Hasbro promotes digital Cluedo with online push

Games giant Hasbro has invested 100,000 in developing two Websites designed to promote the launch of digital versions of traditional board games classics Cluedo, Axis and Allies on CD-Rom.

The CD-Rom releases are expected to be rolled out internationally by the end of October to cash in on the pre-Christmas games market and have been developed in-house by the games company.

The promotional Websites (www.AxisandAllies.com and www. cluedo.com), produced by Redwood New Media, will be rolled out over the next two weeks. They both invite surfers to register to sample the games and join online leagues, in a “teaser” strategy designed to drive sales of the CD-Roms.

Online media planning is being handled by DoubleClick’s London office. The Cluedo site is being promoted online in France, Germany, the UK and US. The World War Two-themed Axis and Allied, however, will not be specifically targeted at the German online market.

Both releases are also expected to benefit from a substantial offline, as well as online, promotional budget.