Sony Announces New Marketing Campaign For PS3; Inspiring Games To 'Play Beyond'.

Sony Computer Entertainment America today announced a new marketing campaign to support the launch of the PLAYSTATION 3 and to further promote the popular PlayStation brand in North America. The new campaign, featuring the tagline “Play Beyond,” utilizes innovative advertising, viral and online components as well as promotion and retail activities, to educate and inspire consumers as they get ready to usher in the next era in digital entertainment.

"With 'Play Beyond' we are inviting consumers to think beyond what they might typically expect in a videogame and entertainment system,” said Peter Dille, Senior Vice President of Marketing, SCEA. “The provocative campaign will help create a distinct brand identity for PS3, while at the same time start the conversation among consumers that this isn’t your average console". The PS3 marketing effort builds upon the long-term strength and consumer loyalty of the PlayStation brand. The campaign features a variety of media and advertising components including national television, print, Web and out-of-home advertising vehicles. The initiative started in early October with out-of home advertising, including billboards and bus shelter ads in major metropolitan areas. Each ad depicts a stark white room with various objects acting in a surreal manner when experiencing the advanced abilities of PS3 and its components, such as the Cell Broadband Engine and Blu-ray Disc player.

The television ad campaign features a similar white room motif, with real world objects reacting instinctively to the power of PS3 and its components, such as the Cell processor, BD player, SIXAXIS wireless controller and the vast library of launch window software titles. The spots will run on major national broadcast and cable networks across a wide variety of time segments and shows. The new television ads have already been a hit with consumers logging more than 500,000 hits on the video site YouTube.com.

The print campaign will top 40 million impressions and will run in several different national monthlies, weeklies and dailies. Online ads will reach 150 million impressions and will appear on gaming, sports, music and lifestyle websites. Finally, in true PlayStation fashion, a secretive interactive, viral layer has been added to the ad campaign to engage the loyal fan base. All the ads will point consumers to http://www.playbeyond.com, a newly created website that features unlockable information about PS3 and its games. The PlayBeyond.com site is also accessible through the PS3 system’s free* network capabilities utilizing the system’s built-in Web browser.

"The technology found in PS3 is unrivaled in its capabilities," explained Dille. "Our goal with this campaign is to demystify those technologies, utilizing enticing and easy to comprehend visuals to articulate the benefits they deliver to the consumer. This is an experience ‘beyond’ games, harnessing the power of imagination".

In addition to extensive retail support pieces utilizing the "Play Beyond" theme, SCEA also announced that 14,000 kiosks showcasing the PS3 system hardware and software are being installed at major retailers nationwide. The kiosks have a sleek and modern design and can be connected to the Internet for up to date product information, hardware and software highlights.
To complement the new marketing campaign, SCEA has also created the "PlayStation Experience"—a big-rig truck outfitted with a full line-up of playable games for the PlayStation 2, PSP, and of course, the highly anticipated PS3 system. The new PlayStation Experience truck will be on the road throughout the year stopping at various concerts and events nationwide including the upcoming International Motorcycle Shows in Arizona and Texas.

PS3 launches in North America on November 17, 2006 and will be supported by more than 22 retail and downloadable software titles through the holidays.

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