Blu-ray Evolution in SA

Courtesy of Charged Magazine

Blu-ray has certainly made its mark and it is expected that sales will be even more impressive in 2009.  It enjoyed tremendous success in 2008 with more than 22 million Blu-ray disk (BD) titles sold – a whopping 280% increase from 2007. And with this buoyancy, the local market now has access to a new, interactive website that focuses on high definition (HD) products, news and commerce, making it a one-stop-site for ‘newbies’ to the technology as well as enthusiasts.

This is according to Nelmari Claassens, Sony Pictures marketing manager at SterKinekor Entertainment, the driving force behind this initiative. “In 2008 we did a lot of groundwork to establish the format; in 2009 we are moving to the next stage of HD (High Definition) and our website will form an integral part of this drive.  We are evolving as the format becomes more accepted.”

The website will be rolled out in a phased approach; with features and content becoming available in the following months.  The initial platform will include standard movie content such as trailers; technological information on the Blu-ray format, PlayStation 3 and Sony Blu-ray players; links to among others Sony International, Sony Music and Sony Electronics SA; as well as access to SterKinekor Entertainment’s BD newsletter archives and BD stock listing with synopses of the titles and links to purchase. Adds Claassens, “The website will in the coming months also be partnering with prominent eTailers, enabling easy access to products and other information.”

To coincide with the launch of the website, the newsletter will now be delivered on a fortnightly basis. “We already have a strong newsletter subscriber base and with the website, we hope to grow it even further as it will essentially form a centralised point for Blu-ray users and enthusiasts to get up-to-date information and become part of the format community.”

Concludes Claassens: “The website has been developed by a multi-award winning company which is responsible for some of the country’s foremost e-commerce sites.”