Retailer: Toys `R’ Us

Promotion: Win Everything PlayStation 2 Sweepstakes only at Toys `R’ Us

Number of Participating Stores: 1,000

Length of Promotion: Five weeks

Toys `R’ Us is pulling out all the promotional stops for PlayStation 2, Sony’s much anticipated PlayStation console follow-up, which promises to revolutionize the gaming and home entertainment biz as we know it. In support of the release, Toys `R’ Us is running a sweepstakes that will furnish one winner with his or her own PS2, all available peripherals, plus every game title Sony releases for the console in the next calendar year.

Valued at US$5,000, the sweepstakes is the biggest initiative TRU has coordinated for the launch of a new console, including Sega Dreamcast’s rollout last year.

‘Dreamcast was big, and we did support it, but there was more of a video gamer hype surrounding that launch,’ says Jeff Cramer, promotions manager at TRU. ‘Sony PlayStation 2 has much greater home entertainment capabilities than Dreamcast does,’ he adds, ‘which is why we feel it demands more of a marketing push behind it.’

Indeed, the PS2 (US$300) aims to become the epicenter of every household’s entertainment system. Besides offering gamers high-res 3-D graphics, the PS2 comes Internet-ready, so you can browse the web or compete on-line with other gamers; it also runs DVDs, CDs VCDs, and will even play your old PlayStation games. ‘It’s taking video games, the PC and home entertainment to the next level,’ says Cramer. TRU is hoping the PS2’s multiple functions will also allow it to drive sales to other areas in its stores. ‘We’re going to leave it up to Sony to educate consumers on the capabilities of the system, but we may call things out in certain departments. For example, we may say to consumers, `okay, you’ve bought your PlayStation 2, now come over here and check out some of the great family DVDs you can watch on it,” says Cramer.

TRU will announce the winner of the sweepstakes on October 26, the same day the PS2 is scheduled to go on sale.