Warner Bros. Pictures Unveils Exclusive Web Experience Dedicated To “Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets” At harrypotter.com
(August 22, 2002 – Burbank, CA) – Warner Bros. Pictures has unveiled an exclusive new web experience dedicated to the world of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” on its official Harry Potter website, www.harrypotter.com (AOL Keyword: Harry Potter; www.harrypotter.co.uk in the United Kingdom).
In addition to serving as a comprehensive site and community forum devoted to the magical world of Harry Potter, the newly expanded Harrypotter.com features exclusive content, interactive fan opportunities and news about the highly anticipated film “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” the second installment in the Harry Potter film series, which debuted with the record-breaking box office success of the 2001 blockbuster “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”
“Whether they’ve read all of the Harry Potter novels and seen the first film, or are just now immersing themselves in the world of Harry Potter, fans can amplify their experience in this exceptional interactive environment,” said Don Buckley, Senior Vice President, Interactive Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures. “The newly-expanded website will continue to capture the magic and spirit of Harry Potter, while providing an exclusive entrée to the live action adaptation of ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.’”
In the first year of its launch in 2001, Harrypotter.com attracted 25 million unique visitors, drew one million subscribers to the web-based newsletter and welcomed fans from over 40 countries to view the London premiere of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (“Philosophers Stone” in the U.K. and other international territories). In 2002 alone, Harrypotter.com has attracted 459 million pageviews, with over three million interactive postcards sent and over 3.6 million magical creatures made via the site’s interactive destinations. In addition, the recently re-launched community forum has experienced near exponential growth, with viewers registering over 11 million pageviews per month on the Message Boards.
“As the fans have demonstrated, Harry Potter is a truly global phenomenon,” said Jim Noonan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Warner Bros. Online. “We are very proud to have created a website that captures the imaginations of millions of fans worldwide on a daily basis, and we look forward to continued success as we debut a host of new destinations dedicated specifically to ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.’”
Developed by Warner Bros. Online in conjunction with DNA Studio, the re-launched Harrypotter.com features a new animated short film welcoming fans to the site, a new homepage and the interactive game “Escape From the Dursleys,” in which participants can help Harry Potter escape the clutches of his controlling family and return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The site will be regularly updated with news and other Potter-inspired interactive destinations, including:
• Wizard Duels, in which fans can challenge each other to spell-casting contests
• The chance for virtual students to participate in Professor Sprout’s Class and grow a mandrake root
• Email becomes “Elf Mail” in the House Elf feature, in which fans can task their own personal House Elf to send email messages and perform other virtual chores To further reach fans who have made Harry Potter a worldwide phenomenon, Warner Bros. Pictures will roll out customized versions of the expanded Harrypotter.com in nine languages, including the full roster of features available on the English-language site. “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” will be released in North America and the U.K. on November 15, 2002 by Warner Bros. Pictures, an AOL Time Warner Company.# # #
• The chance for virtual students to participate in Professor Sprout’s Class and grow a mandrake root
• Email becomes “Elf Mail” in the House Elf feature, in which fans can task their own personal House Elf to send email messages and perform other virtual chores To further reach fans who have made Harry Potter a worldwide phenomenon, Warner Bros. Pictures will roll out customized versions of the expanded Harrypotter.com in nine languages, including the full roster of features available on the English-language site. “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” will be released in North America and the U.K. on November 15, 2002 by Warner Bros. Pictures, an AOL Time Warner Company.