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Friday August 17, 5:30 AMSony Electronics starts $100 mln high-def ad pushNEW YORK, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Sony Corp.'s U.S. electronics unit is launching a $100 million marketing push on Thursday to spur interest in its big-screen televisions and related products, aiming to capture double-digit revenue growth from the segment.Sony Electronics said the campaign is its largest and comes as retail chains and consumers begin to plan for this year's holiday shopping season. The company expects to spend more than $100 million in marketing over the next 6 to 8 months. "This is going to be all devices united under Sony," said Sony Electronics' Chief Marketing Officer Mike Fasulo, adding that Sony had previously focused its marketing on individual products. "All of the products are going to be delivered in a unified approach." Sony's ad campaign spans print, Internet and television commercials and carries the slogan: "High Definition. It's in our DNA." Ads feature sports stars including Peyton Manning of U.S. football's Indianapolis Colts and NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. Fasulo said the company targets "double-digit growth" in revenue from Sony's high-definition products through the holiday season. The technology exists in products from digital cameras and Blu-ray DVDs to personal computers and LCD TVs. Digital broadcast technologies, high-resolution content and aggressive marketing by electronics retailers are driving demand for HD TV models and devices, which can produce images with significantly higher resolution than standard TVs. Cheaper TVs, more broadcast channels, and the launch of next-generation Blu-ray DVD players that will allow consumers to make their own high-definition viewing choices are all expected to spur demand for HD components. Still, most big-screen TVs cost more than $1,000, and Fasulo notes that growth may have been limited due to confusion over the different types of high-definition products and whether consumers' homes receive high-resolution video. "A lot of folks are on the fence right now," he said. "Consumers are confused. I don't think our industry has done a good job of explaining things." Turmoil in financial markets has raised doubts about the strength of this year's holiday shopping season. Analysts are concerned that tightening credit markets could weaken the U.S. economy. Fasulo said that while consumers may think twice about spending plans in such an environment, Sony hopes they will flock to familiar brands. At the same time, Sony has not changed its marketing strategy as a result. "It hasn't altered our plans whatsoever," he said. (Reporting by Franklin Paul, by Jeffrey Benkoe) |
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