Panini will distribute four million packs of its new Adrenalyn basketball cards– and 2.5 million game boards to get kids hooked on collecting.
Panini America will launch a new NBA-themed interactive trading card game – Adrenalyn – with an event during this year’s NBA All-Star week. The company will also take its show on the road, distributing cards and game boards to fans at 13 NBA arenas between now and the end of the season.
Adrenalyn is a new game designed for kids that includes a 450-card set of NBA trading cards. The interactive game is geared to children ages 6 to 11. Veteran stars Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade and NBA rookies Tyreke Evans, Blake Griffin, and Brandon Jennings are among those included.
In addition to a full-color photo on glossy stock, the front of each Adrenalyn card features an offensive, defensive, and overall rating so kids can play the game using the Adrenalyn game board. The unique authorization code on the back of each card allows kids to upload their cards online to a virtual collector’s album and play the game at www.paniniadrenalyn.com.
Adrenalyn cards, collector’s kits and starter sets are available at NBAStore.com and several major discount department stores around the country.
“I’m really excited about Panini and Adrenalyn. We both share a vision about how we can bring energy back into the trading card category, and Panini has a great strategy to do that.” said Bryant, who is helping with marketing efforts as Panini’s paid spokesman.
During NBA All-Star week in North Texas, Panini will distribute one million packs of Adrenalyn cards at various league events, including NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas, the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam. The expected game day crowd of over 90,000 fans will also receive packs. The day of the All-Star Game, Sunday, Feb. 14, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram will distribute more than 250,000 packs of Adrenalyn cards.
Panini will then distribute four million Adrenalyn trading card packs and 2.5 million game boards to introduce the interactive game to kids across the country throughout the remainder of the NBA season.
Distribution will take place through a multifaceted program that includes newspaper insert activations, Adrenalyn Nights at NBA games and a multi-city Adrenalyn Tour that will visit retail locations, high-traffic areas, NBA arenas and youth sports organizations. An integrated advertising campaign geared toward kids, which will include TV, print, radio, online and viral campaigns featuring NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant, will support the Adrenalyn product.
“We believe the best way to introduce this exciting new product to kids is to get it in their hands. No one in the card industry has ever supported a new product to this level with this amount of sampling,” said Mark Warsop, Chief Executive Officer of Panini America. “The Adrenalyn game is a fun, engaging game that we believe kids will enjoy because it brings the collecting experience online.”
The Adrenalyn Tour will visit 13-NBA markets, culminating with a series of events in Los Angeles at the end of the NBA regular season.
The Tour, anchored with a rock star-style Tour Bus, includes an NBA regulation-size half-court for kids to participate in basketball clinics with NBA players and basketball-related skills contests to help promote participation in the sport.
There is also an interactive gaming area and trading card area where kids can learn how to play the game.
Adrenalyn Tour Dates:
February 11-14 NBA All-Star 2010, North Texas
February 16-20 Houston, TX
February 22-24 Dallas, TX
February 26-March 1 Atlanta, GA
March 3-5 Miami, FL
March 7-9 New York, NY
March 11-12 Boston, MA
March 13-14 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield, MA
March 15-16 Secaucus, NJ
March 19-21 Indianapolis, IN
March 22-25 Milwaukee, WI
March 26-29 Minneapolis, MN
April 1-3 Sacramento, CA
April 9-18 Los Angeles, CA
