Sony needs to improve on PS3 game marketing strategy
The boss of Sony UK stated that the company needs to work harder on marketing the PS3 – PSP cross functionality. However, that is not the only thing the company needs to improve on. Sony needs to improve its marketing strategy for first party games as well. The company has always been inherently lax with conventional marketing – could this be a hindrance to the PS3’s future?
In a recent interview with GI.biz, Ray Maguire, the Sony UK boss stated that the company needs to work harder on educating consumers on cross-platform functionality between the PS3 and the PSP. This is quite true as many consumers who own both platforms do not realize that you can play such games as Bionic Commando Rearmed on your PSP via remote play.
Many gamers do not also realize that some movies will allow you to take a digital portable copy of the Blu-ray movie on the go by transferring it to the PSP. Consumers can also access video and music remotely from the PS3 via any hotspot in the world from your PSP.
The list can go on and on. However, this is not the only thing Sony needs to work harder at marketing. The company also needs to improve its marketing strategy for first party titles. Sony utilizes unconventional marketing strategies via viral videos and web sites. However, when it comes to the more conventional marketing means such as TV and radio spots, Microsoft is the clear winner.
Microsoft markets with TV adverts playing on the target audience channels such as Spike TV, Sci-Fi channel and MTV constantly. Due to Sony’s weak marketing campaign many consumers are often left confused or even unaware if a game has even been released.
Case in point, there are consumers that are interested in LittleBigPlanet but are still confused as to if the game has been released yet. I was at Target the other day and saw an older gentleman in his late 40s asking when LittleBigPlanet would finally be released.
Considering how great LittleBigPlanet is, I am sure it will have a long and healthy life. However, Sony should take some cues from Microsoft. One thing Microsoft is very good at is building hype up for a game and getting most of the sales within the first week of the game’s launch.
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17 Responses to “Sony needs to improve on PS3 game marketing strategy”
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November 13th, 2008
Finally Sony realise they need to actually market their products to sell them here!! In the Uk at least we’re bombarded by substandard X360 ads every 5 minutes while there are very few Sony PS3 ads.
As for exclusive titles there are simply none being shown here. I haven’t seen 1 LBP,R2, Motorstorm2 adverts here, its just that Sony choose to throw a Sony PS3 logo behind some multiplatform games such as fifa09 and fallout 3. If they just get their act together and advertise the fact that Sony have some decent exclusives come out, it may positively effect sales!
November 13th, 2008
Did the first weeks sales of LBP suck or something? Is that why we’re trying to find excuses.
November 13th, 2008
Hey guys, I’m back. Finally got a password. Maybe I’m out of the loop after being gone for so long. I just have one question. Sony has a marketing strategy?
Bourne- trust me, here in the States all you see is 360 commercials as well. PS3 commercials are few and far between. MS also likes to pay for multi-plat games commercials, they always end with the 360 logo. It’s a good strategy, getting uninformed people to think that the game is only on the 360.
November 13th, 2008
I guess I had two questions. How the h e double hockey sticks did future of sega get back on this site? He caused that much trouble and they let him back.
November 13th, 2008
Yeah. Sony needs to step it up in advertising. I haven’t seen one LBP add…..ever. I have seen Mirrors Edge advertised with the ps3 logo as if it’s exclusive though. I have a feeling though LBP will be a game that makes its sales by word of mouth and will be in the long haul.
November 13th, 2008
I have been saying this for a while now. I’m not even sure “lax” is the word… maybe non-existent is better? Obviously marketing will help to drum up more sales. Heck, I would have told them this about a year ago. Too bad they didn’t hire me for millions to tell them that. I would love a big fat CEO salary.
That said, I have been noticing more and more PS3 advertising on TV. I saw the commercial for Resistance 2 (which I just beat!) the other day. So I think they are finally, slowly starting to get it.
November 13th, 2008
EVery x-platform game I ever see has the ‘360 logo thingy’ attatched to it.
I’ve seen LBP advertised a fair few times now on TV, but the add is so damn short and doesn’t really tell you about LBP….
November 13th, 2008
@Wylie – I think they just IP banned him.
Not really a water tight solution…
I think he has split personality… He’s always ‘dave you f**king gay* and then ‘i’m sorry don’t ban me
‘
November 13th, 2008
That is so true. I know that I should just ignore him and not encourage him in anyway, but I can’t help it. As annoying as he is, I do find him funny.
If you only saw some of the commotion he has caused on other sites… he has fighting with about 20 people at once. It looks like he is the one who ended up getting “pwned”.
November 13th, 2008
I don’t see any ads for 360 or ps3 in Oz ??
November 13th, 2008
Spidey, i’ve seen a heap of Fable 2 and Gears 2 ads on channel 10 and Foxtel.
I did see a LBP ad a few days ago on Foxtel.
They seem to show these ads on Fox 8 a lot, as well as during the commercials on X-Play (5pm on Fuel Channel).
November 13th, 2008
NPD FIGURES ARE IN!!! PS3 FANBOYS LOOK AWAY NOW!!
360 – 371,000 units sold
PS3 – 190,000 units sold
181,000 units difference!
Barnaby, whatever happened to your prediction of 360 sales tapering off?
Wow, 181,000 units, that’s a lot of units!
November 14th, 2008
NPD tracks only North America, which is 360 territory anyway.
That is an impressive lead nonetheless. The price cut went into effect in September, so we’re still seeing the results of that.
November 14th, 2008
Damn the delay on getting comments posted…
As these numbers are only from North America, it will be interesting to see the combined sales of all territories compared. The PS3 kicked some serious butt in Asia.
November 14th, 2008
I wish for each console sold I would get a penny or something, then I would so love sales data
But I suppose it is good to slap Ivan round the face with
November 14th, 2008
Harry- You just wait for Home to come out, then you’ll see. It will come out in the end of 2008, or 2009 or 2010 or maybe even 2011. Then we’ll see who’s looking away. I bet PS3 beats the 360 by 10’s of counsoles for the month when it comes out. You just wait…. wait…. and wait and see!
November 14th, 2008
I don’t waste my money on foxtel harry……
(Not that there is anything wrong with that !!)