Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is to launch an £82 million PS3 marketing campaign designed to help the company win the Christmas console battle.
A new series of TV ads, the first of which is to debut this evening in the UK, will showcase the range of services available on the PS3 including online gaming, Blu-ray and downloadable movies.
Search: Start PS3
Official trailer
0:31Sony's campaign is all about searching for "Start PS3"
Search: Start PS3
Official trailer
0:31Sony's campaign is all about searching for "Start PS3"
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Search: Start PS3
Official trailer
0:31Sony's campaign is all about searching for "Start PS3"
Search: Start PS3
Official trailer
0:31Sony's campaign is all about searching for "Start PS3"
"Two years after launch PlayStation 3 is realising its full potential," Alan Duncan, SCEE's UK marketing director, told the Guardian. "The console is moving beyond gaming and gaming is moving beyond discs."
Duncan's suggestion that "the console is moving beyond gaming" is an interesting one. According to SCE boss Kaz Hirai, early marketing that positioned the system as a media hub rather than as a games console led to the PS3 having "a bit of an identity problem" and to criticism from third party game publishers. Almost two years later, with close to 25 million PS3 units now sold worldwide and the new PS3 Slim about to debut at a reduced price point, Sony appears ready to market the PS3's non-gaming capabilities once again.
I agree that it is a bit daft saying they are going to push the machine as a games console more, and then produce that advert.
However, before the kids jump in here, I think it is likely that Sony will also release games specific adverts as well, in order to appeal to as many people as possible.
At least they are spending a decent amount of money on adverts now. Previous marketing has been a joke.
I expect Sony to have a merry little Christmas time..
No doubt we will see some weird playstation adverts that make no sense and have have nothing to do with gaming. Lets hope they don't have anyone sat on the toilet or alien head shaped girls this time.
No doubt we will see some weird playstation adverts that make no sense and have have nothing to do with gaming. Lets hope they don't have anyone sat on the toilet or alien head shaped girls this time.
It's funny that you mention a toilet. I would have watched the advert in the link before sounding like a complete turd.
It's probably the most simple advert Sony have ever used.
Honestly, the first thing that I would say in an advert for the PS3 would be that it has free online play. That alone would attract more people to it. And I hope that they don't pi*s off all the third parties again with the multimedia jazz.
No doubt we will see some weird playstation adverts that make no sense and have have nothing to do with gaming. Lets hope they don't have anyone sat on the toilet or alien head shaped girls this time.
Well all those weird adverts got Sony the lion's share of the market for the last two gens.
Their marketing this gen has been almost non existent. God knows why, at the price point they had they had to push the features, as over £400 for a games console is a joke.
Perhaps they were aware that they weren't going to appeal to the average punter on the street until they got to this kind of price point, and knew the more 'hardcore' would sustain them until now. Although with the absolute tosh they came out with for the first 18 months or so, I have some doubts!
Honestly, the first thing that I would say in an advert for the PS3 would be that it has free online play. That alone would attract more people to it. And I hope that they don't pi*s off all the third parties again with the multimedia jazz.
I disagree. Free online gaming should be the rule. MS are going against convention by charging, not the other way around. Not sure how long this will be the case though.
Definitely mention it, but they also need to point to free wifi, internet browsing, HDD upgrades, expanding BR library. But it is hard to get a concise message across when ticking so many boxes. And I don't think they can concentrate on the 'power' of the cell, as to most people 99% of games will look the same as on the 360.
So yeah, I expect to see multiple adverts, each focussing on a different aspect.
Focus on the games, sony. Its all these garbled messages about the cell and multimedia functionality, that hobbled the machine in the first place. As well as a rediculous price tag. Least the first problems been fixed.
Show people Uncharted 2, LBP, Eye Pet, I'm sure some people might even like the look of Home. that'll turn far more heads than. It has built in wifi and the cell can process... blah, blah.
Focus on the games, sony. Its all these garbled messages about the cell and multimedia functionality, that hobbled the machine in the first place. As well as a rediculous price tag. Least the first problems been fixed.
Show people Uncharted 2, LBP, Eye Pet, I'm sure some people might even like the look of Home. that'll turn far more heads than. It has built in wifi and the cell can process... blah, blah.
Spot on. Show off the games and the people will buy them. I can't believe Sony haven't caught onto this yet. Nothing sells consoles like trapieze artists...
This £80 million sounds a lot, but it is not enough Sony.
Microsoft probably have a £160 million marketing campaign up there sleeves.
Who remembers around last Xmas (I think) when there was non-stop, utterly blanket-marketing for the 360 in the UK.
Every other ad was for the 360 it seemed. There's still a fair few for 360 til this day, and that is just on the TV. Contrastingly, I can't remember the last time I saw a PS3 ad for the console itself.
I have to agree that the last lot of PS3 ads were atrocious (In fact just like the whole PS3 marketing for that matter!)! The PS3 release adverts with a bomb going off in a hotel with an army guy a bimbo and a fat dude related to nobody, attracted nobody and understood by nobody...Subsequently alienating everyone to their new console!
This time round, it feels like Sony are making the right noises and seem to be listening to the people more + its like Sony have found a new vigour and hopefully this will revitalise the market. Not only would this be good for the PS3 but for the Xbox and Wii owners too (As a bit of competition will bring better games, price cuts, new products etc, to try and gain market share).
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