case studies

iGames Expo 2004, September 9-12, 2004

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Objective:
Position iGames Expo as New York's Premiere Videogames tradeshow and tournament in the intensely competitive New York market.

Results:
Comprehensive marketing communications program that garnered major media placement, which, in turn, drove consumer attendance.

The Challenge:
When iGames and the Electronic Gaming Association were looking for a firm to help them position iGames Expo (www.igamesexpo.com) as New York’s premiere videogames tradeshow and tournament, they turned to PRWB for its longstanding expertise in promoting high-tech properties.

After conducting a needs-assessment analysis and studying the local videogame market, PRWB set about executing a 6-month campaign to raise iGames Expo’s visibility on both a national and local level.

The Strategy:

  • Outreach to long-lead games and lifestyle outlets
  • Online outreach to both electronic outlets and enthusiast sites
  • Weekly Media Alerts distributed to both online and print media
  • Partnerships with to appropriate broadcast outlets
  • Outreach to key games and technology journalists
  • Calendar listings to all NYC-based lifestyle outlets
  • Partnership with local games community via established communities
  • Outreach to youth community via local universities
  • Local advertising, local broadcast TV and radio outreach

The Results:
The hugely successful iGames Expo 2004, held in September at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City , demonstrated that the Northeast is a vast untapped market for the video entertainment industry. The Expo introduced the burgeoning game technology industry to the business opportunities to be found on the East Coast and brought together for the first time.

More than 3,000 people watched on festival screens as the very best PC and console tournament players competed for cash and prizes worth over $20,000. Competition included a massive Halo tournament alongside the top three Call of Duty teams in the country.

The iGames Game Center Pavilion was a huge attraction: 16 of the highest-grade game computers, loaded with newly released and yet-to-be-released games were played continually by the attendees. Game publisher sponsors provided games including THQ’s Full Spectrum Warrior, Lucasarts’ Star Wars Battle Front, Mythic Entertainment’s Dark Age of Camelot Platinum Edition, and many more.

Special events included Gamer’s Nite Groove, a uniquely New York multimedia event presenting the most innovative and graphically breathtaking games from both Japan-based and Japanese-influenced publishers such as Sammy Studios, who premiered their new RTS Iron Phoenix. Also on hand was Eastman Kodak who presented the Kodak 3D Challenge, a tournament showcasing their new 3D technology which brings IMAX-like detail to the gaming experience.

Media Placements:

  • Feature stories in local dailies, including the New York Daily News (NY’s second-largest daily), the Newark Star-Ledger (3-page keystone feature that appeared the day-of the show), the Journal News (hometown paper of Westchester , NY).
  • Calendar listings in Time Out NY, NY Press, NY Metro
  • Broadcast TV mentions on WOR, WABC TV, WVOX
  • Broadcast/cable features on G4/Tech TV, CNBC, FOX 5 News, FUSE TV
  • Placements on over 200 games websites, including Blue’s News,
    GamerFeed and Game Daily

 

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