Sony Mobile Unveils National Campaign for Xperia ion Smartphone Launch in US

25 Jun 2012 14:49 Africa/Lagos

Sony Mobile Unveils National Campaign for Xperia ion Smartphone Launch in US

-- Campaign showcases Sony's first 4G LTE smartphone - Xperia ion - now available on AT&T, allowing you to experience HD everywhere

-- Fully integrated campaign demonstrates Xperia features and capabilities

-- TV spot features unique Sony entertainment experiences, including Spider-Man and new music from Matt & Kim



ATLANTA, June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Sony Mobile Communications (USA) Inc. launches a campaign featuring its first-ever national television commercial introducing the Xperia ion as Sony's first LTE smartphone now available exclusively on AT&T. The TV spot is just one part of a fully integrated campaign which includes television, digital, out-of-home, social media and print components. The campaign emphasizes Sony's connected entertainment and the unique HD everywhere experience that is brought to life by the Xperia ion.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120625/NY29757 )

The launch of Xperia ion makes its mark as the launch of the first Sony -branded LTE smartphone in the U.S. and delivers on the company's strategy to offer premium entertainment experiences across multiple screens. The campaign behind it is designed to build awareness for Sony's mobile offerings that will appear under the Xperia name.

Peter Farmer, Vice President of Marketing for North America at Sony Mobile Communications said, "The Sony brand has long been synonymous with entertainment and innovation, and this campaign shows how the Xperia ion continues this tradition by providing consumers with a truly connected entertainment experience that only Sony can offer."

An Integrated Campaign

The Xperia ion national advertising campaign was developed by McCann Worldgroup and is an extension of Sony's global 'Made of Imagination' campaign platform. It kicks off with a television spot, directed by Emmy-nominated music video director Paul Hunter. The spot also includes familiar and timely Sony brand assets such as The Amazing Spider-Man and new music by Sony/RED distributed music artist Matt & Kim. Phase one of the campaign, which will be deployed across television, print, digital, out-of-home and retail will roll out over the next couple months.

"To launch the Made of Imagination platform for Sony Mobile in the US, we wanted to show how the Xperia ion can unlock amazing entertainment experiences that totally immerses users," said Mat Bisher, Creative Director at McCann New York. "We wanted to bring it to life in a way that felt exciting and imaginative."

The 60 and 30-second launch commercials, takes viewers on an entertaining, imaginative journey following an Xperia ion user walking to his apartment, as the experiences on his phone come to life around him. Artist Matt & Kim play their latest single "Let's Go," Spider-Man stops a thief, and a full-scale military assault takes place, all on one block. The TV spot can be viewed on Sony Mobile's US YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/sonyxperiaus.

To augment the TV spot to online, digital agency LBi conceived of and created microsite Xperia World (http://www.sonymobile.com/xperiaworld) demonstrating the Xperia ion's promise of immersive entertainment. LBi shot the same scene captured for the TV commercial from multiple angles and repurposed it for the microsite as a massive high-definition photo, creating a virtual city street with Sony entertainment properties including movies, TV shows, bands, songs and games. Users are encouraged to share their experience through social channels like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest with a challenge to find all the different Sony entertainment properties contained in the single block.

TV spot Credits:
Title: "One Block"
Agency: McCann New York
Chairman: Linus Karlsson
Vice Chairman: Andreas Dahlqvist
Co-Chief Creative Officers: Tom Murphy, Sean Bryan
Creative Directors: Jason Schmall, Mat Bisher
Executive Producer: Greg Lotus
Production Company: Prettybird
Director: Paul Hunter
DP: Larry Fong
Executive Producer: Ali Brown
Head of Production: Leslie Evers
Line Producer: Tom Meloth
Editorial: Final Cut
Editor: Stephen Berger
Visual Effects: Mass Market, Full Scale Effects
FX Supervisor: David Peterson

Pricing and Availability

Xperia ion is now available exclusively through AT&T and costs just $99.99 with a two-year agreement. The new Xperia ion is ideal for creating and showcasing premium entertainment with video, photo, gaming and music. For more information on this all-new 4G LTE Android smartphone, visit www.sonymobile.com/Xperiaion.

About Sony Mobile Communications (USA) Inc.

Sony Mobile Communications (USA) Inc. is a subsidiary of Sony Mobile Communications AB which is part of the Tokyo-based Sony Corporation Group of Companies, a leading global innovator of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for both the consumer and professional markets. Through its Xperia™ smartphone portfolio, Sony Mobile Communications delivers the best of Sony technology, premium content and services, and easy connectivity to Sony's world of networked entertainment experiences. For more information: www.sonymobile.com

About McCann New York

McCann Erickson New York is the flagship and largest office of McCann Erickson Worldwide, with operations in more than 115 countries and a client roster that includes preeminent global marketers and many of the world's most famous brands. The agency is a unit of McCann Worldgroup, a leading global marketing solutions network, comprised of a collaborative roster of best-in-class agencies that emphasize creativity, innovation and performance.

About The Amazing Spider-Man™

One of the world's most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in The Amazing Spider-Man™. Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt and Alvin Sargent and Steve Kloves from a story by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012. The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance – leading him directly to OsCorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 159 countries. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com/

© "Sony" is the registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Corporation and its subsidiaries. © "XPERIA" is the registered trademark of Sony Mobile Communications AB. © All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Sony Mobile Communications

CONTACT: Vinti Bhatnagar, Burson-Marsteller for Sony Mobile Communications, +1-212-614-5036, vinti.bhatnagar@bm.com; or Bruce Stockler, McCann Worldgroup, +1-646-865-2643, Bruce.Stockler@mccann.com, Product images: http://www.sonymobile.com/cws/corporate/press/pressreleases/latestnews/

Web Site: http://www.sonymobile.com

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