Sony Walkman Emerges from the Vault with a Digital Disco Ball
Posted by Sheila Shayon on December 14, 2010 03:00 PM
Disco balls aren't the only 80's relics that are hip again.
In your holiday shopping this season you may have run across Sony's revived version of its iconic Walkman, now restyled in digital and called the Walkman E series.
Having killed the Walkman's personal cassette iteration this year, Sony has been promoting the new digi-Walkman with an experiential marketing tour that brings "studio" booths to shopping malls in an effort to woo younger music fans.
The Walkman “studio” invites holiday shoppers (only in the U.K., that we're aware of) to take a break with a spot of karaoke and interactive dancing.
The pop-up Walkman discos woo passersby (especially teens) with songs and dance moves, all sharable through social media or print-outs, plus model Walkmans and a giant screen to bring out the disco diva in holiday shoppers. A photo booth lets buyers personalize one of five colored Walkman screens.
"We want to give young people the opportunity to touch and try the new Walkman E Series from Sony, and to experience all the great features and wide range of colors available,” commented Walkman marketing manager Omar Gurnah to Brand Republic.
Sony's original Walkman defined the portable cassette player in the 1980’s, so event marketing geared at youths is a smart move to introduce the brand to a digi-savvy, new generation.
"Walkman has such great features built into the product so it makes total sense to activate the brand message through experience-led campaigns, which will ultimately get young people excited about Walkman," said PD3 creative development director, Catherine Botibol, whose firm designed the Walkman tour.
Sony is also developing live streaming products for Google TV in the US and has its own Qriocity streaming service in the US and UK. The bigger goal, of course, is to take market share from Apple’s iTune-based digital music products.
With Jane Fonda back in a leotard and reviving her fitness brand, how about a tongue-in-cheek retro campaign to reintroduce the Walkman to boomers, too?
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