Sony
Sony will aggressively fight with Samsung and LG in the North American TV markets this season. Reuters/Thomas Peter

Sony is determined to aggressively compete with Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics in the North American TV markets this season. The Japanese company is reportedly planning to one-up the South Korean firms in the weeks prior this year’s Super Bowl.

Etnews learned Tuesday that Sony is planning a counterattack against Samsung and LG who have secured the top spots in the North American TV markets. “Sony will try to revive itself through aggressive marketing strategies during this Super Bowl season,” a TV industry representative told the South Korean news outlet.

So far Sony is doing well when it comes to threatening the market shares of Samsung and LG after putting out premium OLED TVs last year. Market research company IHS Markit found that Sony’s market shares more than doubled during the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous quarter. In addition, three out of the 10 best TV models selected by Consumer Reports are from Sony.

With only less than two weeks before the biggest sports even in the U.S. starts, the three manufacturers are expected to carry out various promotions and offer discounts just like last year beginning this week. American retail market research company Gap Intelligence says consumers always get big discounts within the two weeks before Super Bowl. In fact, the period comes second to Black Friday in terms of the biggest TV discount rates being offered on the market throughout the year.

Etnews did not disclose what Sony is specifically planning to do to lure more consumers into picking up its TVs. However, it did mention that consumers can expect unprecedented promotions from Sony this time around. True enough, Sony has just announced big discounts that save buyers up to $5,000 on six of its 2017 TV releases. You can find them all here, courtesy of I4U News.

The weeks leading to the Super Bowl are a great time for TV manufacturers to clear out their current inventories before their new releases hit the market. Market watchers say that during this period many consumers look for the right TVs they need to enjoy watching the Super Bowl within the confines of their homes. Last year, an estimated 111.3 million people tuned in to watch the Super Bowl broadcasts.

This year, the trend among consumers is purchasing TVs that are bigger than 60 inches. In Consumer Reports’ top 10 best TV models for the Super Bowl, 9 out of 10 models have 65-inch displays and only one has a 60-inch screen. Industry sources say this trend is due to the fact that more consumers are willing to spend big bucks on TVs that are capable of providing realistic image quality.