HSN Partners With Sony Pictures in a Strategic and Unique Marketing Alliance to Support Launch of 'Eat Pray Love'

The Multichannel Retailer to Create a 360-Degree Multi-Platform Experience for Female Consumers, Dedicating 72 Hours of Programming And Featuring Unique Product Themed Around the Movie

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HSN

Jul 06, 2010, 10:26 ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., July 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Interactive multichannel retailer HSN announced today a strategic and unique marketing alliance with Sony Pictures aimed at supporting the studio's highly anticipated motion picture Eat Pray Love. HSN will be executing the most comprehensive 360-degree marketing campaign in its history, including 72 hours of original programming on August 6, 7, and 8 featuring unique products themed around the movie. Eat Pray Love will be released in theaters nationwide on August 13th.

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Commenting on the announcement, Marc Weinstock, president, Worldwide Marketing for Sony Pictures, said, "There are very few retailers out there that have the breadth and depth of HSN. This is a unique promotion that taps into its power as a content, community, and commerce platform, and we are excited to have them on board as a partner. This is a great opportunity for us to reach our target audience while extending the Eat Pray Love experience on the weekend prior to our release this August."

HSN, which reaches 95 million homes in the U.S., has a customer base that is approximately 83% female between the ages of 30-50 years old with an above average income. Its web site – hsn.com – is a top-ten trafficked e-commerce site. HSN is also currently the only retailer streaming live HD video across three screens – TV, online and mobile – and has a proprietary technology called Shop by Remote now available in more than 27 million homes.

"Eat Pray Love is an event motion picture for women, and we are very excited to partner with Sony Pictures in an alliance that allows us to support the film while also providing immersive content and product experiences for our core female consumer," said Mindy Grossman, CEO of HSN, Inc.. "Our customers will be able to experience the journey of traveling through Italy, India and Bali as we bring Eat Pray Love to life through stories, engaging personalities and unique products that complement the themes expressed in the movie. We have no doubt our customers will love Eat Pray Love!"

HSN will leverage multiple platforms to deliver a 360-degree experience for consumers in support of Eat Pray Love: TV, online, mobile, print advertising, public relations, events, and direct mail.

The 72-hour Eat Pray Love on-air event will incorporate appearances by more than 20 of HSN's partners and brands and feature more than 400 unique items across a variety of categories, including beauty, electronics, home decor, travel, cooking, jewelry, accessories and ready-to-wear. Partners and brands include Naeem Khan, Robin by Me & Ro, Rebecca Moses, Padma Lakshmi, Lancome, RK by Ranjana Khan, Hutton Wilkinson, Carlton Varney, Sony Electronics, Nicky Butler, V by Eva, Tagliamonte, Sajen Silver, Dalia, Clever Carriage, Casa di Francesca and Sarita Handa.

In line with the movie, HSN programming during the event will focus on three different countries: August 6 – Italy; August 7 – India; and August 8 – Bali.

Elizabeth Gilbert is a modern woman on a quest to travel the world while rediscovering and reconnecting with her true inner-self in Eat Pray Love. At a crossroads after a divorce, Gilbert takes a year-long sabbatical from her job and steps uncharacteristically out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life. In her wondrous and exotic travels, she experiences the simple pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy; the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of love in Bali. Based on an inspiring true story, Eat Pray Love proves that there really is more than one way to let yourself go and see the world. The film is directed by Ryan Murphy. The screenplay is by Ryan Murphy & Jennifer Salt, based on the book by Elizabeth Gilbert. Dede Gardner produces.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com.

About HSN

Headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, HSN is a leading interactive multichannel retailer, offering a curated assortment of exclusive products and top brand names to its customers. HSN incorporates experts, entertainment, inspiration, solutions, tips and ideas to provide an entirely unique shopping experience. At HSN, customers find exceptional selections in Health & Beauty (e.g. M. Asam, Carol's Daughter, Coty, FranBrand, FusionBeauty, Andrew Lessman's Procaps, Lancome, Perlier, Serious Skin Care, Wei East, ybf Beauty); Jewelry (e.g. Heidi Daus, Grayce by Molly Sims, R.J. Graziano, IMAN Global Chic, michaeLisa, Noir, Amedeo Scognamiglio, Tori Spelling, Signature Statement Serena Williams); Home/Lifestyle (e.g. Nate Berkus, Bissell, Colin Cowie, Dyson, Todd English, GreenPan with Thermolon, Emeril Lagasse, Joy Mangano, MoMA Design Store, Wolfgang Puck); Fashion/Accessories (e.g. American Glamour Badgley Mischka, Curations with Stefani Greenfield, Sam Edelman, Loulou de la Falaise, Chi by Carlos Falchi, Diane Gilman, "Timeless" by Naeem Khan, Adrienne Landau, Sharif); and Electronics.

A leader in transactional innovation, HSN is the only retailer offering live streaming video on three screens: TV network, which broadcasts live to 95 million households in the US in HD 24/7; hsn.com, which ranks in the top 30 of the top 500 internet retailers and features more than 16,000 product videos; and mobile. HSN, founded 33 years ago as the first shopping network, is an operating segment of HSN, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSNI).

SOURCE HSN