Marketer: Sega of America-Peter Moore, senior VP of marketing

Markets: North American

The idea: To position the Sega Dreamcast gaming system as an intelligent, powerful force and re-establish Sega as a core gaming brand with teens and young adults.

Agency: Foote, Cone & Belding, San Francisco

Steve Fong and Brian Bacino, senior VPs and creative directors; Rishi Shourie, art director; Dann Wilkens, copywriter; John Dentino and Ann Joyce, digital artists

The campaign:

Viral (print campaign): Four ads featuring the Sega swirl incorporated into organic shapes ran during May and June in gaming publications.

Tease (TV and print campaign): Six TV spots created by Pacific Data Images and Imaginary Forces are running from June 28 until the September 9 retail launch of the Dreamcast system. Three Tease spots will kick off the campaign, with several more pre-launch spots premiering in August. The spots will air about 950 times on MTV alone, with additional buys on the WB, Fox, ESPN and ESPN2. Print ads appearing in gaming publications during July and August will mirror the TV spots.

Hot Topics (movie trailers): Two advertorial movie trailers focusing on film and pop culture events are being sponsored by Sega in partnership with Pepsi. The trailers are appearing on about 11,000 screens across the U.S. from June through August.

MTV Video Music Awards: Sega is sponsoring the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards, which airs live on 9-9-99 (September 9, 1999), the day the Dreamcast console launches at retail. Six new launch ads will appear before and during the awards, and the system will appear in the post-awards party.

Product Placement: Sega is currently conducting a celebrity and sport seeding program to provide key people in the entertainment industry with gaming systems. The consoles will also be placed in TV shows, movies and music events.

Promotions: Sega is promoting Dreamcast through alternative music festivals and radio stations across the U.S. Local consumer market promotions will feature a sweepstakes offering trips to the MTV Video Music Awards.