Sony Shows Nostalgia Is A Huge Aspect of Marketing PSVR

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The PlayStation Experience is an opportunity for Sony to showcase some of its best upcoming games, expected to launch in the next year, and a chance for fans to celebrate being gamers with some exclusive hands-on time.

This year’s event is especially important because PlayStation VR, the virtual reality headset designed specifically for the PlayStation 4 (formerly called Project Morpheus), releases next year. The launch of PlayStation VR is similar to releasing an all-new console in many ways, except it has the added challenge of requiring a headset many people aren’t familiar with yet. So, it’s important for consumers to see what great experiences are coming next year to get hyped about the upcoming virtual reality games, similar to how Crytek’s Robinson: The Journey was revealed to be a PlayStation VR exclusive during Sony’s Paris Games Week last October with a fantastic trailer.

The PlayStation Experience didn’t disappoint, and fans were hit with a number of surprise announcements for games coming to PlayStation’s leap into virtual reality.

Psychonauts: In The Rhombus of Ruin

Fans nostalgic for classic adventure games, originally released for PC, already had an idea of what was in store when legendary game designer Tim Schafer took the stage. It was at last year’s PlayStation Experience where he announced a remastered editions of the much beloved games, Grim Fandango and Day of the Tentacle, were in development.

However, Shafer wasn’t short on surprises this year. In addition to how the 90’s classic Full Throttle would also have a remastered edition coming down the line, Schafer’s company, Double Fine Productions, announced earlier last week that Psychonauts 2 was in development. As though those announcements alone weren’t enough to whip fans into a frenzy, Shafer snuck in one last completely unexpected announcement.

The PlayStation VR would get a mind-bending experience from Psychonauts: In the Rhombus of Ruin, which will be a completely unique standalone adventure, was revealed in a trailer that parodies Palmer Luckey’s (of Oculus VR) appearance on the cover of Time Magazine. The reveal of a classic game, made into a VR experience, set the tone for some of the other announcements during the PlayStation Experience keynote.

Rez Infinite

With its trippy mix of lights and electronic music, the Rez series has always had a certain cult appeal, since it first launched for the PlayStation 2 over thirteen years ago. It has since grown to be viewed as a sort of symbol for experimental game experiences, which makes the series absolutely perfect for PlayStation VR. Rez Infinite debuted on the PlayStation Experience 2015 stage with a gameplay presentation, highlighted by a player in a reflective jumpsuit decorated by colorful LED lights. That player turned out to be the Rez series creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi, wearing a PlayStation VR headset.

By having an all-new Rez game, Sony establishes the PlayStation VR as a platform that isn’t afraid to feature bold experiences. The announcement also plays well to longtime PlayStation fans as extra incentive to jump on board with PlayStation VR.

Ace Combat 7

Originally debuting on the original PlayStation console in the 90’s, the Ace Combat series is renowned for its high-flying, fast-paced, jet fighting action. The series recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, and announced that Ace Combat 7, an experience built from the ground up for virtual reality, will be a PlayStation VR exclusive. The trailer reveals the cloud-touching size and scope of the game, and marks a how a third developer expanding on an established franchise to appeal to longtime PlayStation console and game fans. Acrophobes beware!

Eagle Flight

Eagle Flight was revealed exclusively at the PlayStation Experience. Developed by Ubisoft for the PlayStation VR, it’s probably no accident that the fast-flying game will features eagles, the iconic bird of the Assassin’s Creed series, making their way through obstacles while players get a literal bird’s eye view of cities like Paris. Furthermore, the trailer reveals two-player multiplayer, which subtly suggests that friends should also pick up a PlayStation VR for a shared experience.

The Modern Zombie Taxi Co.

While many zombie games have players surviving in an undead world, The Modern Zombie Taxi Co. takes a decidedly different approach. No one will complain about your poor driving skills if your passengers are already dead. Revealed fairly early on among a showcase of different games coming to PlayStation VR, this zombie-themed driving game shows off the zany side of the game collection. By appealing to a broad audience of players, including more casual ones, the PlayStation VR might escape being seen as a device that only appeals to high-tech adopters.

Golem

This year’s PlayStation Experience put a lot of emphasis on associating a sense of nostalgia and history with emerging virtual reality technology. However, Golem, a debut game from new development studio Highwire Games, sets the PlayStation VR up as a platform that up-and-coming developers should also consider. The game’s impressive trailer gets a little meta, by having presumably having a player take the role of a girl in virtual reality, who is in turn using some virtual connection of her own to see through the eyes of a giant stone golem and control its movements.

An all-new game being developed exclusively for the PlayStation VR might attract more developers to the platform, where they’ll unleash their own brand of creativity.

 

Creativity Can Lead To Marketing Victory On Reddit

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To some, Reddit can be the most dangerous place to launch a marketing campaign, if only because of its avid fan base and how quickly negative feedback can pour in from it. That said, there could be some effectiveness found from it, provided it’s done the right way. 

Here are some examples of how marketing has created victories for companies, big and small, on Reddit.

GoPro

HD camera manufacturer GoPro has also found its share of success on Reddit, and not just with posting videos that go viral after several million views. “Most of (our) threads are positive forums ranging from highly sophisticated exchanges between professional filmmakers to enthusiasts sharing tips and tricks with new users,” said Kelly Baker, marketing rep for GoPro, speaking with AdWeek. She also noted the success behind certain examples, stating, “Because users find the information in such an intimate environment subreddits can consist of small groups they are much more likely to adopt the info as their own. They’ll then carry the idea as their own to Facebook, Twitter and the bar. So landing something on Reddit is huge for a brand because you capture these advocates.”

Fat Tire

New Belgium Brewing, the creators of Fat Tire beer, opted to make a Reddit-specific program where users could take part in a Photoshop challenge. The goal was to create spectacular imagery within the community, which would them be shared on the company’s Twitter account, as well as its Fat Tire Experience Website. The campaign was a huge success, drawing in more than 49 million impressions and 73,000 clicks, based on letting users build their own experiences, rather than having them be explained to them. The “Photoshop battle,” as it was deemed, also inspired the community manager to use a number of the ideas for the company’s advertising.

Marriott

Marriott already has plenty of ingenuity in its advertising, particularly with virtual reality. However, it tried its luck on Reddit, asking users to suggest why their hometown would be an ideal locale for its “Virtual Travel Experience.” Out of the hundreds of entrants, ten were selected, but the hotel chain opted to let the community vote for the winner, who would receive a “Teleportation Party” and an actual trip. The campaign drew 193,000 clicks on its contest page, and became the site’s highest user-generated content for sponsored posts. 

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Beardbrand

Demonstrating the power of Reddit for companies both big and small, an eCommerce start-up called Beardbrand has managed to make $120,000 monthly through its Reddit marketing, proving to be more effective than other campaigns on Facebook and Twitter. The company got off to a good start with its program last year, posting a detailed guide to building a brand, gaining a great deal of positive feedback as a result.

Taking an honest approach and offering a level of interactivity really pays off for companies and if more follow suit, Reddit could be an ideal place to promote products and find success. With the right approach, of course.

 

 

Why Sony’s PlayStation Experience Continues to Be a Game-Changer

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Following its popular debut last year in Las Vegas, Sony’s PlayStation Experience event makes its return this weekend, this time changing locations to the Moscone Center in San Francisco. As with 2014’s show, the event will be all about celebrating the success of the PlayStation 4, complete with superstar panels, surprise game reveals, and a hefty showcase for the company’s forthcoming PlayStation VR event.

Sony has gone all out to promote the event, from highlighting forthcoming events on the PlayStation Blog to teaming up with Capcom to host the Capcom Cup tournament, where players compete in Ultra Street Fighter IV matches for a $250,000 prize pool taking on one another . The event is also an opportunity for attendees to try out Street Fighter V before its release next February.

Like last year’s show, the PlayStation Experience is of a fan celebration showcasing games for the 2016 season, including the highly anticipated Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, among others. The show also features various items for attendees to collect, including special trading cards and virtual goods that can be downloaded to game consoles.

The show will open with a traditional keynote on Saturday morning, where it’s expected that a number of big announcements will be made, including new releases for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR. Last year brought announcements for Uncharted 4 and Street Fighter V.

For those that can’t make the trip, Sony has been pushing the show’s online coverage, broadcast on both Sony’s website and its dedicated Twitch channel. 

The reason for the event comes from Sony’s outpour of support to its fans. It continues to be the best-selling game platform on the market thus far, with over 30 million units sold at the end of last month. The PlayStation VR is also gaining a lot of attention, thanks to a number of forthcoming games, including an entry in the Until Dawn horror series, which is considered one of Sony’s most innovative titles for 2015.

Keeping the fanbase happy will no doubt be beneficial to Sony, as it hopes to hold onto its lead in the video game industry. 

 

EA Sports Raises Stakes For Forthcoming UFC 2

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Usually, a cover star for an EA Sports game is either determined by the company or put together via fan vote, like with previous entries in the Madden NFL football series. For UFC 2, however, the company has decided to let two top competitors fight for the spot.

In an announcement yesterday, EA Sports confirmed that UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo and interim featherweight champion Conor McGregor, who will fight in next week’s main event for UFC 194, will compete to see who joins “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey on the cover for the forthcoming game UFC 2, which is scheduled to release next spring. This is an interesting way for the publisher to consider who will be on the cover, marking the first time it’s decided to leave the choice to fate – rather than popular fan vote.

“The main event at UFC 194 between (Aldo) and (McGregor) is without a doubt one of the most anticipated events in UFC history,” said Dana White, president of UFC. “Aldo and McGregor are two of the biggest stars in the world, and it’s fitting that next Saturday night, the winner not only becomes the undisputed UFC featherweight champion, but also the second global cover athlete for EA Sports UFC 2.”

Even though fans won’t be the deciding factor on who’s on the cover, the publisher is still letting them take part in the action with a special website. Here, fans can make their guesses who will win the fight, and in what round, and by what method (like submission, knockout or decision). After making these guesses, their prediction will come to life in a shareable video clip, which can then be shared across social channels.

UFC 1204

“Fight For the Cover is another way we are bringing an authentic and exciting experience for the fans,” said Jamie McKinlay, vice president of marketing for EA Sports. “From the Octagon at UFC 194, to the Octagon in UFC 2, this is a huge moment in UFC and EA Sports’ history, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.”

The promotion is a big win for both parties, as UFC will benefit from the exposure of not only the game, but the bump-up in publicity for its forthcoming event; while, at the same time, EA Sports can promote its game, and brush aside the social media buzz that fellow cover star Ronda Rousey was “cursed” with her appearance in it, as she lost to Holly Holm last month, ending her undefeated streak.

That doesn’t seem to faze the company, at least based on an interview we conducted with senior product manager Jeff Sharma last month. “Ronda is one of the most dominant fighters in the world, and has really transcended MMA. She’s universally recognized, and her star is still on the rise. She’s also a passionate gamer, which is always a great addition for any EA Sports cover athlete.”

Whoever scores the victory next week, they’re sure to be a knockout when the game arrives next year.

Top 10: YouTube Gaming

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Before YouTube Gaming even launched this past summer, YouTube was already a huge content hub for gamers and the platform was synonymous with “Let’s Play” videos and infamous influencers like PewDiePie, SkyDoesMinecraft and more. So how are YouTube Gaming’s biggest stars doing now Check this out.

Branded Emoji Hashtags Are The Next Big Twitter Craze

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Emojis have become increasingly popular, and have turned into into a language brands can effectively use. A number of companies benefiting from branded hashtags and custom imagery for on social network platforms like Twitter.

One brand that has found great success using emoji is Star Wars. Back in April, coinciding with a new trailer for The Force Awakens, Disney designed a number of custom emojis to tie in with the film, including a Stormtrooper helmet and new robot BB8. 

ResizedImage600314 Emoji 1203Bridget Harvey, a senior manager for Twitter’s brand strategy team, noted the effectiveness of these images to Adweek. “We saw a lot of excitement around the Star Wars Emojis. That drove quite a bit of interest from our partners around the possibility of creating an Emoji for a brand. From there, we decided to explore this further. We really do believe in innovation through experimentation. That’s something that my group holds near and dear to our hearts. We believe that when you do experimentation in any campaign, the best campaigns start with insight.”

She adds, “it’s pretty clear that people love emojis. From that insight, we felt that this is a clear opportunity.”

Star Wars isn’t the only brand that thinks emoji speak louder than words…

  • Coca-Cola launched a successful Emoji campaign back in September, titled #shareacoke. The imagery involves two Coke bottles in unison, along with pictures of people sharing their beloved sodas.
  • Toyota created its own emoji program, where users could download custom images from the company to post to their heart’s content. “We’re really excited about the amount of engagement,” said Toyota’s social media marketing manager, Florence Drakton to Adweek. “The fans took the cue… it definitely opened up a new style of communication between ourselves and our consumers. It’s another form of expression. Sometimes, it’s better shown in an image than with words.”
  • The American Music Awards benefitted from custom emojis as well, with artists like Ariana Grande to Nick Jonas getting their own special images.

 

Companies like Taco Bell have fully embraced custom made emojis for food fans to use and share with others.

It’s clear to see that branded emojis have become a hit, even though they aren’t being used as regularly as some companies would like. Nevertheless, their increased usage should be more than enough reason to create many smiles. 

Facebook Is Still The Social Platform of Choice for U.S. Companies

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Social media plays a vital part with the marketing plans put together by companies, and it appears two major sites are leading the charge, based on a new report from eMarketer.

The report, U.S. Social Trends for 2016: eMarketer Predictions for Video, Viewability, Buy Buttons, Messaging and More, indicates that both Facebook and Twitter are still highly preferred by companies. Through the end of 2016, 88.9 percent of U.S. marketers with over 100 employees will utilize at least one of these social networks for marketing plans.

Facebook has held steady in terms of preference amongst companies, staying in the 80 percent range and keeping a firm lead, as indicated on the chart below. However, Twitter is close behind in the 60 percent range, while Instagram has grown dramatically over the past few years, jumping from 11.5 percent in 2013 to 48.8 percent for 2016.

Chart 1202 

With more focus on social media, companies have also increased their spending budgets, and it’s an ongoing trend. A separate report, Social Media Marketing Trends, conducted by Ascend2, indicates that only two percent of companies polled tend to lower their advertising budget. By comparison, 67 percent intend to increase theirs.

More proof of budget increases are present in another report, conducted by the American Marketing Association. Based on numbers conducted over the past couple of years, the percentage of total marketing budget devoted to social media has risen, from 6.6 percent to 10.7 percent – and it’s likely to go even higher next year.

This second chart from eMarketer below breaks down social network ad revenues, indicating what kind of changes are coming from digital ad spending. The changes are showing signs of decreasing over the next few years, but the budget point remains higher than it was in 2014.

Chart 2 1202 

The report concludes that while there are some challenges that come with marketing plans with social media, most companies think that it’s still an effective enough medium to continue spending on. With the right program, it’s easy to see how quickly it could catch on with current and would-be consumers. 

Verizon Brings In-Game Video Calls To ‘Minecraft’

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The amount creativity of Minecraft players can express knows no limits, and now they could have the power to cross over into the real world. Verizon recently announced on its Github blog that it has partnered the creative team at BlockWorks to introduce web-enabled features in the game world of Minecraft. Meaning that with the right materials and a special app, players can construct a virtual cell tower and smartphone to place calls to the real world. 

The list of virtual smartphone features include:

Video Call

Users can activate their in-game phone to send and receive video calls from other people, and, as you can see in the sample videos below featuring popular YouTube stars Captain Sparklez and SethBling, it takes a real-time image and converts it into the game, but with blocks.

Web Browsing

The video above also demonstrates web browsing that can also be done through a player’s in-game phone device, although it uses very blocky images, which fits in with the game world. This feature also connects to the real world from inside the game, so it’s like one reality connecting with another.

Text/MMS

Finally, users can build their own selfie stick and attach it to their in-game phone, taking a picture of their character to send to others via text messaging. This is bound to be a fun social feature, especially for friends staying in touch with one another while they play the game.

Minecraft Video 1202

This service came together with the help of a web application called Boxel, which translates web pages and imagery from streaming video into blocks, allowing them to be put into a Minecraft server. In addition, Verizon has also open-sourced the library of this tool, so devoted fans can write their own code to play around with however they see fit.

These are fundamental features that should be popular in the Minecraft community, which has millions of fans across various platforms, including PC and mobile. The video call feature in itself should be a fun way to see what Verizon’s technology can do, although web browsing and selfie photos should be produce creative results as well. Verizon benefits by having putting its technology on full display for the Minecraft universe to see and use.

It’s unclear whether the server based app will work on all versions of Minecraft, since the demonstration appear limited to the PC, but hopefully it will work across all platforms so that everyone can take blocky selfies.

Minecraft Text 1202

LeBron James Turning Entertainment Tour De Force Into Hollywood Empire

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The world’s most marketable athlete is taking his talents from the hardwood to the entertainment field.

Basketball superstar LeBron James has scored a $15.8 million investment through a partnership with Turner and Warner Bros. to support his self-financed entertainment studio Uninterrupted.

Uninterrupted is an athlete-centric content hub on the Turner-owned Bleacher Report showcasing a series of point-of-view video shorts from players on many platforms. It’s an arm of James Spring Hill Productions company, which already has credits to the Disney series Becoming; Starz’s dramedy Survivor’s Remorse and NBC’s upcoming primetime reality game show series Average Joe.

“The best thing about Uninterrupted is there are so many creative opportunities for athletes to tell their stories,” James said in a statement. “I’m excited to be partnering with important, innovative companies like Warner Brothers and Turner to keep building Uninterrupted as a place for athletes to go to connect with fans and share their stories in a different way.”

Since the beginning of the season, the four-time NBA MVP and two-time champion has released a series of videos via Facebook in 360-degree virtual reality. The “Striving for Greatness” vignettetes, an Uninterrupted original series detailing James’ training regimen (see below), concluded yesterday. Along with Wednesday’s announcement, the site also expanded to Verizon’s mobile streaming media app go90.

“I’m going to take full advantage of it while I can,” he’s previously told The Hollywood Reporter regarding capitalizing on opportunities.

James is rapidly building a Hollywood empire. With 63.4 million followers on the Big Three social media sites, he’s a marketing Goliath and the epitome of an athlete-turned-influencer. His off-field spoils include a $44 million endorsement portfolio with partners like Samsung, Beats By Dre, Nike, Kia and McDonald’s and there seems to be no end to the portfolio boons he and business partner Maverick Carter land.

“Whether it’s through real-time videos, original digital series or documentaries, Uninterrupted provides that creative outlet for athletes to share their stories in a way they can t anywhere else,” Carter, Uninterrupted’s CEO, said.

With LeBron’s latest deal with Warner Bros., it only perpetuates the rumors swirling around him segueing into the silver screen and starring in a potential Space Jam sequel. He’s already cameod as himself in Entourage and also plays a version of himself in Trainwreck.

And much like former-Yankees great Derek Jeter’s launched The Players Tribune, a site where athletes like Kobe Bryant pen their own pieces without the filter of a team spokesman or journalists, athletes are now dabbling in entertainment and media ventures previously unavailable to them.

That mostly means gems like Michael Jordan’s Space Jam or Shaquille O’Neal’s discography won’t be as prominent as the platform-limited 90s blessed the masses with, but who’re we to complain?

Just pass the rock to LeBron.

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