eTAGZ and Sierra Online Partner in Cross Marketing Drink Lid Promotion for FreeStyle Street Basketball Online Video Game

eTAGZ and Sierra Online Partner in Cross Marketing Drink Lid Promotion for FreeStyle Street Basketball Online Video Game

SEATTLE, March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Soon the U.S. will enter into the annual frenzy that grips our national sports psyche: college basketball tournament season. Millions of rabid fans will follow their favorite teams' progress in sports bars, arenas, on living room TV's and online. So how can an enterprising retailer get into the game?

With soda, a video game, and a tournament of its own-using a cup lid as a "mobile" billboard.

"The team at ampm looked at one of its best customer bases, the on-the-go young adult between 18 and 24," said Jackson Weaver, CEO of eTAGZ. "What does that group love besides fast snacks and soda? Sports and online games. A basketball promotion is natural."

Enter eTAGZ, the company that holds the patent for the digital hang tag, a CD-ROM that contains rich media content. Partnering with Sierra Online, a division of Vivendi Games, eTAGZ will distribute one million copies of FreeStyle Street Basketball(TM), a fast-paced massively multiplayer online PC basketball game, which will be attached to drink lids and given away by ampm with 44 ounce soft drinks. Lids will be available in a prominently-positioned point of purchase display.

"One million games may sound like a lot," notes Weaver. "But keep in mind that ampm's 911 stores sold enough soda last year to fill the Rose Bowl - without ice!" The eTAGZ will have additional entertaining content from other retailers and manufacturers specific to this demographic.

Featured on CNBC's Innovations, eTAGZ has been a party to many such partnerings, notably the recent release of a line of Rocaware denims with an eTAGZ of Rihanna's latest hit, Umbrella, attached. An upcoming promotion for Heelys, manufacturer of wheeled footwear, partners Sierra Online's Switchball(TM) game with Heelys' latest shoe design for gamers.

To top off the ampm promotion, ampm will co-sponsor an online tournament of FreeStyle Street Basketball toward the end of March when so many eyes are following basketball. Sixty-four three-person teams will compete for significant prizes over a two-week period. For more information about FreeStyle Street Basketball, visit the official Web site at www.FreeStyleStreetBasketball.com

"We're all very excited about this promotion," said Weaver. "It gives added value to ampm's customers, exposes them to other products that they would enjoy, it's interactive and fun, and ties into a sports fanatic's favorite time of year. What's not to love?"

ampm is owned and operated by BP. For further information, visit their website www.ampm.com

About eTAGZ

eTAGZ - the Digital Hang Tag Company - is a Seattle-based firm that holds the patent on the "digital hang tag." eTAGZ are any digital media (CDs, DVD, etc) that contain rich media content for consumers -- everything from video and games to music and promotions -- to drive consumers deeper into a product's branding and create co-marketing platforms that are targeted and track-able.

About FreeStyle Street Basketball

FreeStyle Street Basketball is rated E for Everyone. Its easy-to-learn controls allow players to master every move, from simple shots to crazy alleyoop dunks, using just four keys. Gamers can play 1-on-1, 2-on-2 or 3-on- 3 street basketball online against people from around the country. The game boasts an exclusive soundtrack featuring Lloyd Banks, Young Hot Rod and Sha Money XL and clothing and gear from Marc Ecko Enterprises and Elwood. The globally popular FreeStyle Street Basketball has more than 30 million players in Asia.

About Sierra Online

Sierra Online, a division of Vivendi Games, creates and publishes quality short- and mid-session, casual online games for all viable gaming platforms. Sierra Online's titles include award-winning Xbox(R) LIVE Arcade games Assault Heroes(TM) and Switchball(TM), in addition to 3D Ultra(TM) Minigolf Adventures, available for Xbox LIVE Arcade and Windows PC, and FreeStyle Street Basketball(TM), an online Windows-based PC game from leading Korean developer JC Entertainment, Inc. The division is also developing a variety of other Xbox LIVE Arcade and Windows-based PC online games targeting the mass- market audience.

   Contact: Michelle Tennant   Wasabi Publicity, Inc.   828-749-3200   828-817-4034 (after hours)   Photos & online press kit: www.etagz.presskit247.com   michelle@publicityresults.com  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: eTAGZ

CONTACT: Michelle Tennant, Wasabi Publicity, Inc., +1-828-749-3200,
+1-828-817-4034 (after hours), michelle@publicityresults.com

Web site: http://www.ampm.com/
http://www.freestylestreetbasketball.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: For photos and further information on eTAGZ please visit www.etagz.presskit247.com, or contact Michelle Tennant at 828-749-3200 or email: michelle@publicityresults.com.

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Profile: International Entertainment