Basingstoke, 30th March 2009 – Following the success of the EXperience campaign, Sony Professional today announced the launch of a new customer engagement strategy called the Star Programme. The programme sees the creation of a series of over 250 events, from tutorials and customer-led workshops to larger brand-led interactive showcases, delivered across Western and Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

The EXperience campaign is a dedicated awareness programme focused on the EX range of broadcast camcorders and has so far seen more than 5000 people, from across Europe, registering for the project. It is managed by a team of independently certified training experts running tutorials and hands-on training programmes for Sony Professional’s customers.

David Bush, director of marketing, Sony Professional, said, “Our Experience campaign has been one of our most successful marketing campaigns and taught us that customers want tailored programmes delivered to them locally, supported by ongoing communications and support through the year. The Star Programme builds on this and delivers a new customer engagement model fit for the 21st century and the new media age, one that takes Sony to the customer.”

The Star Programme, includes the following events:
• Star events – a series of 8 customer ‘experience’ events, across the EMEA region, delivered by Sony Professional and partners
• Starlite – specifically aimed at taking the Sony Professional experience to customers and partners in Africa, the CIS and Middle East
• Star roadshow – a showcase  demonstrating the  breadth of Sony Professional’s solutions portfolio, focused on Eastern and Western Europe
• Experience – a series of training events delivered by Sony Professional’s Independently Certified Experts (ICE network)

The events will be complemented by a number of year-round initiatives that give Sony’s customers access to Sony’s expertise, solutions and support, including the launch of a new digital TV channel, “b.link”, which provides targeted video content to the Sony Specialist Dealers network.
 
Bush added, “In the current economic climate, we believe that we should be investing money directly in our customers and taking our message and solutions to them rather relying on them coming to us. The Star programme ensures that we can engage with customers most effectively and provide a level of service and attention which is often not possible at the bigger more traditional events.”

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About Sony Corporation
Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and on-line businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world.  Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $88 billion (Euro 55.44 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008.  Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

About Sony Professional
Sony Professional, a division of Sony Europe, is the leading supplier of AV/IT solutions to businesses across a wide variety of sectors including, Media and Broadcast, Video Security and Retail, Transport & Large Venue markets. It delivers products, systems and applications to enable the creation, manipulation and distribution of digital audio-visual content that add value to businesses and their customers.  With over 25 years’ experience in delivering innovative market-leading products, Sony Professional is ideally placed to deliver exceptional quality and value to its customers. Sony's Professional Services division, its systems integration arm, offers its customers access to the expertise and local knowledge of skilled professionals across Europe. Collaborating with a network of established technology partners, Sony delivers end to end solutions that address the customer's needs, integrating software and systems to achieve each organisations' individual business goals. For more information please visit www.sonybiz.net.