HD DVD's Hail Mary: A $3 Million Super Bowl Ad

Peter Kafka | January 29, 2008 9:36 AM

During the last boom, would-be Web companies spent most of their ad budget on Super Bowl ads, in a futile attempt to convince people that they mattered. This year's replay: Toshiba, who will reportedly shell out $2.7 million for an ad promoting its three cheapest players, even though it has already lost the format war to Sony's (SNE) Blu-ray.
Nonsensical quote: "It has always been our strategy to reach HDTV owners, using advertising on football is just one vehicle," said Toshiba to Home Media.
Translation: We paid for the ads and committed to the Super Bowl buy before Warner killed our format this month, and we're just playing out the string.

Earlier: Blu-ray Sales Soaring Now That HD DVD Toast
Desperate Toshiba Slashes HD DVD Prices
Toshiba: Please Don't Return Your HD DVD Players

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9 Comments

ljbanner said:
how can having universal and paramount with dreamworks plus bbc and numerous other studios around the world and a installed hd dvd base of over 1million mean that hd dvd is dead
look at CNET and there reviews on high def players there are 3 hd dvds in the top 4 ps3 is number one because it plays games yet not everyone wants to play games some have a life to live!
people think if you say something over and over then its true!
warner tried to screw it in the worst way with its announcement timming,
when people start buying hd dvd players you watch the studios start swaying.
ljbanner said:
how can having universal and paramount with dreamworks plus bbc and numerous other studios around the world and a installed hd dvd base of over 1million mean that hd dvd is dead
look at CNET and there reviews on high def players there are 3 hd dvds in the top 4 ps3 is number one because it plays games yet not everyone wants to play games some have a life to live!
people think if you say something over and over then its true!
warner tried to screw it in the worst way with its announcement timming,
when people start buying hd dvd players you watch the studios start swaying.
ljbanner said:
how can having universal and paramount with dreamworks plus bbc and numerous other studios around the world and a installed hd dvd base of over 1million mean that hd dvd is dead
look at CNET and there reviews on high def players there are 3 hd dvds in the top 4 ps3 is number one because it plays games yet not everyone wants to play games some have a life to live!
people think if you say something over and over then its true!
warner tried to screw it in the worst way with its announcement timming,
when people start buying hd dvd players you watch the studios start swaying.
ljbanner said:
how can having universal and paramount with dreamworks plus bbc and numerous other studios around the world and a installed hd dvd base of over 1million mean that hd dvd is dead
look at CNET and there reviews on high def players there are 3 hd dvds in the top 4 ps3 is number one because it plays games yet not everyone wants to play games some have a life to live!
people think if you say something over and over then its true!
warner tried to screw it in the worst way with its announcement timming,
when people start buying hd dvd players you watch the studios start swaying.
Jay Yarow said:
I feel bad for the person that sees the ad and then goes and buys the product. Especially if it is a really convincing ad. Some poor Best Buy employee will have to talk someone off the HD DVD ledge.
Henry Blodget said:
OMG. They might as well burn it in the backyard. Or buy everyone in the company a Ferrari.

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