Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has chosen twelve individuals and organisations to help promote the next-generation console PlayStation 3 in the UK with a unique marketing strategy.
The strategy, not unlike the ‘All I Want for Xmas is a PSP’ fiasco, is to encourage club promoters, artists and designers to distribute content “inspired by key characteristics of the PlayStation 3.”
These can be distributed across a wide range of outlets including social networks such as MySpace, websites, blogs, e-mail and their own contacts.
According to SCE UK marketing man Alan Duncan, ‘traditional’ avenues of advertising and PR aren’t enough to communicate the PlayStation 3’s appeal: “The idea is to use physical space, blogs and other forms of digital networking to inform, entertain and encourage interaction and debate about all the different things the PlayStation 3 can do.”
Of course Sony recently used the same strategy to market the PlayStation Portable, which didn’t exactly manage to send Sony’s handheld flying off the shelves.
Rana Reeves, director of Shine Communications, which developed the digital strategy with Sony commented: “Traditionally, brand communication with consumers has been channelled via an ad agency. The explosion of social networks and blogging, however, has created a seismic shift. Brands wanting to enter this world have to be prepared to trust consumers to talk about them whether the comment is good or bad.”
Essentially this is a far cheaper method of promoting the product by user-generated content, which is distributed across the Internet, skipping the traditional media like radio and television. These participants will fulfil the agreement by cross-promoting their own products and brands alongside Sony. And in this case, design and fashion magazine KCTV hosts a PlayStation 3-inspired fashion show at the Sony-owned ‘3 Rooms’ venue in London’s East End.
Afterward, guest attendees each blog about or distribute content related to the event. In addition, KCTV posts a video highlight across its digital network, which includes MySpace and YouTube. The result means Sony extends its ‘PlayStation’ brand to further reaches of the net.
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Yink says:
funny marketing is changing in this way. what else is funny is that in japan ps2’s are outselling ps3’s.
Jan 31, 2007, 6:06 pm