14 DAY TRIAL // Sony has long struggled to actually position the PlayStation 3 and its overall home console business in a way that truly connected to gamers. Initially, the PS3 was said to be a “gamer's console,” offering power and exclusive titles.
Then, it all became a “multimedia center,” which focused around the uniquely low price of its Blu-ray drive. Now, Sony is furthering that, saying that with the all new and improved PlayStation 3 Slim, it believes it can fulfill all the entertainment needs of a potential buyer.
Of course, Microsoft is doing the same thing, with recent updates to the Xbox 360 putting an emphasis on new features like Facebook and Twitter integration, while Netflix is becoming one of the most successful services. Nintendo does not need to market the Wii as an entertainment center, mainly because it lacks the power, but also because it does very well as an entry-level motion-tracking home gaming console.
Peter Dille, who is a senior vice president of marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment of America, told the L.A. Times that “We have been a game company for years and we would never walk away from that, but research confirmed there is a larger proposition under our nose. We wanted to reposition as a total entertainment solution. We felt like we can really own entertainment.”
Sony is pushing the rebranding via new advertising campaigns, which are being implemented separately by the North American and European branches of the company, with both efforts described as being the most expensive since the release of the PlayStation 3.
Here, Sony seems to take a page from Nintendo's playbook and apparently marketing efforts will now be directed as much at working moms as at hardcore gamers who are looking forward to Uncharted 2 and God of War III.
Take a look at Sony's advertising efforts below: