Press release: 1999-08-19: Midway Unveils Multi-Million Dollar Domestic Marketing Campaign for Ready 2 Rumble Boxing

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English third-party Original source: The Free Library

CORSICANA, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 19, 1999--

TV Spot Features Special Appearance by World-Renowned Boxing Announcer Michael "Let's Get Ready to Rumble(R)" Buffer

In support of its highly-anticipated Ready 2 Rumble Boxing video game, Midway Home Entertainment Inc., one of the industry's leading video game publishers and developers, is launching a multi-million dollar marketing campaign for the company's Ready 2 Rumble Boxing game for the Sega Dreamcast(TM). This campaign is scheduled to begin with the launch of the highly anticipated Dreamcast system on September 9 and will continue to support the release of the PlayStation(R) game console, Nintendo(R) 64 and Game Boy(R) Color.

"Ready 2 Rumble Boxing has the potential to emerge as the flagship installment in a new Midway franchise which expands the niche Midway has created in arcade-style over-the-top sports titles," said Paula Cook, director of Marketing for Midway Home Entertainment. "With the backing of this comprehensive advertising and marketing campaign, Midway will blitz the media and consumers and ensure maximum exposure throughout TV, print, internet and in-store promotional support for Ready 2 Rumble Boxing's launch with the Sega Dreamcast on September 9 and continuing through the holiday season."

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing gives players the opportunity to compete as one of 16 boxers, each with his own fighting style. Each boxer is hyper realistic with an unlimited number of punch combinations for both realistic and over-the-top boxing styles. Players can compete in arcade-style mode, contend for a championship belt or play head-to-head on the system. Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation game console and Nintendo 64 will all have special characters exclusive to their systems while Game Boy Color will have a built-in Rumble Pak feature.

ADVERTISING

- TV - TV commercials will begin in September and run through the holiday season, appearing in top markets on network cable. The :15 and :30 animated spots highlight game features, and star Michael "Let's Get Ready to Rumble(R)" Buffer and the game's characters.

- Print - The Ready 2 Rumble Boxing characters will appear in spread ads in mainstream and video gaming publications.

- MTV Animations - The Ready 2 Rumble Boxing commercial is being produced by MTV commercials and by the director, Nick Litwinko, who also worked on the Beavis & Butt-Head series. The Ready 2 Rumble Boxing commercial mimics that of the Roger Rabbit movie, whereby animated characters fraternize with humans.

INTERNET

- Midway will soon launch a Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Web site featuring sounds, movies and weekly Online Q&As with Michael Buffer at www.midway.com. The site will link to Michael Buffer's Web site located at www.letsrumble.com.

PROMOTIONS

- Pre-rental initiative - In conjunction with Sega's Dreamcast system rental program, Ready 2 Rumble Boxing will be available for consumers to rent early at Hollywood Video;

- Michael Buffer will make special appearances to promote Ready 2 Rumble Boxing.

- P.O.P.s - Eye-catching 2 ft. inflatable characters will be displayed and given away as gifts with the purchase of the game. Also appearing in stores will be 3 dimensional talking standees and counter cards as well as posters, and store specific retail displays;

- Exclusive in-store give-a-ways will include: 

- Babbages giving away Ready 2 Rumble Boxing T-shirts with game purchases;

- Electronic Boutique giving away Ready 2 Rumble Boxing boxer shorts with purchase;

- Best Buy giving away a "Ready 2 Rumble Boxing Sports Kit" including trading cards, iron-ons and a mini strategy guide;

- Wal-mart having a "Retailtainment" event including greeter hand outs as well as announcements on their in-store radio;

- Target giving away Ready 2 Rumble Boxing key chains with sound bytes and direct mail dollar off coupons;

- Ready 2 Rumble Boxing T-shirts will also be available at various retail stores.

PARTNERING WITH SEGA

- Sega featured Ready 2 Rumble Boxing at the "KROQ Weenie Roast" - an all day music fest in Irvine, CA in June;

- Ready 2 Rumble Boxing characters will be featured in Sega's TV commercials;

- Ready 2 Rumble Boxing is part of the line-up at the "Cyberfest" party in July;

- A Ready 2 Rumble Boxing playable demo will be bundled with the Sega Dreamcast system;

More information on Midway's Ready 2 Rumble Boxing for Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation game console, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy Color can been found online at http://www.midway.com.

Midway Home Entertainment Inc. designs, markets and distributes video games under the Midway trademark for home game platforms and personal computers. Midway Home Entertainment Inc. is a subsidiary of Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a company engaged in the design, manufacture and sale of coin-operated video games under the Midway and Atari trademarks. Visit Midway's Web site at www.midway.com.

READY 2 RUMBLE(TM) BOXING (c) 1999 Midway Home Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. Likeness of Michael Buffer and the READY TO RUMBLE(R) trademark used under license from Buffer Partnership (www.letsrumble.com). All character names are trademarks of Midway Home Entertainment Inc. Midway is a trademark of Midway Games Inc. Used by permission. Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Color and the "N" logo are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. (c)1997 Nintendo of America Inc. Licensed by Nintendo. PlayStation and the PlayStation logos are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Sega, Dreamcast and the Dreamcast logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
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