Xbox ad decreases brand trust, but Xbox images evoke self-confidence, study finds

by James Ransom-Wiley { Aug 9th 2006 at 7:25PM }

A new psychological study, conducted by Anderson Analytics, has found that brand advertising could have a significant effect on young adults' attitudes and perceptions.

Researches found that boys who were exposed to Xbox-brand images were more likely to be "higher on power motivation" and self-confidence than boys who viewed PlayStation-brand images. However, the same group of boys also experienced high levels of brand distrust after watching an Xbox ad, while the boys in the PlayStation group did not elicit this phenomenon.

So how does the green 'X' make you feel?

Tags: brand, PlayStation, Xbox

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Pc @ Aug 9th 2006 7:29PM

The green X doesn't make me feel anything really....I'm just waiting for the PS3 to come out now. Don't get me wrong though cuz i love my xbox 360, but the PS3 is gonna kick some serious ass !!!

Daniel D @ Aug 9th 2006 7:30PM

Haha I love the green x and the 360 logo whenever I see a part of me lights up (no its not my penis HAHA) anyway its a nice logo and Because I am a 360 fan I love it they are good to their customers they put out nicely during E3 and I genuinly trust them rather then think of them as a big money hungry corporation (even though I know they are)

exy @ Aug 9th 2006 7:42PM

Makes me feel like I can skateboard off of the Grand Canyon, pick up chicks in Beverly Hills, and punch Nintendo fanboys in the nose!

However I get the distinct feeling that the XBox people are up to something DEVIOUS. You won't trick me XBox ad!

Woo extreme!

SuperChuck @ Aug 9th 2006 7:46PM

How in God's name would you find a group of boys that had never heard of xbox or playstation? That's like having a non-blind taste test...

MetaHuman @ Aug 9th 2006 7:47PM

XTREEEEEEEEEEEEEEME!!!!!

But 360's come along nicely. :)

Brad Lee @ Aug 9th 2006 7:50PM

Wow, this is what analysts are spending their time on? What a waste of time!

Iddaknow about all the psychological mumbo-jumbo, but whenever I see an XBox ad (along with any video game ad) it just makes me want to play video games! Unless, of course, the ads are stupid, like those horrible PSP commericials. Though, at least the new ones seem to have video game footage now.

vidGuy @ Aug 9th 2006 7:50PM

Logo is okay, name sucks. Kinda like Wii. Looks good on paper, very slick, but it's horrible to say.

Otherwise the X doesn't make me feel/think anything. Why is MS trying to make me feel feelings? :(

GSI @ Aug 9th 2006 7:55PM

Personally I've never thought the Xbox "X" logo was all that eye catching or impressive.

They should have tried to find out WTH Sony decided to use the EXACT same font from the Spider-Man films for the PS3 name.

makesevenupyours @ Aug 9th 2006 8:26PM

its true...its the EXACT same font...NO difference...AT ALL!!

Geist @ Aug 9th 2006 8:30PM

I can't stand most 360 commericals. The recent ones (with actual gameplay footage) are much better, but the ones with people, like, having a water balloon fight and jump roping I hated so much. I was like "Wtf is this thing about? A console? Jesus christ then tell me about the console!" I prefer when my commercials actually talk about the product. They were neat to watch, but as commercials I couldn't stand them.
As for the logo, it fills me with hate, but that's another story.

Brad Lee @ Aug 9th 2006 8:51PM

@ Geist

I actually liked most of the 360 commercials, but I don't think they were at all effective. Advertising for a game without game footage is stupid, so is advertising for a game console without showing any of the games for it. I thought the water balloon commericial was fun, but it certainly didn't make me want to get a 360.

dsub @ Aug 9th 2006 8:56PM

that's funny, because had I been in that study, as soon as I saw the playstation logo I immediately would have started talking about how I've owned three PS2's, and two PS1's...all of which are sitting in my closet because they are broken.

I can understand the XBOX logo creating the feeling of power. After all...here's a breif description of what the colors stand for:

XBOX (Green)
"Green can represent nature, the environment, good luck, youth, vigor, jealousy, envy, and misfortune.

According to Henry Dreyfus, green, midori is regarded as the color of eternal life, as seen in evergreens which never change their color from season to season. In the word midori, both trees and vegetation are implied. One characteristic of Japanese culture can be found in the fusion of life and nature."

Playstation (Blue)

"Blue is the color of the Virgin Mary, and is associated with girls who have similar pure qualities. In addition, it is the color of water and the sea, with all the symbolic references already discussed for that element - that is, blue usually indicates femininity, life, purity, etc., just as water does.

Blue can also symbolize peace, calm, stability, security, loyalty, sky, water, cold, technology, and depression.

According to Henry Dreyfus, indigo blue, ai, mirrors the color of the vast ocean surrounding the Japanese islands. This shade of blue is very commonly seen in Japanese art and clothing."

Nintendo (Red)

"Red can symbolize many things; from blood, to love, to infatuation. Basically red symbolizes strong emotions, or things of strong emotions rather than intellectual ideas. For example, red can symbolize excitement, energy, speed, strength, danger, passion, and aggression.

According to Henry Dreyfus, it is popularly felt that red, the color of blood and fire, represents life and vitality. Red also signifies the color of the sun: a symbol of energy, radiating its vitalizing life-force into human beings. Red is also looked upon as a sensual color, and can be associated with man's most profound urges and impulses. Ironically, red cats symbolize bad luck."

Kamalot @ Aug 9th 2006 8:58PM

Every time I see the Sony name, I think of lies.

Lies, arrogance and rootkits.

Huzzah!! @ Aug 9th 2006 8:59PM

dsub- how is playstation blue and Nintendo red? I don't get it.

@ the article-
"boys who were exposed to Xbox-brand images were more likely to be "higher on power motivation" and self-confidence than boys who viewed PlayStation-brand images."

I don't get that at ALL, but it says that Sony sucks, so I agree whole-heartedly.

TheBizofKnowledge @ Aug 9th 2006 9:00PM

#10 -- I totally agree with that comment. I can't stand video game or console commercials that have nothing to do with the product. As for Xbox specifically, the logo doesn't really affect me one way or the other.

NES @ Aug 9th 2006 9:27PM

Damn #10 that sounds like some real racist shit did the black girl jumping rope bother you more than the rest of it.

"blue can also symbolize peace, calm, stability, security, loyalty, sky, water, cold, technology, and depression."

No wonder that boot up screen felt soooo GEH!!!!

Josh @ Aug 9th 2006 9:54PM

WTF.

And I think of Nintendo as blue anymore, from Wii, or gray, from DS Lite.

B33 @ Aug 9th 2006 10:34PM

When the Xbox commercial appears I think about how cheap all the parts are. And how it has only a handfull (barely) of decent games... On a serious note though, I found the water balloon 360 commercial to be alright. While the jump rope one was annoying and useless. A word of advice to Nintendo and Sony... When you make a commercial for your system, it's best to show game footage and not just a bunch of people running and jumping around.

Danno @ Aug 9th 2006 10:49PM

It's Thinking.

Of course, that's because of my personal view that XBox is Dreamcast 2: Electric Boogaloo.

PsychoFemm @ Aug 9th 2006 11:24PM

To #18 B33:
"When the Xbox commercial appears I think about how cheap all the parts are"
~i'd hate to hear what you think when Playstation commercials are on.

After working at a *LOCAL video game store that also does system repairs for the better part of 3 years..
system quality between the the last gen systems based on experience are as follows
Nintendo>>Xbox>>>PS2...
on average, we would get about 3 to 6 PS2 per week, Maybe one Xbox every 2 or 3 weeks, and maybe one Gamecube every 5 or 6 months.. (and the gamecube would usually be a stupid kid spilled kool-aid on it)

I like games on all the systems. what i think about when i hear their brands.

Xbox: Playing together...Xbox Live one of the greatest services ever in my book..
couples who play together stay together ;) and also cause alot of debt when you don't like split-screening!

PS2: game variety something for everyone from great to good to bad to ugly. somebody's buying it and playing it.

Nintendo: Quality, Innovation, limited selection, but a staple.

yeah.. i'm bored killing time..
time for some ChromeHounds!@! the mech game that made a mech-hater like mechs. who doesn't like trying to conquer the world.. i do.
*(support local shops they are life blood)*

Ian @ Aug 10th 2006 12:22AM

I love MS's advertising. I think its better then the PSP by far (thats not saying much when the PSP has 2 squirlls on its side). I love seeing that "Jump In" and the green X with that little noise :)

ill trooper @ Aug 10th 2006 1:27AM

"system quality between the the last gen systems based on experience are as follows
Nintendo>>Xbox>>>PS2...
on average, we would get about 3 to 6 PS2 per week, Maybe one Xbox every 2 or 3 weeks, and maybe one Gamecube every 5 or 6 months.."

Which of course, forgets to take into account HOW MANY of each box are in the marketplace...

makesevenupyours @ Aug 10th 2006 2:29AM

number 21: "Which of course, forgets to take into account HOW MANY of each box are in the marketplace..."

its a good point, but its still not proportional...

lets even take the low stats to make it look better in your favor.

lets say 5 ps2's a week instead of 6, and 1 xbox every 2 weeks.

thats still 10 ps2's for every xbox. and sony DOES NOT controll 10 times more of the market than the microsoft.

then if you were to compare to the game cube...5 months we will say...so like one game cube ever...21, 22 weeks.

then 5 for every week...thats about 110 ps2's to each game cube...still FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR from being proportional.

BklynKid @ Aug 10th 2006 3:13AM

When I see the Sony brand (not necesarily the Playstation brand) I feel high distrust. All the lies, the overhyping over products, the root-kit fiasco.

Never will I buy another Sony product.

Yke @ Aug 10th 2006 3:47AM

I believe its all in the marketing..
x sounds like sex, everything with sex - sell's..
I think the x has been chosen very carefully

Subliminal message's people!
For the PS3.. P(enis)..S(ize)..3(inches)
do i need to go there?
Where all hypnothised

NINTENDOWND @ Aug 10th 2006 6:44AM

Simple answer to article's question. In fact, the answer is in the article.

The add does make us stronger. It motivates us. Now, although the visuals make us feel stronger, on the subconcious we associate this strength with the Xbox brand, which makes it something powerful; perhaps threatening. Only this simple reason.