AXN - Sony Ericsson

CYRIL: SIMPLY MAGIC & SONY ERICSSON
Campaign Objectives
Sony Ericsson wished to establish an emotional connection with Asian audiences and needed a unique concept that could transcend cultural, language barriers and bring smiles to faces.

AXN appeals to Sony Ericsson’s target audience which ranges from “man-on-the-street” to affluent tech-savvy adults. Through the universally understood concept of magic, the show idea of Cyril: Simply Magic was born. This AXN Original Production fulfilled Sony Ericsson’s campaign objectives of seamless product integration and creating that emotional bond while making it relevant to different types of Asian viewers.

Cyril: Simply Magic drew 11 million viewers across Asia during its run.

Content Integration
AXN teamed up with one of the hottest magicians in the world - Cyril, Japan’s superstar illusionist in Japan renowned on TV as well as cyberspace. Cyril: Simply Magic follows his journey through key iconic cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei, where he meets with the locals, learn about their cultures, and be inspired for his magic acts that are set to touch the hearts of viewers.

The three-part special presented seamless product integration of Sony Ericsson phones into the various magic performances and showcased the gadgets and their ease of use throughout the entire series. It also provided multiple platforms and touch points for Sony Ericsson to interact with consumers.

Branding
Besides production integration, Sony Ericsson also enjoyed extensive branding on-air (opening/closing billboards and promo trailers with Sony Ericsson), in print (both in-market and regional magazines), online (microsite, email tags and online contest), on radio, on outdoor sites, electronic direct mailers and viewer contests.