National Marketing Campaign Emphasizes Changing Landscape Of Sharp

Comprehensive U.S. campaign highlights Sharp's leadership in Environmentally Responsible LCD TV and Solar Electric Products [The following is a release from Sharp]

July 14, 2008

Sharp Electronics Corporation, the U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, Osaka, Japan, announces today a large national marketing campaign that highlights an expanded company brand focus. While signaling the company's progression into the future, the campaign highlights Sharp's strong legacies and true leadership in liquid crystal display (LCD) and solar electricity. The creative strategy, developed in conjunction with Lowe Worldwide of the Interpublic Group, is based on the concept that Sharp's products and innovations can help change consumers' lives, in different ways - from providing clean energy sources to improving the experience of watching a Major League Baseball (MLB) game at home. "LCD TV continues to be one of the premier technologies for Sharp and is the cornerstone that Sharp built its brand around," said Doug Koshima, Chairman and CEO, Sharp Electronics Corporation. "This new marketing initiative reinforces this message but also shows that as the company evolves, we are increasing our commitment to the solar industry and becoming a company that provides energy-saving and energy-creating products for consumers and businesses." The first phase of this print, broadcast and online advertising campaign, which focuses on Sharp's AQUOSÒ line of LCD TVs, consists of a Major League Baseball (MLB)-themed commercial, portraying the AQUOS as the ultimate "ticket" for a baseball fan, providing the viewer with the best seat in the house for the game. It includes the campaign tagline, "Change your TV, Change your Life" empowering consumers to improve a part of their lives by improving the television experience. This 30-second television spot, the first created by Lowe Worldwide for Sharp, began airing May 19 on national broadcast and cable networks. In conjunction with the TV spot, a print and online component was also rolled out in support of Sharp's MLB sponsorship. Sharp AQUOS is the official HDTV of Major League Baseball. Bringing the focus back to the company's core technologies and innovation leadership, the company's first major U.S. advertising campaign featuring solar will launch on July 7, coinciding with the G8 Summit, with a series of print advertisements, and communicates Sharp's vision of a solar-powered world. Launching on July 14th will be a new television commercial that highlights some of the many different Sharp solar-powered installations around the world and delivers the tagline, "Change Your Power, Change Your Planet." The commercial will feature a professor of math and physics at Pepperdine University. With a PhD in Physics and a sophisticated and engaging persona, the professor lends a scholarly credibility to the new solar and LCD commercials. A third commercial, which will also launch on July 14, highlights Sharp's history as the LCD industry pioneer, which continues using the message "Change Your TV, Change Your Life." The commercial features the Pepperdine Professor highlighting some of Sharp's many notable LCD industry "firsts" from being the first to use LCD displays in a calculator to the introduction of the world's largest LCD. "Not only does Sharp produce a superior suite of both LCD and solar energy products, but it has a long history of developing and innovating upon these technologies, which has helped to change the lives of consumers and businesses for the better. That is the focal point of this campaign," noted Mr. Koshima. All three commercials will be aired multiple times nationally during the broadcast of Major League Baseball's All Star Game, where Sharp will also launch a nationwide sweepstakes promotion with over 1,000 prizes including trips, AQUOS LCD TVs and chances to meet MLB players. In addition to the TV commercials and print advertising, the marketing campaign will launch a new micro-Web site, lifechangingbox.com, and a supporting online advertising campaign, including a Facebook application. The application resembles the classic game Hot Potato, only in reverse. Facebook users who install the game can take possession of a box from another player, which is then passed around to other friends who have installed the The Life Changing Box application. The goal is to be in possession of the box when it opens, thus winning the prize it holds inside. This campaign comes at a pivotal time in both of Sharp's key industries. Sharp continues to be a world leader in LCD technology, which is more energy efficient than other television technologies. And as many consumers are turning their attention towards conserving energy and protecting the environment, Sharp is even further ahead of the game as a world leader in solar cell production. In March of 2010, Sharp will open a manufacturing complex in Sakai City, Japan, which will include the industry's first 10th Generation LCD factory. Also located in the complex will be a factory that will manufacture thin film solar cells. This factory will produce enough solar capacity every year to fulfill the electricity needs of a quarter of a million homes.

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