SyFy Celebrates 10th Anniversary as Landmark Sponsor of Comic-Con, 7/21-25

By: Jul. 14, 2010
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Whether on stage, online, via mobile, walking the streets, the red carpet or biting into a juicy burger, Syfy will celebrate its 10th anniversary as a landmark sponsor of Comic-Con International in San Diego (July 21-25) through a diverse multi-media campaign that will interact with tens of thousands of fans inside and outside the Convention Center, it was announced today by Blake Callaway, Senior Vice President, Brand and Strategic Marketing, Syfy.

Syfy's 2010 Comic-Con plans will feature five panels showcasing stars and creative talent from its popular series Warehouse 13, Eureka, Caprica, Stargate Universe and Sanctuary; a special screening of the Syfy Saturday Original Movie Mega Piranha, hosted by 1980s pop music idol Tiffany, who co-stars along with Debbie Gibson in the upcoming Mega Python Vs Gatoroid - and will introduce an exclusive clip from the film, and extensive Digital and Mobile offerings from the launch of Syfy.com/Comiccon to iPhone apps.

On the ground marketing initiatives will include Syfy Brand Ambassadors blanketing San Diego's downtown Gaslamp District distributing more than 25,000 coveted premiums. At the core of activity will be the return of Comic Con 2009's most talked about marketing initiative, Cafe Diem. Based on the fictitious restaurant in Eureka (with menu items ranging from Lou Diamond Flapjacks, Cylon Caesar Salad and Syfy Myty to Greaterade, a word play on the marketing tagline Imagine Greater), Cafe Diem last year reached more than 150K customers.

For the fourth consecutive year, Syfy will be holding its annual star-studded party with Entertainment Weekly. Syfy will also be partnering with Xbox 360 and Zune, kicking off their first ever Comic-Con advertising partnership.

Said Callaway: "This is Syfy's 10th year at Comic-Con, which has become a marquee event for fans and the media. Our first trip to San Diego was just a few marketing employees. Now we mobilize a small army of stars, show creators and staff so those attending the convention can fully experience the imagination of the Syfy brand. In particular, we're very excited for the return of our branded restaurant Cafe Diem, inspired by our hit show Eureka, one of many creative initiatives we'll be providing during the five days of Comic-Con."

SYFY 2010 COMIC-CON CAMPAIGN

PANELS

Friday, July 23:

· Stargate Universe - Featuring Robert Carlyle (Dr. Nicholas Rush), David Blue (Eli Wallace), Ming-Na (Camile Wray), and Louis Ferreira (Colonel Everett Young), moderated by Robert Cooper (Series Co-Creator).

· Caprica - Featuring Alessandra Torresani (Zoe Graystone), Sasha Roiz (Sam Adama), Ronald D. Moore (Co-Creator/Executive Producer) and David Eick (Executive Producer) and moderated by Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times.

· Syfy Friday Night Screening - All-new episodes of Eureka guest-starring Wil Wheaton and Haven, featuring a special introduction from Jaime Paglia (Co-Creator/Executive Producer/Writer, Eureka), Haven co-star Eric Balfour and Wheaton.

· Syfy Original Movies and Chiller Present Mega Piranha - Late-night screening of this terrifyingly fun Syfy thriller Mega Piranha hosted by star and 80's pop music icon, Tiffany. As co-star of the upcoming Mega Python Vs Gatoroid, Tiffany, along with the movie's director Mary Lambert (Pet Sematary), will introduce an exclusive clip from the movie. Plus the screening will feature bonus looks at scary good entertainment from sibling channel Chiller.

Saturday, July 24:

· Sanctuary - Moderated by Josh Gates (Destination Truth) and featuring Amanda Tapping (Helen Magnus), Robin Dunne (Will Zimmerman), Martin Wood (Executive Producer), & Damian Kindler (Executive Producer).

· Warehouse 13 & Eureka - Back-to-back Warehouse 13 and Eureka panels, featuring Warehouse 13's Eddie McClintock (Pete Lattimer), Joanne Kelly (Myka Bering), Saul Rubinek (Artie Nielsen), Allison Scagliotti (Claudia Donovan), Jack Kenny (Showrunner/Executive Producer) and Eureka's Colin Ferguson (Jack Carter), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (Allison Blake), Neil Grayston (Douglas Fargo), James Callis (Dr. Grant), Jaime Paglia (Co-Creator/Executive Producer/Writer), and Bruce Miller (Executive Producer/Writer). The Eureka panel will be moderated by Allison Scagliotti and The Warehouse13 panel will be moderated by Neil Grayston.

DIGITAL/MOBILE

· Syfy.com/Comiccon will contain a complete schedule of Syfy events, links to the store, fan club, video coverage of all Syfy panels and the ability to view photos from the Cafe Diem photo booth during the Convention.

· Last year the Comic-Con iPhone App generated more than 60k downloads and more than two million page views. The 2010 version provides the ability to share Comic-Con photos; view, rank and order photo booth prints, check into Syfy events with Foursquare and follow Syfy on Twitter.

· @Syfy will be tweeting from San Diego.

· Using the social networking site Foursquare, consumers will be able to check into Syfy talent panels and Cafe Diem to win a prize pack.

CAFE DIEM

· At the 2009 Comic-Con, Syfy transformed Maryjane's restaurant at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego into Cafe Diem and sales were the highest they have ever been for a four-day period.

· This year, patrons will be able to take photos with their favorite Syfy show backdrop (Ghost Hunters, Eureka, Warehouse 13 and Stargate Universe), then go to Syfy.com/Comiccon to download their photo or share it with their friends on Facebook and Twitter, among other social networking sites.

PARTY

· For the fourth consecutive year, Syfy will be partnering with Entertainment Weekly for the hottest exclusive (Saturday, July 24) industry event, including talent from Syfy series Warehouse 13, Eureka, Caprica, Stargate Universe and Sanctuary. Last year's attendees included Jennifer Love Hewitt, Seth MacFarlane, Zachary Quinto and Jesse McCartney, along with the casts of Glee, Vampire Diaries and True Blood.

Xbox 360, Kinect for Xbox 360 and Zune

· For the first time ever, Syfy has a Comic-Con sponsor, Xbox 360 and Zune.

· Within the Syfy/Entertainment Weekly party, Xbox will receive a branded suite in which partygoers can demo their newest gaming system, Kinect for Xbox 360.

· At Cafe Diem, Xbox 360 and Zune will have a presence including branded menu items and promos, all of which will highlight Syfy programming on the Zune entertainment service on Xbox 360.

· Zune will carry all extended Syfy trailers from Comic-Con on their platform after the show panels and can be viewed on Xbox LIVE.

OUTSIDE THE CONVENTION CENTER

· Syfy Brand Ambassadors will take over the downtown Gaslamp district, flanked by a seven-foot Imagine Greater balloon, distributing more than 30K coveted premiums.

STORE

· Consumers can go to The Rock Shop within The Hard Rock Hotel or to syfy.com/comiccon to purchase Syfy merchandise including Destination Truth, Warehouse 13, Eureka, and Ghost Hunters International t-shirts as well as new specialty items such as the Fargo bobble heads.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 96 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)



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