To juice up its introduction of a new line of Panasonic home audio products, Nitrix mini-system stereos, the company’s web site is introducing its first on-line video game. Developed by Renegade Marketing Group, the Nitrix Series Racing game will be featured as one of the primary highlights within Club Panasonic, the community within Panasonic.com that offers unique and exclusive sweepstakes, promotions, and product enhancements. Company execs hope that the addition of a video game to the Club will help Panasonic attract a younger, hipper audience to Panasonic’s website.
“Panasonic employed a racing design motif popularized by The Fast and the Furious movies, to give the Nitrix products a sleek, car-like feel, with speakers designed to look like hubcaps,” says Gene Kelsey, VP and general manager of Panasonic’s Brand Strategy Group. “It was simply logical to create a racing game to play off the product’s cool factor that’s enough fun to generate a viral buzz and repeat traffic to (our) web site.”
“Research indicates that 40 percent of active video game players are between the ages of 18 and 24,” adds Renegade president Drew Neisser. “These are also the people who love high-end automobiles, attend action movies and concerts, and purchase lots of music and electronics equipment. A Panasonic online racing game for this target is a natural.”
Beginning this month and continuing through the end of the year, the top ten high scorers will win prizes. One or two winners per month will win a Nitrix Mini System. Other top point earners will win a consolation prize package containing Nitrix t-shirts, key chains, etc. The game will remain on the site for all to play beyond the six-month duration of the contest.
To support the launch of the game, Panasonic street teams will hand out Nitrix paraphernalia and collateral to help the drive to web. In addition, Renegade Marketing Group will be hitting many of the serious video game community and message boards sites to generate initial buzz. To play the game, go to www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/nitrix/default.asp.
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