• by Karl Greenberg , August 18, 2010

Subway Restaurants is teaming with Sony Computer Entertainment in a marketing alliance to promote both new PlayStation games and a new line of piquant foot-long from the QSR chain.

The program gives patrons of both Subway and PlayStation a chance at such prizes as pre-launch gaming products. The companies say the prizes, which will total more than $1 million, will be awarded at the rate of one prize per minute during the promotion period, now through Oct. 17.

The "Fiery Footlong Frenzy Fueled by PlayStation" program will focus on Subway's New Turkey Jalapeno Melt and Buffalo Chicken sandwiches. Subway says that when consumers buy the sandwiches with a 32-ounce drink, they can enter to win PlayStation's Move motion controller, which goes on sale next month.

Other prizes include games like the collector's edition of Grand Turismo 5; LittleBigPlanet; Uncharted 2: Among thieves Fortune Hunter; the Sony Bravia 3D TV and HDTV entertainment packs; PSP entertainment packs that include a movie, game and PSP 3000; and Sony Bloggie Cameras.

Consumers play by redeeming codes from 32-ounce drinks or SunChips snacks and Subway breakfast sandwiches at online or mobile versions of SubwayFreshBuzz.com. The companies say they are promoting starting this week through co-branded in-store and online marketing assets, and a national promotional TV spot.

There will also be point-of-purchase materials both at Subway and at PlayStation retailers.

Social media components include so-called "frenzy alerts" about the game and prizes inside Tweets called "Fire Drills" at @SubwayFreshBuzz on Twitter. The Tweets offer an entrance into the game as well.

A PlayStation spokesperson says the Subway relationship is a first-time thing for the company. There is a tag at the end of the Subway Fiery Footlong commercials that includes the PlayStation promotion.

"We are doing outreach on our side, so you will hear about it through the PlayStation blog, for example," she says, adding that Subway catered PlayStation's Christmas in July product preview.