SF Giants & ESRB Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaign #ESRBGiants

Last week I was able to attend a special press event at the AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA. San Francisco Giants, Ryan Vogelsong and Buster Posey, and the ESRB have launched a new public service announcement (PSA) encouraging parents to check the ratings of computer and video games before they buy them.

With Vogelsong being a father of a 3-year-old son and Posey the new dad of twins, both had strong opinions on choosing the right games for their children.

Vogelsong: “It’s clear that not every game is right for every kid. The ESRB rating on the game box helps a parent decide which games are appropriate for their children.”

Posey: “As a professional athlete and a parent, I know you have to have the right tools and resources to succeed at both…I may be a relatively new parent, but thanks to the ESRB I’m definitely going to be better prepared when it comes to choosing video games for my kids.”

The new PSA will begin airing soon on tv and radio stations throughout the SF Bay Area and northern California. It will also be appear on the display board during Giants home games at AT&T Park. Local retailers will join the campaign by distributing brochures which outline the rating system and feature Vogelsong and Posey. See the ESRB & SF Giants PSA Behind-the-Scenes video here.

ESRB president Patricia Vance: “By partnering with an organization like the Giants and enlisting the help of role models like Ryan and Buster, ESRB can educate more parents to help them make informed choices about the games they buy for their family. We’re truly grateful for their support.”

These ratings assign an official age and describe content specifics for computer and video games. You can easily spot the ratings on the front and back of the game packages or check the ESRB mobile app.

Each of the Junior Giants present (a youth program supported by the Giants Community Fund) received a PlayStation Vita and copy of MLB 12: The Show for PS Vita, courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA). They also received signed baseballs from the featured players. The kids only lifted their heads from the handheld games when asked for a few photos later on.

We headed out to the field to take a few commemorative shots of Vogelsong and Posey and ESRB representatives. Vance was kind enough to pose with our group of bloggers as well.

After all the hustle and bustle, I was able to snag the players signatures and a shot with each. Yes, those are the real players I’m posing with and not just life-size prints (though it does look like it). Right before we left, most of the crowd had cleared out and my daughter finally got a chance to knock a couple of homeruns on the game that was set up. You go, Munchkin!

I think it’s great reminder to parents and children alike to take a few seconds to check the ratings before they buy. Though this new rating system has been in place for a while already, the fresh faces of current sport stars definitely aids in keeping up public awareness of choosing the right games for the right child(ren).

I was invited to this free press event by Zebra Partners and received no monetary compensation for this post. Unmarked photos courtesy of Zebra Partners.