Indiantelevision.com Team

(20 August 2007 2:30 pm)

MUMBAI:Sony Electronics launched its largest integrated marketing campaign in the US, centering on its high definition DNA known as "HDNA."

The campaign, featuring Super Bowl's most valuable player Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts and Nascar's Dale Earnhardt, Jr. focuses on how Sony's high-definition (HD) technoloy in a variety of product categories comes together to bring consumers unparalleled HD entertainment experiences.

From its professional cameras and projectors used by television networks and Hollywood studios, to Bravia HD television sets, Blu-ray players, camcorders, digital cameras and notebook computers, no other company in the consumer electronics industry has the amount or degree of high-definition expertise that can be shared across so many product lines, the firm claims. In addition, Sony's HDNA extends to HD entertainment content produced and distributed by its sister companies in the motion picture, television, music and video game arenas.

An HDNA logo appears at the center of all of the communications surrounded by graphic molecules that symbolize DNA strands and the concept of HD knowledge transfer. The copy in every ad includes the line "High Definition. It's in our DNA."

The campaign, which breaks in September, was developed
with support of Sony Electronics' ad agency 180 Los Angeles. Sony Electronics' Chief Marketing Officer Mike Fasulo says, "HDNA is the core, the essence of all Sony HD products. HDNA ensures an HD experience that you cannot have with any other brand.

"If a consumer is considering the purchase of an HD product, we believe that given our lineage and expertise in the category, Sony should be the only consideration. With this comprehensive campaign we will also demystify all of the fears associated with purchasing a high-definition product."

Television spots called Use It and Plug and Play promote the full HD experience, and feature Manning and Earnhardt Jr., respectively. The television campaign will premier on network prime time, network sports and on national cable networks broadcasting in high-definition, including HDNet, Discovery HD and Universal HD, among others.

Print advertising focusses on specific knowledge transfer stories. For example, a print ad for the Sony HD Handycam camcorder draws a connection between the Sony Clearvid CMOS image sensors used in the company's professional HD sports cameras and its HD Handycam consumer camcorders. The headline reads: "Shoot in high definition just like a network cameraman. On a Sony."

The print component kicks off in September as well, with HDNA ads in such magazines as Rolling Stone, US Weekly, Men's Journal and Entertainment Weekly.

180LA executive creative director William Gelner says,"The HDNA concept will help Sony own the concept of high definition in the minds of people looking for the ultimate entertainment experience,. It provides a meaningful platform that ties all of Sony's products together under one theme, across every medium, in order to create excitement around the best HD products available."

As part of the campaign, Sony has developed interactive content residing on its e-commerce site, http://www.sonystyle.com and also syndicated to its retail partners. This content demonstrates the advantages from product to product category that come from Sony's HD knowledge sharing.

These product showcases include demos, articles and links to online tutorials about BRAVIA HDTV sets, HD home theater systems, Blu-ray Disc players, VAIO computers, Cyber-shot cameras, and Handycam camcorders.

The "HDNA" campaign will be highlighted at all 40 Sony Style stores across the US as part of a comprehensive effort to extend the concept at retail. Special HDNA videos will be showcased on continuous high-definition loops in store windows and even on gift bags.

In addition, there are a multitude of in-store elements available to Sony's authorised retailers allowing them to integrate the campaign in their stores. Promotional items, such as shelf talkers, post wraps, end caps, hang tags and posters, are available for in-store merchandising, as well as ad mats, ad bugs and screen fills for retail circulars.