industry - is the reason why more blue chip companies turn to LiveWorld than any other firm for their ongoing, integrated social media marketing strategy and implementation.

With 24 years of experience, an extensive applications hosting platform, and a track record of delivering over 1 million hours of moderation services, LiveWorld offers its clients a team of experienced community managers and moderators who oversee activity and user content online. LiveWorld deploys its services in more than 70 country-language combinations, and is the trusted partner of leading brands worldwide, including: A&E, The Campbell Soup Company, eBay, HBO, HSBC, Kraft Foods, LeapFrog, Neutrogena, MINI Cooper USA, TJX, QVC and many others.

LiveWorld is headquartered in San Jose, California with additional offices in New York City and London. For further information visit www.liveworld.com

About Mindshare

MindShare Worldwide is a global media investment management company with billings in excess of $21.5 billion (source: RECMA). The network consists of 97 offices in 67 countries throughout the USA, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. MindShare is a member of WPP, one of the world’s leading communications services groups, and part of its GroupM Media Company. For more information, please visit: www.mindshareworld.com.