Sony Bravia Marketing Mix

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Business Profile

Sony Corporation is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's biggest media corporation with profits of US$ 88.7 billion (as of 2008) based in Minato, Tokyo. Sony is one of the leading makers of electronics, video, interactions, computer game consoles and infotech items for the consumer and expert markets. Its name is derived from Sonus, the Greek goddess of noise. Sony Corporation is the electronics service unit and the parent company of the Sony Group, which is participated in company through its five operating segments-- electronics, video games, entertainment (movie and music), monetary services and other.

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These make Sony one of the most thorough entertainment companies worldwide. Sony's primary business operations include Sony Corporation (Sony Electronic Devices in the U.S.), Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Sony Computer System Home Entertainment, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Sony Ericsson and Sony Financial Holdings. As a semiconductor maker, Sony is amongst the Worldwide Top 20 Semiconductor Sales Leaders.

The company's motto is Sony.

Like no other. BRAVIA is an in home brand owned by Sony which produces high-definition LCD tvs, forecast Televisions and front projectors, home movie theaters and the "BRAVIA House Theatre" variety for its moms and dad company Sony KK. The name is an acronym of "Finest Resolution Audio Visual Integrated Architecture". All Sony high-definition flat-panel LCD televisions in North America have carried the logo for BRAVIA because 2005. BRAVIA changes the "LCD WEGA" which Sony used for their LCD TVs up until summertime 2005 (early promotional pictures exist of the first BRAVIA Televisions still bearing the WEGA name).

Bravia televisions and their components are manufactured in Sony's plants in Japan, Mexico, and Slovakia for their particular areas and are also assembled from imported parts in Brazil, Spain, China and Malaysia. Principal design work for BRAVIA products is performed at Sony's research centers in Japan, at the research and advancement department at the Sony de Mexico facility in Baja California, Mexico and at the Sony Europe center in Nitra, Slovakia.

Communication Strategy:

Product Promotion: Sony uses all possible promotional medium to reach as large a share of Indian population as possible. This includes advertising, Sales Promotion etc.

1. Advertising: Sony extensively advertises its High Definition offering of Sony Bravia TV and there have been numerous campaigns including “capturing the emotions” and “colour” campaign. Means of Advertising:

1.1 Television Ads

SONY has always focused on Informative Advertising. There advertisements are focused more on the features of their products i.e. High definition colors. They have not associated any brand ambassador to their product as they believe that their product features are strong enough to attract customers. In TV and cinema advertising, the competition to make big ideas and strong strategies work with original creative devices is intense. SONY believes that no matter what the cost is, the most important factors in a successful campaign are the creative processes behind. It is their innovation and focus on features in their advertisements that they feature among top 20 most innovative advertisements of the world. The ad which featured in top 20 most innovative advertisements was the Paint ad which Jonathan Glazer directed.

A condemned tower block in Toryglen in Glasgow, Scotland was covered in 70000 litres of environmentally friendly paint with the help of over 1400 separate explosions featured as imitation fireworks, concluding with a simulated "reverse demolition" of the building. This was filmed with a crew of 200 people over a 10 day period in July 2006. Apart from features they also want to focus that they are not selling the product but they want to sell the experience one would have when they buy SONY product. They always use their tag line “Color like no other” and focusing on the different shades of colour they want the customers to experience the shades of colour which is possible only through SONY Bravia. They would have this experience of differentiating colors and enjoying different shades of colour only through SONY Bravia.

1.2 Print Ads

This was one of the most innovative prints used by Sony to promote Bravia via print add. These ads are put into magazines or newspaper so as to lure customers on the basis of product features so as to get differentiated from the competitors.

1.3 Place Advertising

Sony also spends heavily on place advertising in the form of Billboards, Banners and Posters. Such has been the creativity and appeal of its place advertising that any of its banners have found place in “Most Creative banners”.

Sony Bravia’s one of the most creative billboard

Advertisement Budget:

Several considerations have to be made before deciding the advertising budget of Sony Bravia HD. These factors include: a) Stages in Product Life Cycle: As already discussed Sony Bravia HD lies in growth stage of Product Life and thus necessitates the need for extensive expenditure on advertising. b) Market Share: Sony occupies high market share and thus needs to spend heavily to sustain that. c) Competition: Sony faces stiff competition from the likes of LG electronics and Samsung in the Television department. To keep itself ahead of the competition it needs to invest heavily in advertising. d) Advertising Frequency: Given the nature of its advertising campaigns which leave an imprint on the memory of the viewer/reader and also the high cost incurred in producing those campaigns Sony needs medium frequency but continuous advertising.

Advertising Frequency of Sony Bravia-HD

e) Substitutability: Sony Bravia HD being new product offering in the market and has not been substituted by any technologically advanced product yet hence limiting the expenditure on advertisement required for it.

2 Sales Promotions:

Sony also promotes Sony Bravia HD through various Sales Promotion offers, discount etc. Sony gives free 3D glasses worth Rs. 6,980 and Skype camera worth Rs 4,990 with purchase of any of the three models of Sony Bravia. 3D Bundle Offer: This offer gives the customer the opportunity to purchase Playstation,3D glasses, Skype Webcam, HDMI cable etc at a bundled discounted cost of Rs 20,000 on purchase of Sony Bravia TV thereby offering a total discount of Rs 13155.

3 Direct Marketing: Sony extensively interacts with its customers by sending those direct mails both electronically and also delivered to their homes. This can also include catalogue of their various new offering, their new sales promotion etc.

4 Word of Mouth: One of the biggest reasons for increasing sales of Sony’s product over the years are its superior quality and enriching experience
which leads to a positive “Word of Mouth” promotion of its product.

5 Events and Experience:

The Drome(Dcember 2008): Sony filmed a large zoetrope called Bravia- Drome in Vaneria Italy to depict it’s motion interpolation technology, where three new frames are added per second to smooth the picture. Sixty-four images of the Brazilian footballer Kaká were used inside the BRAVIA-drome to demonstrate that with increased frame rate (speed at which the zoetrope rotated), there is increased smoothness of motion.

Sony sponsors major gaming tournaments like Sony Gamer Days. Sony is the official sponsor of Fifa 2011 and NBA super league games. It also sponsors many major VIP and Fashion Parties .Also Sony was the official sponsor of Fifa World Cup 2011

Brand Strategy:

Global demand for 3D TVs is projected to reach 15.6 million units in 2013 from an estimated 1.2 million this year. That figure could reach 64 million in 2018, when total revenues are expected to hit $17 billion. The plan’s main objective is to ensure that 3D BRAVIA models will make up at least 10% of more than 25 million LCD TVs that Sony will sell next year and account for an even larger percentage of revenue. Secondary objective is to restore Sony’s leadership in the television manufacturing marketplace. In order to achieve the outlined objectives a number of targets need to be hit. The consumer public must come to associate unparalleled quality in 3D entertainment as exclusive to the Sony BRAVIA brand, thus regaining the sense of prestige that came with a Sony television.

While the “Made in Japan” tag doesn’t carry the same cache as it did a few decades back, the ground can be regained by effectively communicating to the consumer Sony’s market position as the only start-to-finish 3D Company. The consumer needs to aspire to have a Sony 3D television, Sony Blu-ray disc player, PlayStation 3, and a Sony surround sound system while they consume the 3D content produced and distributed by Sony and made with Sony equipment. That is to say, the consumer must want a total Sony 3D experience. While that is very hard to achieve, the consumer can start getting close to the feeling by purchasing a Sony 3D television and proudly saying, “Itʼs a Sony!”

The role of retailers is not to be underestimated. Their cooperation with the companyʼs efforts to position the brand is essential, since a significant portion of consumersʼ first direct encounters with the product happen within their stores. Best Buy, among others, should feel naturally inclined to showcase the Sony home theater experience in the best light possible to be in line with consumers’ expectations created by the plan’s campaign. The plan’s metrics will involve a before evaluation of the consumer mental space as it relates generally to the brand of Sony 3D and especially to the Sony BRAVIA 3D HDTV product. After the implementation, regular updates will be made. Retail order response and qualitative feedback will be another important measure of the plan’s success.

Promotional strategy:

* No interest and no payments for 24 months if the customer applies for the new Sony Financial Services Card at point of purchase. * Save up to $360 when they bundle the BRAVIA XBR9 series LCD HDTV with the new BDP-S360 Blu-ray Disc Player ($299.99 retail) * $360 for the 55”, $300 for the 46”, $280 for the 40” * Introduction of a new tagline created to target LG Electronics tagline “Life’s Good” * “Now Life’s Better”

Brand association:

* They have associated their brand with the ace cricketer M. S. Dhoni in their TVCs. This campaign was conducted during the world cup. The contributing factor towards this initiative was the relevance of Dhoni with reliability and leadership same way as in case of Sony Bravia as a band. * Other than this the ads also emphasize on the stylish & elegant looks of the product. Plus also focusing on its extravagant features mainly picture quality. Brand Identity:

Brand identity refers to how the brand owner wants the consumer to perceive the brand and Sony Bravia. The name is an acronym of "Best Resolution Audio Visual Integrated Architecture" Symbol:

Tagline: "Color like no other."
It has concentrated more on colors and the picture quality.

Positioning:

Sony positions its brand by:
* Sony is one of the world’s greatest brand in the eye of the consumer.
* Sony products are considered to be high quality, unique, and convenient.
* Mainstream culture has embraced Sony’s innovation.

Understanding the Environment

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS

• Samsung has been very aggressive with its 3D campaign as it has positioned itself as the world’s first LED 3DTV. They have launched a major media campaign that depicts the hardware as if it were a work of art, providing an immersive 3D experience that brings people together and enriches their lives. A second follow up campaign focused on showing a family bringing home the “wonder” of 3D entertainment. They also signed up Avatar director James Cameron for a special launch event at Times square where they displayed their new 3D lineup. Pop group Black Eyed Peas also did a special performance that was shot in 3D. The concert footage would be distributed to new Samsung 3D customers.

• LGʼs 3DTV plans include use of Passive 3D technology, which requires significantly cheaper 3D glasses than Active 3D technology that is being utilized by everyone else. This may attract many budget consumers to LG 3D, even though they might compromise on quality. LGʼs media campaign is targeted towards the beginning of a new era in TV viewing as it highlights the end of traditional TV. The campaign focuses on the transition of moving from traditional TV to 3DTV.

• Panasonic is using Plasma technology for its choice for delivering 3D. They claim that Plasma TVs delivers a better 3D experience. Panasonic has signed an agreement with Best Buy to display their 3D technology at Best Buy retail stores. They are also offering an exclusive bundle deal at Best Buy stores that features a 50 inch TV and a 3D capable Blue ray player. Panasonic is not offering Internet connected 3DTVs whereas all other companies have models that support the internet.

Understanding the Customer

For Sony Bravia, offering the right product to the right customer is essential. Special efforts are made to understand customer needs and segment the market accordingly. Company’s initial target, for an ideal customer, as a 25-35 year old innovator male who regularly uses his television to watch films and network programming, possibly gaming. He is technologically savvy, has disposable income and considers himself an innovator when it comes to acquiring the latest devices.

He most likely owns a video gaming system and has an above-average home entertainment system. He will likely be unmarried or recently married and may have young children. A secondary market will be gender non-specific, targeting the age ranges of 35-45. These will be young married couples with children varying in ages but who have a home gaming or home entertainment system in place. These individuals will also be innovators, but with a target adjusted toward family entertainment and educational concerns.

We target two segments: new television purchasers and current Sony product users.

1. Purchasers of 3D Television

In this segment, we assume that the consumer already owns a high definition television. The challenge is to convince the consumer of the benefits to upgrade to a 3D television to maximize the viewing experience. Emphasis will be placed on enhanced viewing capabilities as a “total viewing experience,” focusing on the increased offerings of 3D channels and viewing options that are forthcoming from networks and cable service providers. Sonyʼs product would be position as a “total 3D solution” for experiencing enhanced programming, such as sporting events, movies and major entertainment events (such as concerts).

In conjunction with this segment, thought must also be given to presenting the 3D viewing experience as significant to home education or compatibility with educational programming to reach those consumers with children. Emphasis will be placed on the enhancement of home computing gaming and educational software that expands the consumer base to include families with children seeking to expand the use of the product beyond simple home entertainment. 2. Existing Users of Sony Products

This segment of individuals is already familiar with Sony branded items and, in most instances, will already be owners of gaming equipment (Playstation) or Sony home theater components, such as Sony Blu-ray disc players. In conjunction with presenting the benefits of 3D television generally, this segment would be targeted specifically to recognize the ease of integration with the Sony product into their existing Sony devices.

Understanding the Product

BRAVIA is the brand Sony uses to market its high-definition LCD televisions, projection TVs and front projectors, along with its home cinema range under the sub-brand BRAVIA Theatre. All Sony high-definition flat-panel LCD televisions in North America have carried the BRAVIA logo since 2005. The BRAVIA brand uses the slogan "Color like no other." 3D TV is a generic term for a display technology that lets home viewers experience TV programs, movies, games, and other video content in a stereoscopic effect. It adds the illusion of a third dimension, depth, to current TV and HDTV display technology, which is typically limited to only height and width ("2D").

To get true 3D content, you will also need 3D glasses, access to 3D broadcast programming and/or a 3D Blu-ray disc player, and 3D movies. A wide selection of exciting 3D content will be vital for accelerating the growth of 3D entertainment in the home, and Sony plans to offer a comprehensive range of 3D home entertainment content to appeal to the widest possible audience. These Sony Bravia ranges of televisions come with extra ordinary features and are available in various models of 32”, 37”, 40” and various other sizes of LCD HDTVs.

Different series of Sony Bravia such as 32” LCD, 37” LCD, and 40” LCD are enabled for the superior High Definition broadcasting. All the series of Sony Bravia HDTV is known for offering stunning picture and color that is true to life. Continuing its tradition of making outstanding television, Sony has come out with the latest offering in the series of LCD TV with Bravia XBR9 that is available in 32” and also in other sizes. This range has 1080p and 240 Hz panels and they also have motion and light sensors that minimize the energy usage without compromising the performance. Sony Bravia KDL-37M4000 is another exciting range of 37-inch LCD HDTV that offers 1366 x 768 Pixel resolutions and dynamic contrast ratio of 9,000:1 with 8-millisecond pixel response time.

This specific 37” model of Sony in the Bravia range of televisions provides the best LCD deal to customers so that they can avail the best LCD HDTVs in the cheap and unbeatable price. Another exciting model of Sony Bravia that has hit the market is Bravia KDL-40V2500. This 40” LCD HDTV set is surprisingly amazing displaying 16:9 1080p at 1920x1080 resolutions. This HDTV set has set the market by storm especially due to its outstanding features and cheap prices compared to other LCD HDTVs. Entire range of Sony Bravia LCD HDTVs, which are available with 1080p offer best form of high definition that can be displayed by any television.

This enables the television set to display much smoother and finer image that will satisfy the high picture quality demand of various movies and sports lovers that love to have ultimate picture quality in their television. 1080p enables the HDTV to display he image in a progressive manner rather than in the interlaced manner. Thus Sony has offered the most fascinating range of television sets in the form of Bravia series that are sure to provide a theatre like feeling.