Poupéegirl: Difference between revisions

| CEO = Yoshimi Morinaga<ref name="japantimes 2009-10-09">{{cite news | first=Kazuaki | last=Nagata | url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/10/09/national/poupeegirl-brings-chic-twist-to-business-of-social-networking/#.W3NKieS0WUk | title=Poupeegirl brings chic twist to business of social networking | work=[[The Japan Times]] | date=2009-10-09 | accessdateaccess-date=2010-01-17}}</ref>

| homepage = {{webarchive |url=httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20120901010441/http://pupe.ameba.jp/ |date=September 1, 2012 |title=pupe.ameba.jp}}

{{nihongo|'''Poupéegirl'''|プーペガール|Pūpegāru|stylized as '''poupéegirl'''}}, was a Japanese [[Avatar (computing)|avatar]] and [[fashion]] [[Virtual community|community]] where users upload photos of their clothes and earn website currency to dress up their avatars. Created by [[CyberAgent]], Poupéegirl was first launched on February 28, 2007, and relocated to [[Ameba (website)|Ameba]] in 2009. Poupéegirl ended updates for the website on August 31, 2013, before finally closing on March 31, 2015.

On February 28, 2007,<ref name="open">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff | title=Poupéegirl Staff Blog | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2007-02-28 | accessdateaccess-date=2010-01-16}}</ref> the website was launched and was initially managed by [[CyberAgent]]. However, on March 3, 2008, Poupéegirl Inc. was officially established and extended services to [[mobile phones]].<ref name="ppinc">{{cite web | url=http://japan.internet.com/finanews/20080228/1.html | title=サイバーエージェント、株式会社プーペガールを設立 | work=japan.internet.com Webファイナンス | date=2008-02-28 | accessdateaccess-date=2010-01-16}}</ref> In 2009, the website moved to [[Ameba (website)|Ameba]].

Poupéegirl briefly launched a [[Facebook]] application titled "Poupée Boutique" on July 21, 2010,<ref name="fb">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-10595856843.html | title=[お知らせ]Facebookアプリ"Poupee Boutique"オープン♪/Notice | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2010-07-21 | accessdateaccess-date=2013-07-10}}</ref> which was then closed on November 18, 2010, due to administrative reasons.<ref name="fb2">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-10680548991.html | title=Facebookアプリ"Poupee Boutique"サービス終了のお知らせ/Notice | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2010-10-19 | accessdateaccess-date=2013-07-10}}</ref>

On July 5, 2013, Poupéegirl announced that the website will terminate some of its gameplay features starting on August 31, 2013. This included closing registration to new users, putting an end to releases on new items, and shutting down the pay-to-play jewels and friend invitation systems.<ref name="closing">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-11555141988.html | title=【重要】ジュエルご購入機能と今後のアイテムリリース停止について | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2013-07-05 | accessdateaccess-date=2013-07-10}}</ref> On February 27, 2015, Poupéegirl announced that they would officially be closing the website on March 31, 2015.<ref name="closing2">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-11994743629.html | title=サービス終了のお知らせ | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2015-02-27 | accessdateaccess-date=2015-02-27}}</ref>

The currency of the game iswas "ribbons", which cancould be earned by completing various tasks, including posting fashion items, logging in, dressing up avatars, and commenting on other users' photos.<ref name="siliconera1">{{cite news | url=https://www.siliconera.com/2009/11/16/poupeegirl-goes-portable/ | title=Poupeegirl Goes Portable | work=[[Siliconera]] | date=2009-11-26 | accessdateaccess-date=2019-03-12}}</ref> TheseThose ribbons cancould be used to buy clothing for avatars.<ref name="siliconera1"/> Users cancould also randomly obtain shells randomly to exchange for dress-up items.

In 2009, the website implemented a new currency, "jewels", a pay-to-play system where some users arewere able to access clothing items for their avatar that non-paying users cannotcould not.<ref name="jewels">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-10308547443.html | title=「仕様変更リボンの仕様変更のお知らせ/Important info. | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2009-07-29 | accessdateaccess-date=2010-01-16}}</ref><ref name="siliconera1"/> Jewel clothing items cancould be purchased exclusively with jewels during events or by bidding competitively for them at the Jewel Auction.

Users cancould post photos of actual clothing and accessories which other users of the website cancould view and comment on as well as create their own virtual closet.<ref name="siliconera1"/> Fashion items cancould be categorized according to brand name (listed under the brand name in the Fashion Dictionary) and type. Every item hashad a yellow "Suteki" (or "Cute") button. If a user getsgot many suteki rankings or comments, he or she iswere eligible to win ribbons.

Each user hashad a customizable avatar, which they cancould dress up with clothing and accessories. The avatar, designed by Maminoir,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://profile.ameba.jp/ameba/rose-et-noir | title=Maminoir | language=ja | work=[[Ameba (website)|Ameba]] | accessdateaccess-date=2019-08-12}}</ref> was detailed to make it appeal to female users.<ref name="japantimes 2009-10-09"/> Dressing up daily leadsled to earning more ribbons, with each daily dress-up recorded in a calendar on the user's profile. During events, the background of the avatar willwould change from a normal room. Occasionally, the website hashad a contest with a selected theme for the best dressed avatar, which leadsled to a ribbon prize and a new item.

Poupéegirl hashad a marketplace where users cancould buy or sell their avatar's clothing. The website's mascot, Katharine, ownsowned a shop that regularly sellssold clothing pertaining to seasonal styles or monthly events. Poupéegirl has also endorsed collaborations or campaigns with brand names and celebrities, allowing users to buy items for their avatar specially designed by them or based on real-life products. These includeincluded [[Coach, Inc.|Coach]],<ref name="coach">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-10161116277.html | title="COACH" store open!! | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2008-12-08 | accessdateaccess-date=2010-01-16}}</ref> [[Kosé]]'s Happy Bath Day Precious Rose line,<ref name="happybathday">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-10146699091.html | title=期間限定ショップ「ROSE LIFE SHOP」オープン!! | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2008-08-18 | accessdateaccess-date=2010-01-16}}</ref> [[Shiseido]], [[Sanrio]], [[Reebok]], [[Louis Vuitton]], [[Maybelline]], [[Revlon]], [[Kaela Kimura]],<ref name="kaela">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-10243512287.html | title=「イベント」木村カエラちゃんがプーペにやってきた♪/Kaela has come♪ | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2009-04-21 | accessdateaccess-date=2010-01-16}}</ref> [[Aya Hirayama]],<ref name="ayahirayama">{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-10343410323.html | title=「お知らせ」芸能人SHOPオープン！/Special Info | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2009-09-16 | accessdateaccess-date=2010-01-16}}</ref> and [[Nozomi Tsuji]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ameblo.jp/pupestaff/entry-10357592601.html | title=「お知らせ」辻ちゃんSHOPオープン！/New shop open! | work=Poupéegirl Staff | date=2009-10-07 | accessdateaccess-date=2010-02-18}}</ref>

As of 2009, there were about 560,000 registered users,<ref>{{cite news | first=Masafumi | last=Ishimori | url=https://www.itmedia.co.jp/enterprise/articles/0911/25/news002.html | title=集うのは56万人。しかも女子だけ――SNS「プーペガール」 | language=ja | work={{ill|ITMedia|ja|ITmedia}} | date=2009-11-25 | accessdateaccess-date=2021-06-21}}</ref> with 98% being women and 35% living outside Japan. Many Japanese fashion brands appreciated its capability of promoting fashion goods through the website.<ref name="japantimes 2009-10-09"/>

On December 17, 2009, a video game was released for Poupéegirl on the [[Nintendo DS]] and was published by [[Alvion]], titled {{nihongo|''Poupéegirl DS''|プーペガールDS|Pūpegāru DS}}.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/102/G010264/20091217023/ | title=ファッションコミュニティサイト「プーペガール」をゲーム化したニンテンドーDS用ソフト「プーペガールDS」，アルヴィオンより本日発売 | work=[[4gamer]] | language=ja| date=2009-12-17 | accessdateaccess-date=2018-08-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Atsuyoshi | last=Narumi | url=https://japan.cnet.com/article/20399919/ | title=プーペガールがニンテンドーDSでゲーム化--すれ違い通信も | work=[[CNET]] | language=ja | date=2009-09-14 | accessdateaccess-date=2018-08-14}}</ref> A second video game was released on December 16, 2010, in two versions: {{nihongo|''Poupéegirl DS 2: Sweet Pink Style''|プーペガールDS2~スウィートピンクスタイル~|Pūpegāru DS 2 ~Suīto Pinku Sutairu~}} and {{nihongo|''Poupéegirl DS 2: Elegant Mint Style''|プーペガールDS2~エレガントミントスタイル~|Pūpegāru DS 2 ~Ereganto Minto Sutairu~}}.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/120/G012045/20100915097/ | title=アルヴィオン，おしゃれがさらに楽しめる「プーペガールDS2」を2バージョン同時に12月16日発売 | work=[[4gamer]] | language=Japanese | date=2010-09-16 | accessdateaccess-date=2018-08-14}}</ref> Completing certain objectives in all games allowed users to obtain secret codes that would unlock exclusive dress-up items for the avatars on the main website.

[[Category:FashionJapanese fashion]]