Hollywood has a sizeable presence at games retail, with the summer’s biggest blockbusters lining the shelves in video game form – but now Koch tis turning to something a little closer to home. The company’s new As Seen On TV series brings some of the longest-running and most beloved British TV programmes to video games for the first time, tapping into a established audience.
“In line with Koch Media’s casual games strategy, we are expecting to expand our market share in casual games,” says sales and marketing director Paul Nicholls. “We’re using brands that are instantly recognisable by consumers and will attract an even more casual gamer, especially over the gift buying seaon.”
The range kicks off in August with Ready Steady Cook. With Cooking Mama and similar titles already massive hits on Wii and DS, this recognisable brand stands to perform well.
Gamers compete against one of five chefs to create the most impressive dish, and players will experience all the challenges of the cooking process. Once finished, fans even get to use the series’ famous green pepper and red tomato voting system to decide on a winner.
FINGERS ON BUZZERS
A double helping arrives in October, with Family Fortunes and Countdown hitting both Nintendo formats. Family Fortunes recreates the familiar structure of the popular family quiz show, coinciding nicely with the start of the new series in September.
Contestants work their way up through the usual rounds of Single, Double and Big Money. The game even features commentary from host Vernon Kay.
Perhaps the most recognisable of the range’s gameshows, Countdown will bring word and maths puzzles to Nintendo gamers. With more than 4,600 episodes under its belt, players will be familiar with the rounds in the game.
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The next wave arrives in November with two titles that turn to more active series as their source material.
First up is The Ultimate Red Ball Challenge on Wii, based on the BBC’s Total Wipeout, the most watched entertainment show on Saturdays with a weekly audience of 6.2 million viewers.
Players use the Remote and Nunchuk to take on a range of outlandish, water-based assault courses against the clock. Only by getting the quickest time will they reach the round, each of which is introduced by Richard Hammond.
Also arriving in time for the new series is I’m A Celebrity: Get Me Out Of Here on Wii and DS, giving players the chance to see if they could survive the horrors washed-up stars go through every Christmas.
Fans must tackle the Bushtucker Trials and can expect some of the most unorthodox mini-games, all of which no doubt involve creepy crawlies, as they attempt to secure food for the camp and avoid elimination.
Finally, March 2010 sees the arrival of Coronation Street on DS, marking the video game debut for the world’s longest-running TV show. With an each episode boasting around 10 million viewers, this game has the largest established audience of the As Seen On TV titles.
Players take on the role of a detective as they work through a brand new storyline and befriend the various characters from the Street, including Ken, Norris, Maria and Blanche.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Koch will be marketing the As Seen On TV titles as a range to get maximum exposure for all of its titles.
“Our consumer marketing strategy has been created to target audiences that cover casual gamers and fans of the show,” explains Nicholls. “This can be seen in the four-tiered approach we have taken, which covers all major weekly TV publications, top lifestyles magazines, celebrity print and specialist publications, and has an estimated reach of over 14 million readers.”
Extensive print advertising will appear in TV, lifestyle, celebrity and specialist publications from August to November, which will be complemented by an online campaign centred around reskins, banners and skyscrapers on key websites.
A four-month PR campaign kicks off in September, aiming to get the As Seen On TV range featured in Christmas ‘wish lists’, front of book editorials and competitions. As well as targeting quality publications, Koch will be arranging competitions with select radio stations.
“The As Seen On TV range delivers highly recognised TV show gaming experiences to retail,” says Nicholls. “Suitable for the whole family, the range delivers great fun for all and offers the ideal gift for all the family no matter what the occasion may be.
“Trade focus will take advantage of retailer gifting campaigns and dedicated in store space throughout the peak period. Opportunities to create visual impact in-store for the range will be maximised and the key aim will be to bring the range together under an overarching gifting message in all channels.”
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