Sony cross-promotes for Blu-ray
Company's campaign pushes players, software, laptops, TVs
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 6/5/2006
JUNE 5 | CULVER CITY, Calif.—Sony electronics and DVD executives are teaming up on their Blu-ray marketing push.
With competing HD DVD products already on shelves, retailers fear customer confusion as Blu-ray rolls into stores. But Sony divisions aim to present a united front, hyping all things related to high-definition to get out their message loud and clear.
At a demo event Friday evening on the Sony studio lot, the company’s new Blu-ray-enabled VAIO laptop computers, high-def TV screens and coming Blu-ray disc players all shared the stage. The laptops and TVs played clips of upcoming Blu-ray titles, including Underworld: Evolution.
“This crosses every part of our company,” Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president worldwide Ben Feingold said at the event. “Blu-ray is technology that will drive PC sales, consumer electronic sales, movie sales.”
Feingold also noted that Sony promoting Blu-ray via currently running TV spots for the DVD release of Underworld.
“We’re saying it’s available on DVD and on Blu-ray,” Feingold said. “That will be the strategy.”
At this point, there has been little similar traditional advertising for HD DVD hardware and software. HD DVD backers, including Warner Home Video, have decided to wait until the fourth quarter to make their largest promotional splash.
Sony’s retail hub, Sony Style, has started running Blu-ray product demos in its Top 10 stores, said Jeff Goldstein, Sony product marketing VP.
“You’ll see a slew of promotion over the next few weeks,” Goldstein said.
The first Blu-ray software titles and Sony’s Blu-ray VAIO laptop should street by June 20. Sony’s first Blu-ray player should bow by late summer. Samsung has slated its first Blu-ray player for stores this month.
Both HD DVD and Blu-ray products have been delayed from initial retail arrival estimates. There is a lot riding on these formats, so the companies behind them are anxious to get the launches right.
“This is year nine on DVD, and business is no longer growing; it’s soft,” Feingold said. “But at the same time, there is an explosion of demand for content. We need to upgrade the viewing experience in the home, and that’s what Blu-ray is about.”
