Who can get 102 people to play a video game with Jillian Michaels? Wii can.
The Sports Authority and Nintendo of America joined together in November 2009 for a bold partnership to sell WiiTM and Wii Fit Plus in sporting good stores. The “We know fit. Wii know fun.” experience would allow customers to use in-store kiosks and knowledgeable trainers to try out Wii and Wii Fit before they buy, part of a new way to get fit.
What they needed was a national event to celebrate the launch in 102 Sports Authority stores. Working closely with Avista Studios in Chicago, Moses Anshell handled advance and on site media relations, along with organizing and structuring the event from landing the right talent to creating the right feel. We worked with “TV’s toughest trainer,’’ Jillian Michaels of ‘The Biggest Loser’, and her team on talking points, media training and more. And this was no ordinary event.
The scene: 102 people in the ‘largest Wii Fit Plus demonstration,’’ getting a workout with rhythm boxing while Jillian worked the crowd, offering encouragement here and tips there as the cameras rolled.
The PR effort also was a workout from courting Los Angeles media and morning shows to pitching top national entertainment programs, from outreach to mom and fitness blogs to using our expertise to land hits in the nation’s top video game industry press. Coverage included three live hits on ‘Good Day L.A.’ and stories in the nation’s largest newspapers and Web sites.
The result? Despite a very short timeframe and a last-minute change in cities, the event launched the Nintendo and Sports Authority partnership with national press, plenty of attention, and the power of Wii to help create a new way to get fit. Oh, and we landed more than 90 million impressions in a weekend.
