Sony 2006 Annual Report Download - page 19

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European markets, which was accomplished in a very short period.
Moreover, owing to S-LCD’s swift adoption of seventh-generation
amorphous TFT LCD panels, production of large-screen displays
is highly efficient and cost effective. Sony Panels are mounted
onto television chassis at Sony EMCS Corporation’s Inazawa TEC,
an LCD television plant in Japan, while assembly into finished
products is conducted at Sony manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Inazawa TEC is set up to control all stages of the manufacturing
process, from parts procurement to production and distribution,
an approach that has enhanced operating efficiency, lowered
costs by increasing internal sourcing and ensured a flexible supply.
To further raise productivity, preparations are under way for S-LCD
to ship panels directly to manufacturing facilities in the United
States and Europe.
* Excludes some models
Fast Response Time
8-millisecond response time
The Sony Panel’s fast response time suppresses the afterimages characteristic
of LCD televisions, enabling BRAVIA TVs to display sports and other fast-moving
action clearly.
S-LCD
S-LCD, our joint venture with
Samsung, produces seventh-
generation amorphous TFT LCD
panels. In July 2006, monthly
output capacity increased to
75,000 panels. Moreover, we
have set a monthly output target
of 90,000 panels for the start of
2007. S-LCD is also preparing to commence production of eighth-generation
amorphous TFT LCDs in autumn 2007, positioning it in response to demand for
LCD televisions with increasingly large screens.
David Patton
Senior Vice-President of
Marketing Communications,
Sony Europe
European Marketing Campaign
To launch BRAVIA and bring the “Colour like.no.other” message
to life in a truly memorable way, it was imperative that we create a
TV commercial like no other. Rather than focus on technical detail,
we sought to deliver an emotionally powerful experience that would
engage and inspire consumers all across Europe. To communicate
colour we chose a simple visual metaphor—250,000 brightly
coloured bouncy balls—and to make this commercial like no other,
we filmed these balls being dropped down the steep streets of San
Francisco. Crucially, we did this for real—no computer graphics were
used at any stage—and we immediately captured the imagination of
the public. Whilst we were still filming in San Francisco, home movies
and blogs about our shoot were appearing all over the Internet and
word quickly spread around the world—to the extent that when the
finished commercial was released, there was already a great sense
of awareness and expectation of BRAVIA. In fact, “Bouncy Balls” has
become one of the most talked about commercials in Europe this year.
It’s a great example of how creativity further differentiates our product
lines while enhancing the Sony brand.
* “like.no.other” is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation.
“Colour like.no.other™”
Technology
Sony Panels manufactured by S-LCD possess such advanced
features as horizontal and vertical viewing angles of 178 degrees,
outstanding contrast and a fast response time. High-end BRAVIA
televisions incorporate the Full-Spec High Vision Panel (1,920 x
1,080 pixels), enabling them to receive HD broadcasts without
modification, allowing for smooth reproduction and extraordinarily
detailed images.
The BRAVIA line of LCD televisions also makes use of other
proprietary Sony technologies, such as the BRAVIA Engine™*, a state-
of-the-art digital processor, and the Live Color Creation™ backlight
system*, which significantly boosts the range of colors reproduced.
BRAVIA’s beautiful picture reflects these superior panels, along
with Sony’s 35-plus years of experience in the development of
high-quality imaging technologies for Trinitron color televisions.
* Excludes some models
Wide Viewing Angle
178-degree viewing angle from all directions
With the Sony Panel, each pixel contains two distinct sub-pixels, in contrast to
conventional LCDs, which use single-segment pixels. The sub-pixels are
manipulated independently, facilitating wide viewing angles.
Outstanding Contrast
Contrast ratio: 1,300:1 (based on Japan Electronics and Information Technology
Industries Association [JEITA] standards)
The Sony Panel’s technology greatly improves contrast, yielding deeper blacks at
minimum brightness and purer whites at maximum brightness.
Marketing
In addition to attractive product features, effective advertising and
marketing played a key role in the successful launch of the
BRAVIA line.
We achieved high brand awareness in a short period of time by
implementing a full-scale, global marketing program. We doubled
our annual advertising budget in Europe and Japan and conducted
our largest-ever promotions in North America. Moreover, close
communication between the TV Business Group, regional sales
companies and Inazawa TEC, the core manufacturing facility for
BRAVIA, enabled us to adjust supply to market demand and alter
product specifications and designs to match customer preferences
in different markets.