Konami Hits X Games via ESPN, Retail - Brief Article

Brandweek,  Jan 1, 2001  by Todd Wasserman

Tags: ESPN

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Videogame maker Konami is teaming up with ESPN and electronics retailer Circuit City to target hardcore gamers in a promotion culminating at next month's ESPN's Winter X Games 2001.

Circuit City will offer customers in its top 10 markets the chance to play Konami's Winter X Games Snowboarding title for Sony Computer Entertainment of America's PlayStation 2. Players who rack up the highest scores in each location, including Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Detroit, Dallas, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., can win a trip to the event, which is being staged in Mount Snow, Vt.

The top 10 finalists will then compete at the Feb 1-4 Gen-Y fest for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Circuit City started flagging the promo in its circulars last weekend, directing customers to circuitcity.com, where they can enter and schedule a local challenge between Jan. 6-20. The Richmond, Va., retailer will also promote the event with direct mail, radio and in-store efforts. ESPN will provide airtime for promotional spots as well as support over its affiliate Web sites, espn.com, espnthegames.com and expn.com and its ESPN Zone outlets.

"We see this as a way to extend the power of the ESPN brand name and get people psyched," said Dave Zemke, senior product manager at the Redwood City, Calif.-based Konami. "This is a layperson's way of getting a trip to the X Games to compete."

Konami launched a TV campaign for the title, via Wieden & Kennedy, New York, in December, but did not flag the promotion. Zemke said Konami's next big push will be for an upcoming NHL-branded title in March.

COPYRIGHT 2001 BPI Communications, Inc.
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