Having a content business certainly helps Sony promote their hardware offerings. Case in point – Sony is now offering a special promotion to owners of the BRAVIA Internet Video Link who are also fans of the summer movie Hancock. Starting on October 28th on through November 10th, Sony will be offering the movie Hancock for rent via the Internet Video Link service before the title becomes available on DVD or Blu-ray. Owners of the BRAVIA Internet Video Link will be able to rent Hancock for $9.99 which is then viewable within a 24 hour period. In addition, if you purchase the rental stream and register online, Sony will send you a free Blu-ray copy of Hancock after the title becomes available via Blu-ray on November 25th.

According to Sony, “This marks the first time a top grossing theatrical movie will reach consumers’ homes via an Internet-enabled platform prior to the packaged media release.” Of course it helps that Hancock is a result of Sony Pictures! Sony can easily make their own titles available for their platforms before anyone else (seems a bit unfair eh?). However, one has to wonder how well the BRAVIA Internet Video Link really is performing given the wealth of competition in the online video space. A marketing act like this seems to suggest that Sony needs to help spur sales of the device.

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