As PlayStation 5 reaches its three-year anniversary, the Sony subsidiary’s latest brand campaign continues to redefine conventional perceptions of gaming by celebrating one of its more underrated attributes: the emotional experience.
Patrick Lagana, director of marketing at PlayStation Australia sees the “Heightened Emotions” campaign developed by Poem, starring musician Tash Sultana, mixed martial artist Robert Whittaker, and comedian Mark Samual Bonanno, as more than re-affirming the immersive qualities of the PS5 to fans. He views it as a way to “excite our existing players and prospective players into the world of PlayStation.”
“This campaign should not only address the fans, but [the] broader entertainment audience, those entertainment seekers that truly value great storytelling and immersive ways to be entertained at home.”
Lagana commented on the profound, user-centric qualities of gaming that inspired the campaign, saying, “I believe that there’s no more powerful medium than the interactive media itself.”
“For us, it’s all about also talking to that broader audience, to bring them into the world of PlayStation, into the world of interactive entertainment.”
Lagana mentioned that broadening the scope of playership has been PlayStation’s ambition “since the very beginning.” However, he stressed that in order to reach beyond “stereotypical” players (who remain a highly valued audience), the company must maintain a focus on both their content and communication.
The necessity of tailored communications strategies to speak to the wider gaming audience aligns with salient discussions this year, urging advertisers to rethink their understanding of the “gamer.”
Mediaweek’s Jasper Baumann reported on the IAB Australia Gaming Summit in July 2023, “A common misconception in gaming is “who” exactly is a gamer. Many think male, teenager to middle-aged, and playing exclusively on a game console such as a PC, PlayStation, or Xbox.
“However, the data gathered by IGEA proves otherwise as data from 2022 shows that 53% of gamers are male, 46% are female and 1% identify as non-binary.”
In testimony to the broad potential of prospective players, PlayStation’s campaign enlisted a diverse score of Australian talent, “united by their passion for play,” as Lagana expressed.
PlayStation 5 “Heightened Emotions” Campaign – Robert Whittaker (mixed martial artist), Tash Sultana (musician), Mark Samual Bonanno (comedian, Aunty Donna)
In the campaign, Sultana described gaming as “total escapism,” while Whittaker emphasised “the sense of wonder and adventure you get from exploring the new worlds.”
Bonanno, part of Australian comedy group Aunty Donna, further affirmed the uniquely affectional qualities of gaming, stating, “being able to step into the shoes of a character and feel what they feel and make decisions that affect them and your experience is unlike any other entertainment.”
Lagana attributed the “power of the PlayStation 5,” to the “deep narratives” and “amazing stories” of their exclusive games, listing the examples Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War, Ratchet & Clank, and The Last of Us, the latter of which was adapted into the wildly successful HBO television series.
As well, he lauded “the technology behind it [that] has taken the experiences to the next level, really heightening emotions, allowing players to feel even more when they play.”
Now, with the impending release of PlayStation’s latest pipelined peripherals and hardware, including the PlayStation VR2, new Access Controller, PULSE Explore wireless earbuds, and the PlayStation Portal, what remains to be seen is what role these innovations will play in amplifying the heightened emotional experience for its gamers, and whether it will be enough to entice new audiences into the world of interactive entertainment.
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Top Image: Patrick Lagana