Operation Game 800 Voteline

Anthony Wayne    800 Numbers     800 number, games, Hasbro, Operation, toys, voteline

Hasbro created buzz for its Operation game by having the public vote for Sam's newest ailment via an 800 number provided by ATS.

As the Christmas toy shopping holiday season is here, we thought we’d bring back one from the archives that show how an 800 number vote program can generate significant interest in a product such as the mainstay game OPERATION.  In 2003, Hasbro wanted a way to generate interest in the aging OPERATION game so it turned to Advanced Telecom Services for an 800 number voting program on what the new ailment should be for Sam, the patient in the game.

The public voted and voted often and the new ailment for Sam can still be found today as BRAIN FREEZE was the winner.  I mean who hasn’t suffered with brain freeze?  I know I have.

Readers beware:  the phone number used for the Operation game is now a completely different type of phone line (not owned by us) so please don’t call expecting to vote.

   WAYNE, Pa., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ — Advanced Telecom Services (ATS), a
world leader in interactive telephone services, has teamed with Hasbro Toys to
promote a new twist on an old favorite.  ATS is handling calls for an instant
win sweepstakes that allows callers to vote on a new “ailment” for Hasbro’s
“Operation” game.  By calling 1-866-SAM-VOTE highlighting, callers can decide on one of
three new ailments:  Brain Freeze, Tennis Elbow or Growling Stomach.  The
winning ailment will be added to the next version of “Operation” to be
released for sale.  Winners will be chosen randomly among the callers.  The
grand prize winner will receive a $5000 toy shopping spree.  The three first
prize winners will be awarded a $1000 toy shopping spree and 300 second prize
winners will get a “I Voted, Did You?” t-shirt.
     “Operation,” originally developed by The Milton Bradley Company in 1965,
has maintained its popularity into the 21st century.  Marketed as a game of
skill, players pretend they are operating on a man drawn on an operating table
with little compartments scattered around his body housing ailing body parts.
Players take turns removing the parts with electric tweezers that buzz if they
touch the sides of the compartments.  Hasbro, Inc. acquired The Milton Bradley
Company in 1984.
     Since October 1, 2003 when the instant win sweepstakes began, ATS has
taken over 100,000 calls from voters.  The vote line, 1-866-SAM-VOTE , is being
promoted on the Nickelodeon network, through Nickelodeon magazine,
www.hasbro.com and various retailers throughout the U.S.  ATS will continue
accepting calls until December 31, 2003, the last day to cast a vote.
     Advanced Telecom Services, founded in 1989, is a full-service
telecommunications company specializing in interactive promotional services
for the telephone.  With business operations in the United States, the United
Kingdom, Dublin, Prague and Vancouver, ATS processes thousands of calls each
day through its network facilities.

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