Jim Keyes; Marshall Forster, EVP North America, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment; David Podeschi

By : Erik Gruenwedel | Posted: 07 Oct 2008
egruenwedel@questex.com

Blockbuster Oct. 8 said it named Sony Pictures Home Entertainment its top film supplier during the Dallas-based No. 1 DVD rental company’s inaugural supplier summit last week.

CEO Jim Keyes and other executives gave presentations, which included on-site tours of Blockbuster’s new concept stores.

David Podeschi, SVP of merchandise, distribution and logistics at Blockbuster, said the annual summit was intended to show vendors the DVD rental giant is expanding and meeting the challenges of an increasingly diverse home entertainment market.

“We wanted to make sure our suppliers knew what we at Blockbuster are doing to grow our business and how that can translate into their own business growth,” Podeschi said.

SPHE and Sony Electronics this year partnered with Blockbuster to offer Blu-ray point-of-purchase displays and kiosks in stores.

Video game publisher Activision Blizzard, creator of Guitar Hero and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, among others, was named top video game supplier.

Memphis, Tenn.-based Framed Picture Enterprise was named general merchandise supplier of the year. 

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