Sony Loads Up with Super Bowl MVP Davis, $10.12M Onslaught for PlayStation Bestseller
Sony Computer Entertainment America unit 989 Studios has tapped Super Bow MVP Terrell Davis to star in a $10-12 million campaign for its best-selling PlayStation title NFL GameDay, its largest media expenditure ever on a single title.
A TV push for NFL GameDay '99, via TBWA Chiat/Day, Venice, Calif., anchors an effort that will include print, POP and Internet media and continues the title's dry, humorous tone pegged to the game's up-to-date NFL insider info, down to the end-zone dances of the players. The spots, breaking this week, will run through the NFL season on MTV, ESPN, The Simpsons and other Fox prime time fare, and CBS and Fox sports broadcasts.
One spot, "Playbooks," shows a top-secret Kansas City Chiefs playbook being locked up in a secure room, then pans up to reveal Denver Broncos Davis and John Mobley hanging from ceiling pipes, waiting to pounce. 'Jackpot!" Davis says, to which Mobley retorts, "Bro, how are we getting down?" The other spot, "Auditions," features NFL players, including Davis, auditioning lobe in the game by showing off their touchdown celebration dances, including one whose striptease goes a bit too far. This year's title features realistic game play based on NFL players' actual movements.
Each spot is capped with the logo of the new 989 Sports subbrand of 989 Studios, which will serve as the umbrella for other titles such as NHL Faceoff, NBA Shootout, NCAA GameBreaker and NFL Xtreme.
The GameDay '99 marketing effort also includes print ads in sports mags, POP-including floor stands featuring Davis- counter cards, static cling stickers, posters and floor graphics. An on-pack "spell it and win" card promo, via Upper Deck, Carlsbad, Calif., kicks off Nov. 30. The offer bids purchasers to collect cards to spell out Game Day '99. Specially marked cards are inserted into the packs. Ten grand prize winners get PlayStations and the titles, and 200 First prize winners each get a copy of the game. A national direct mail effort, in conjunction with retailers like Electronics Boutique, Best Buy and Toys 'R' Us will offer coupons, demo disks and gift with purchase deals.
Further, 989 Sports will sponsor the NFL Players party at Super Bowl XXXIII, including the 4th annual "Game Before the Game," videogame match-up of two players from each competing bowl team and "The Locker Room Challenge," a videogame tournament between NFL players.
GameDay '98 sold 1.4 million copies last year.