DEG builds up Blu-ray promotion campaign
Arranging celebrity parties around ESPY awards, Comic-Con
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 7/18/2008
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Click for pictures from DEG's Blu-ray Lounge at the Playboy Mansion |
JULY 17 | The Digital Entertainment Group is doing its part to get the Blu-ray Disc party started, sponsoring events at Los Angeles’ famed Playboy Mansion and this week’s Comic-Con 2008 as part of a public relations campaign for the format.
DEG and Sony PlayStation co-sponsored a Blu-ray lounge during a party last week for this year’s 2008 ESPY sports awards. DEG sent out film crews to talk about Blu-ray with various party goers, such as Playboy chief Hugh Hefner, gorgeous Playmates and high-profile athletes including Jose Canseco. DEG and PlayStation surrounded the Mansion’s famed grotto with several Blu-ray demonstration stations, featuring a PS3 and Sony HDTVs running various Blu-ray titles.
The ESPY Awards event formally kicked off DEG’s 2008 Blu-ray consumer campaign, said Marty Gordon, the organization’s communications committee chair and Philips VP. In March, DEG member companies said they would launch a consumer education, retail training and public relations blitz to break the high-definition format into the mainstream, with the bulk of marketing hitting in the fourth quarter.
“We are working with celebrities as a way to get people buzzing—once we get them involved, then we can get others involved,” said Gordon. “We can use footage in further outreach, put comments on the Web site. The best way to reach people is to show the influencers, and then they can in turn spread the word.”
Gordon said ESPY party postings will turn up on the consumer Web site set up by the Blu-ray Disc Assn. and DEG. http://www.blu-raydisc.com/bluray_site.htm
At Comic-Con on July 24, the DEG will sponsor a Blu-ray panel featuring such DVD producers as Blade Runner’s Charles de Lauzirika, Pan’s Labryinth’s Javier Soto and Rambo’s Cliff Stephenson.
“Comic-Con is a buzz builder, because [consumer attendees will] get excited and talk about what they’ve learned there,” said Gordon. Attendees "there are so engaged that they eat this stuff up.”
Following Comic-Con, DEG will next create an event during September’s CEDIA conference for home theater installers. Gordon also promised various outreach events through the fourth quarter.
“This is all about keeping a steady drumbeat going on Blu-ray for now and all through the holidays,” he said.
