REDWOOD CITY, Calif., – August 9, 2010 – As fans eagerly await the arrival of Madden NFL 11, Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) will be marking the launch of the 22nd edition of the game on August 9th with a Mardi Gras-themed event in New Orleans, entitled Madden Gras. As part of the event, EA SPORTS Orlando-based Tiburon studio, which develops the game, will make a $100,000 donation to the National Wildlife Federation to assist in the Gulf Coast oil spill relief and wetlands restoration efforts.
Madden Gras, represents one integral component of a broader marketing campaign in support of Madden NFL 11 that also includes television and online advertising, the Madden NFL 11 Pigskin Pro-Am (airing on NBC on August 8), and a behind-the-scenes show chronicling the “Making of Madden NFL” airing on NFL Network on August 10.
“New Orleans is the perfect setting for Madden NFL fans to celebrate one of the most anticipated gaming events of the year in the launch of Madden NFL 11 and we’re honored to give back to the region through this donation to the National Wildlife Federation,” said Tom Goedde, Vice President of Marketing for EA SPORTS. “The integrated marketing campaign brings Madden to the People via dozens of touch points, leveraging the strength of a break-through feature set and the cultural significance of this franchise.”
Marketing extensions in support of Madden NFL 11 reinforce key game enhancements, targeted at hardcore and casual gamers alike. Madden NFL 11 is SIMPLER, featuring the all-new GameFlow system that condenses team playbooks based on authentic situational game plans; QUICKER, enabling players to complete a FULL game in HALF the time; and DEEPER, providing enhanced online functionality, as well as new broadcast and audio presentation.
Madden Gras
Held in New Orleans, in honor of Drew Brees, the first fan-voted cover athlete in the history of the franchise, Madden Gras will resemble an authentic New Orleans-styled event. Madden Gras will include a parade through some of New Orleans most popular streets, featuring themed floats and commemorative beads, appearances by several former NFL superstars and musical guests. As the official retail partner of Madden Gras, GameStop will host first-to-play game kiosks for fans to get ready for the midnight launch. Musical guests playing at Madden Gras include Big Boi and local New Orleans bands such as Galactic, Cowboy Mouth, and the Rebirth Brass Band. Appearances will also be made by former NFL superstars including Marshall Faulk, Rickey Jackson (member of the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame class), Marcus Allen, Deuce McAllister and Bobby Hebert, among others.
Madden NFL 11 Advertising Campaign
On August 2, EA SPORTS introduced the first phase of its national advertising campaign in support of Madden NFL 11 for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The “Madden to the People” advertising campaign captures the passion and excitement that fans around the nation have for the best selling sports video game franchise of all-time. In the commercial, NFL superstars including Madden NFL 11 cover athlete Drew Brees (Saints), Ray Lewis (Ravens), Mario Williams (Texans), Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals), Justin Tuck (Giants), Antonio Gates and Luis Castillo (Chargers) surprise hardcore and casual fans in New York, New Jersey, Dallas, and San Diego for one-on-one match-ups in Madden NFL 11. Visit the EA SPORTS Madden NFL 11 Facebook page and YouTube Channel to view the new commercials and webisodes featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the making of “Madden to the People” at www.facebook.com/EASPORTSMaddenNFL or www.youtube.com/EASPORTS.
The second phase of the campaign, entitled “Plan Accordingly,” supports Madden NFL 11 for Xbox 360 and highlights key game enhancements such as GameFlow, which allows fans to play a FULL game of Madden in HALF the time without sacrificing any of the authenticity and drama. The “Plan Accordingly” campaign features three commercials showing players, ranging in age from an adult to a child, working in a game of Madden NFL 11 in the same amount of time it takes to do everyday tasks such as walking a dog, practicing the piano or putting a baby to sleep. The spots began appearing on August 5th.
Television commercials are airing across several major broadcast networks and customized digital advertising is featured on a variety of popular websites including AOL, ESPN, Yahoo, and Facebook, among others.
Television Shows (Madden NFL 11 Pigskin Pro-Am & Making of Madden)
For the second straight year, EA SPORTS hosted the Madden NFL 11 Pigskin Pro-Am, a match-up pitting two teams mixed with NFL legends and Hollywood celebrities in a high-scoring flag football game. The game appeared on NBC prior to the Pro Football Hall of Fame game on August 8 featuring the Dallas Cowboys vs. Cincinnati Bengals. Competing from Malibu, California, the two teams were led by Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Joe Montana and Kurt Warner, and featured an all-star roster of talent including NFL legends Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, and Deion Sanders and celebrities Craig Robinson, Maria Menounos and Stacy Keibler. The Gamers, led by Joe Montana, prevailed 90-89, and Maria Menounos was named the Madden NFL 11 Pigskin Pro-Am MVP.
The Madden NFL 11 Pigskin Pro-Am will re-air on NFL Network on August 19 at 8 pm EST.
The “Making of Madden NFL,” a 60 minute program that showcases the story of how Madden Football grew to become a cultural phenomenon and airs on NFL Network on August 10 at 8pm EST.
Madden NFL 11 in Stores on August 10
Madden NFL 11 launches nationwide on Tuesday, August 10 and redefines the way you experience the game of football.
· SIMPLER: From 350 plays down to 1, the all-new GameFlow system puts you in the helmet of an NFL quarterback to execute an authentic, situational game plan, one play at a time.
· QUICKER: With 60-minute game times reduced to as little as 30 minutes, spend more time on the field and less in the playbook. FULL games, HALF the time.
· DEEPER: Madden NFL 11 is feature-rich including all-new 3-on-3 Online Team Play, improved animations, more intuitive controls, and Madden NFL Ultimate Team, all to the play-by-play of the most exciting voice in sports, Gus Johnson.
Madden NFL 11 will feature Online Pass, a one-time use registration code with each Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 copy sold new at retail which allows access to online services and features – including online multiplayer modes, such as Head-to-Head, Team Play, and Online Franchise, as well as 50 bonus scouting reports for use in head-to-head online games.
Madden NFL 11 is available on the Xbox 360® video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3, Wii™, and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system. Simultaneous mobile releases of Madden NFL 11 will be available for iPad™, iPod® touch and feature phones. A version for Android™ phones will be available later in the year.
Madden NFL 11 is developed in Orlando, Florida by the EA Tiburon studio, which also produces NCAA® Football, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR®, and EA SPORTS™ MMA.
For more information about Madden NFL 11 please visit maddenNFL.easports.com.
EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers experiences that ignite the emotions of sport through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA ELITE basketball, NCAA® Football and NCAA Basketball, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS Active.
For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game communities, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.
All player participation has been facilitated by NFL PLAYERS, the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association.
Editors Note:
To view new commercials and pictures from Madden Gras and the Madden NFL 11 Pigskin Pro-Am, visit www.facebook.com/EASPORTSMaddenNFL or www.youtube.com/EASPORTS.
