It's been about three months since SCEA Head PR Cheese Molly Smith fled from the Playstation 3 launch.

Last night Sony announced that they've finally gotten around to hiring a replacement for the Senior Director of Corporate Communications. Dave Karraker comes from Allied Domecq Spirits and Wine, where he was the veep of corporate communications.

His only gaming experience, it seems, comes from his time, long ago, as a fledgling flak for third party PR companies Rogers & Cowan and Access Communications where he worked with such clients as Sega, 3DO, 3Dfx Interactive and Microsoft.

So they went with a guy who's last job was all about convincing people to drink lots of Kahlua and Beefeater? Wow, just wow. Hit the jump for the full press release, if that's your sort of thing. Brian Crecente

Sony Computer Entertainment America Appoints Corporate Communications Leader

Videogame and Consumer Products Veteran to Direct Public Relations for
PlayStation(R) Brand, Including November Launch of PLAYSTATION(R)3

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment
America, Inc. today announced the appointment of Dave Karraker to the post of
Senior Director of Corporate Communications. Filling an existing position,
Karraker will oversee all North American public relations for Sony Computer
Entertainment America's successful PlayStation(R) brand. He will report to
Peter Dille, Senior Vice President of Marketing, effectively immediately.
Karraker will manage the Sony Computer Entertainment America
communications team responsible for PlayStation products in the North America,
including the original PS one(TM) game console, PlayStation(R) 2 computer
entertainment system, PSP(R) (PlayStation(R) Portable) system and all
first-party PlayStation software. He will also supervise public relations for
the launch of the ground-breaking Sony PLAYSTATION(R)3, which will be
available in the North America on November 17, 2006.
Before joining the Sony Computer Entertainment America team, Karraker was
North American Vice President of Corporate Communications for Allied Domecq
Spirits and Wine, managing communications for such well-known brands as
Stolichnaya(R), Maker's Mark(R), Kahlua(R), Beefeater(R) and Courvoisier(R).
Prior to Allied Domecq, Karraker was Director of Marketing Communications for
Kmart Corporation, where he oversaw media relations for the discount
retailer's marketing efforts; proprietary brands, such as Martha Stewart
Everyday(R) and Joe Boxer(R); store network and e-commerce division.
Karraker's videogame and consumer electronics experience includes work
with public relations firms Access Communications in San Francisco and Rogers
& Cowan in Los Angeles, where his clients included Sega of America, Microsoft,
3DO, Virgin Interactive, Crystal Dynamics, U.S. Gold, ASC Games, 3Dfx
Interactive and Knowledge Adventure. Before joining the public relations
field, Karraker was a broadcast journalist for the CBS affiliate in Santa
Barbara, California and the NBC affiliate in Reno, Nevada.
"Dave has the ideal blend of videogame, large consumer brand and retail
experience to help us meet our goals with the PlayStation brand," said Peter
Dille, senior vice president of marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment
America. "SCEA's communications team will play a key role in the successful
launch of the PLAYSTATION 3, focusing on driving not only consumer demand, but
also retailer excitement and synergies across the Sony family of companies.
Dave has a proven track record for managing responsive, two-way communications
between all stakeholders and audiences for the companies he has represented,
which will be a critical component of our marketing program for all
PlayStation products."
Karraker holds a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from California
State University - Northridge. He will be based at the Sony Computer
Entertainment America corporate headquarters in Foster City, California.

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