Toshiba, 'Sopranos' Star Team Up for HD DVD Campaign

Hoping to make next-gen fence-sitters an offer they can't refuse, Toshiba is teaming up with 'Sopranos' star Michael Imperioli for a new HD DVD marketing campaign extolling the virtues of high-definition.

The HD DVD hardware giant has just announced that it has signed Imperioli, who plays Christopher Moltisanti on the Emmy-winning HBO series, to serve as its "ambassador" for the company's new ad campaign touting HD DVD and its REGZA high-definition TV line.

The campaign will feature Imperioli in multiple TV spots espousing his passion for movies, and why HD DVD is the right format for movie buffs. (Whether or not he "whacks" any rival Blu-ray-supporting mobsters in the spot, Moltsanti-style, remains to be seen.)

In what is a notable coincidence, 'The Sopranos' also happens to be the first television title ever to receive a next-gen release -- Warner Home Entertainment debuted 'The Sopranos: Season Six, Part One' on both HD DVD and Blu-ray late last year.

The TV spots featuring Imperioli will run on national cable outlets, including during the 'Sopranos' broadcast on A&E Network and other high-def channels, beginning next month. It will also be backed by an extensive print and radio campaign across multiple outlets.