MLB The Show

As another baseball season approached, Sony found itself in the marketing equivalent of a bases-loaded jam. Each March, the release of MLB: The Show led off with huge buzz and massive sales at launch, but then quickly slumped by the end of spring training.

If MLB: The Show’s brand proposition is “So Real It’s Unreal”, there should be no delineation between the game and the sport. And, since both were launching near-simultaneously, an opportunity existed to capitalize on the fans’ optimism and passion, which is never higher than at the start of the season.