Horizon Media Hits the Beach with Nintendo Wii Brand Integration

horizonHorizon Media, the largest independent media services agency in America and the fastest growing in the industry, announces Wii console game integration for GEICO. The opportunity was developed in conjunction with strategic video game partner Engage In-Game Advertising, and will be featured within THQ Inc.’s upcoming release, Big Beach Sports, for the Wii system.

“GEICO continues to set the gold standard for diversification within their digital marketing efforts. This was a great opportunity for our client to intercept a specific audience in a meaningful way, while retaining the essence of the brand. It’s a perfect fit for our GEICO client who is always looking to change the face of advertising,” said Donald Williams, vice president digital strategy for Horizon Media.

Big Beach Sports is anticipated to bring outdoor sports action to beach goers worldwide in June 2008. Developed by HB Studios Multimedia, Big Beach Sports will let gamers compete in a number of exciting outdoor sports including American football, volleyball, soccer, bocce, cricket and disc golf right on the beach.

GEICO will sponsor targeted events with banners creatively positioned around designated beach areas. At the start of these events a simulated aerial camera will display the play area while panning across a GEICO banner.

“Big Beach Sports delivers a natural environment where brand sponsorship adds a realistic element commonly found at outdoor sporting events,” said David Smith, co-founder and president of Engage In-Game Advertising. “To compliment the enthusiastic social game play of the Wii platform, GEICO’S continual brand exposure will move with the action in a subtle and engaging way as consumers play Big Beach Sports over and over again.”

Nintendo sold more high-end video consoles in the US in the month of March than Sony and Microsoft combined, according to data released by market researcher NPD Group. Nintendo sold 350,000 Nintendo Wiis in the U.S. the first week of the holiday shopping season, the highest one-week U.S. sales total outside of its launch week the year prior. Dubbed as the “must-have” gift of the 2007 holiday season, the Nintendo Wii reached 5 million sold in the United States faster than any video game system in history, after only 12 months of availability there.

“We’re excited to bring GEICO to households across America with THQ Inc.’s Big Beach Sports for the Wii system that can be enjoyed all year long and engage our consumers in a fun and playful way,” said Ted Ward, GEICO’s vice president of marketing.

About Horizon Media
Founded in 1989, Horizon Media, Inc. is the largest US independent media services company. Dedicated to helping clients sell products and build brands through insightful marketing counsel, media-neutral strategic planning and effective negotiation and placement, Horizon’s exceptional holistic approach to brand marketing and development has resulted in estimated billings of $1.8 billion and established the company as the fastest growing agency in the industry. Headquartered in New York City with a full service office in Los Angeles, Horizon also has offices in Orlando, Atlanta, and Amsterdam, Netherlands. Horizon is also the founding member of Columbus Media International, a multi-national partnership of independent media agencies. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.horizonmedia.com.

About Engage
Engage is an independent video game advertising company, which connects advertisers to core and casual gamers across console, PC and mobile video game platforms. Engage provides strategic planning, implementation and creative development for dynamic in-game, static product and brand placement, branded game publishing and mobile game advertising. For more information, please visit www.engageadvertising.com.

About GEICO
GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the fourth-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. It provides auto insurance coverage for more than 8 million policyholders and insures more than 13 million vehicles. In addition to auto insurance, GEICO offers customers insurance products for their motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s), boats, homes, apartments and mobile homes. Personal umbrella protection and life insurance are also available. As a member of the Berkshire Hathaway group of companies, GEICO is rated A++ for financial stability by A.M. Best Company and ranks at the top of several national customer satisfaction surveys. For more information, go to http://www.geico.com.

Primary Contact:
Cindy Riccio
(212) 309-7906
[email protected]