Sony today announced its new integrated marketing campaign, which aims to reinforce Sony as a leader in quality and hopefully spur consumer demand for holiday shopping in the fourth quarter. The creative concept is an expansion of the company’s 2008 HDNA campaign, which featured a “panel” of celebrity experts who served as brand ambassadors. Situated in retail environments, celebrity panelists assist consumers in choosing Sony products by differentiating the brand from its competitors. The campaign was created with the support of the company’s advertising agency 180, Los Angeles. Starting in September and running through early 2010, the campaign will go across all consumer touch points with complete integration of the creative concept from online and point-of-sale to advertising and consumer PR.
The 2009 HDNA campaign (which Sony has called HDNA2 on twitter) will include Indianapolis Colts quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning, but also Grammy and Emmy-award winning Jive/Sony Music artist Justin Timberlake. Rounding out the list are: ESPN reporter, Erin Andrews; fashion photographer and “America’s Next Top Model” judge, Nigel Barker; author and comedienne, Amy Sedaris; columnist and Web celebrity, Julia Allison; and award-winning cinematographer, Dion Beebe. Humor is consistently used to demystify electronics and connect with viewers – in the screenshot of the commercial we found, it appears that Payton Manning and Justin Timberlake are playing ping pong.
“All talent were chosen for their high public profiles, and because like Sony, they are leaders in their respective fields,” Redsun said.
Sony is really looking to push products in the BRAVIA television line, Blu-ray Disc home entertainment, Cyber-shot digital cameras, alpha digital SLR cameras, Handycam camcorders and Sony professional high-definition camera systems, VAIO notebook computers and Sony Reader digital books.
“Quality is a message consumers most associate with Sony, so we feel confident our campaign message will strongly resonate in the marketplace, especially given that quality is the number one purchase driver for consumer electronics,” said Stuart Redsun, senior vice president, marketing.
Mass media will include national commercial spots, all shot with the Sony F35 professional camera system, which has also been used on CBS’s “CSI: New York” and several other television series. Additionally, there will be online banner ads, radio and newsprint. A multitude of in-store merchandising for authorized Sony dealers to integrate the campaign at retail will include retail video, pop-up displays, counter cards, post wraps, end caps and hang tags. Ad mats, ad bugs and screen fills will be available for retailers to merchandise through retailer circulars. Other campaign elements include a SonyStyle.com showcase site as well as customizable micro-sites for retailers.
