Sony's new television ad campaign for the PS3 is either brilliant or insane, depending on how you look at it. We'll admit that the Rubik's Cube commercial is pretty freaking awesome. Simple, funny and has an unexpected "in your face!" moment. Then there's the baby commercial, which is just plain ... wrong. It's creepier than the scene in Trainspotting where the baby goes crawling across Ewan McGregor's ceiling while he's detoxing from heroin. How is a crying baby doll going to sell consoles?
Next in the series is what will fondly by known as the eggs commercial, spotlighting the SIXAXIS controller. It's a bit avant garde -- using the controller as a magnet to pull eggs across the floor and then smash them into the opposite wall where they crack open and release fully-grown ravens. Student film meets Hitchcock meets the PS3 marketing team. It's unclear if they're trying to show off that the SIXAXIS has motion-sensitive controls or not. If we didn't know the PS3 spex by heart already, we'd say it was highlighting the fact that it's wireless.
As we've already pointed out, would it kill 'em to show us some of the cutting edge graphics we've come to expect from the PS3? Still, Sony gets kudos for trying something different. If they can top the Rubik's Cube commercial, then they've got something.
Reader Comments (59)
Posted: Nov 9th 2006 5:44PM tanngrisni said
So far, with the exception of the baby, I have like all of these Sony ad's. However, they are doing nothing to help the sale of PS3's. The ad's are showcasing the "power of the system," which to the non-gamer is mostly meaningless. Given the fact that anyone who knows anything about video games knows this is coming out next week, the commercials aren't going to help them capture any new market share.
Also, add the fact that the pitiful amount of launch units will be sold out before 11 a.m. on friday, this is really just a money pit. What's the point of advertising something that's going to sell out, especailly when you are selling at a loss?
Lastly, while people are clammoring about seeing game footage, it really wouldn't serve any purpose. People interested in games will see footage from other sources. If sony were really trying to sell their high-priced system, they should be highlighting everything that it can do (Bluray, movie and music downloads, etc.) If they want the PS3 to be the center of everyone's living room they need to show everyone why it is so central to the future of home entertainment (... and they should probably make more than half a million of them at a time).
Also, add the fact that the pitiful amount of launch units will be sold out before 11 a.m. on friday, this is really just a money pit. What's the point of advertising something that's going to sell out, especailly when you are selling at a loss?
Lastly, while people are clammoring about seeing game footage, it really wouldn't serve any purpose. People interested in games will see footage from other sources. If sony were really trying to sell their high-priced system, they should be highlighting everything that it can do (Bluray, movie and music downloads, etc.) If they want the PS3 to be the center of everyone's living room they need to show everyone why it is so central to the future of home entertainment (... and they should probably make more than half a million of them at a time).
Posted: Nov 9th 2006 5:56PM (Unverified) said
i think the ad campaign is amazing. this is the big one and they gotta shift them ps3s.
btw i'm sure there some fancy animal graphics shown in the english "forcefeed me HD" ads.
check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oujNDDn7974. it' so terribly british. and crap.
btw i'm sure there some fancy animal graphics shown in the english "forcefeed me HD" ads.
check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oujNDDn7974. it' so terribly british. and crap.
Posted: Nov 9th 2006 6:02PM accure said
Here's another PS3 ad which intricately describes the PS3's cell,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq0bhrHhqN4
although for anyone here who thinks that the cell's seven cores are better than one, they better look more closely: much like the 360's 3 cores, the chip might have a pretty insane theoretical processing capability, it could NEVER come close to it's rated figures due to poor bandwidth between the multiple cores.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq0bhrHhqN4
although for anyone here who thinks that the cell's seven cores are better than one, they better look more closely: much like the 360's 3 cores, the chip might have a pretty insane theoretical processing capability, it could NEVER come close to it's rated figures due to poor bandwidth between the multiple cores.
Posted: Nov 9th 2006 6:33PM (Unverified) said
Like its predecessor the PS3 is also a sham.
In my opinion, its still not impressive.
In my opinion, its still not impressive.
Posted: Nov 9th 2006 7:55PM (Unverified) said
and this is why none of you are in marketing.
us, you know, the people that come to websites everyday and bitch and moan about upcoming technology, know all about games and what's coming out months in advance. we are not the majority.
the casual gamer, and non-gamer, who don't peruse the net everyday looking up information on the PS3 have no idea that it is coming out this November, unless told by a gamer friend, or a TV Spot.
Sony knows that there won't be nearly enough PS3's to appease the hardcore fans, let alone the casual fans. these TV spots are to simply inform people, that, yes, there is a new Playstation coming. and it is big, and it is bad, and more powerful than the toys you're used to playing with (ie, a baby doll, or rubix cube, the egg add was just cool, but mainly the birds flying out bit. made me think of Resident Evil).
this ad is simply to raise awareness in the casuals. a few people i know didn't even know Sony was coming out with a new PS3. when i told them, they were like, "Awesome!"
these spots are simply teasers. look at the teaser trailers for Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2. they were simple, just letting you know that a movie was coming out starring Spider-Man, and in the case of the sequel, that it was going to be different than the first one. it wasn't until the theatrical trailers that we were given an inkling of what the actual story of the movie was about. same thing with the Spider-Man 3 teaser.
after the PS3 is finally here, expect to see a plethora of different commercials showing off the various functionality of the console, finally satisfying the curiousity of those casuals that have seen these, partially enigmatic commercials.
it's brilliant marketing. tease the consumer, and let them come to you. i'm sure there are some that have seen these spots, and looked up the PS3 simply to learn what the hell that was about.
the commercials are interesting and intriguing, if a little odd at times (though i admit, the baby one has grown on me because it's just so damn creepy).
hold on a little longer, fanboys. the system will be out soon, then there will no longer be any speculation about Sony's success or failure. next year will be the real test anyway.
us, you know, the people that come to websites everyday and bitch and moan about upcoming technology, know all about games and what's coming out months in advance. we are not the majority.
the casual gamer, and non-gamer, who don't peruse the net everyday looking up information on the PS3 have no idea that it is coming out this November, unless told by a gamer friend, or a TV Spot.
Sony knows that there won't be nearly enough PS3's to appease the hardcore fans, let alone the casual fans. these TV spots are to simply inform people, that, yes, there is a new Playstation coming. and it is big, and it is bad, and more powerful than the toys you're used to playing with (ie, a baby doll, or rubix cube, the egg add was just cool, but mainly the birds flying out bit. made me think of Resident Evil).
this ad is simply to raise awareness in the casuals. a few people i know didn't even know Sony was coming out with a new PS3. when i told them, they were like, "Awesome!"
these spots are simply teasers. look at the teaser trailers for Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2. they were simple, just letting you know that a movie was coming out starring Spider-Man, and in the case of the sequel, that it was going to be different than the first one. it wasn't until the theatrical trailers that we were given an inkling of what the actual story of the movie was about. same thing with the Spider-Man 3 teaser.
after the PS3 is finally here, expect to see a plethora of different commercials showing off the various functionality of the console, finally satisfying the curiousity of those casuals that have seen these, partially enigmatic commercials.
it's brilliant marketing. tease the consumer, and let them come to you. i'm sure there are some that have seen these spots, and looked up the PS3 simply to learn what the hell that was about.
the commercials are interesting and intriguing, if a little odd at times (though i admit, the baby one has grown on me because it's just so damn creepy).
hold on a little longer, fanboys. the system will be out soon, then there will no longer be any speculation about Sony's success or failure. next year will be the real test anyway.
Posted: Nov 9th 2006 10:52PM (Unverified) said
"24. "9. It's just their bullshit way of pretending they came up with motion sensing first.
It boils my blood to think that some sony fanbots will now think that NIntendo ripped off the motion sensing idea.
Dear lord I hope sony fail. To rip off the idea, then pretend at E3 that it was their own, then to name the controller such a stupid thing, and now to try and beat Nintendo to the punch.
Bastards.
"
Wow... Just Wow.. how does One try and figure that? I think it was a world wide Astonishment when people found out the Wii was sixaxis.. And when ps3 ripped off the idea... can You be Less Retarded in the future please? As for the Advertisement- Love it. I love the Rubic cube one the most- Real clever- They already had me Sold when they said " Ps3" but these commercials would've sold me if I didn't want it back then.
Deer lord 1 h0p3 dat s0 knee phails!! ...retarded fan boys.."
WTF? Fanboy whore.
It boils my blood to think that some sony fanbots will now think that NIntendo ripped off the motion sensing idea.
Dear lord I hope sony fail. To rip off the idea, then pretend at E3 that it was their own, then to name the controller such a stupid thing, and now to try and beat Nintendo to the punch.
Bastards.
"
Wow... Just Wow.. how does One try and figure that? I think it was a world wide Astonishment when people found out the Wii was sixaxis.. And when ps3 ripped off the idea... can You be Less Retarded in the future please? As for the Advertisement- Love it. I love the Rubic cube one the most- Real clever- They already had me Sold when they said " Ps3" but these commercials would've sold me if I didn't want it back then.
Deer lord 1 h0p3 dat s0 knee phails!! ...retarded fan boys.."
WTF? Fanboy whore.
Posted: Nov 9th 2006 9:21PM (Unverified) said
This ad was miles better than the Baby from Hell ad, and slightly above the Rubix cube one (only because an exploding Rubix cube is cool, but does it get you to buy the system? Not so much).
This demonstrates the SIXAXIS at work. You know what would be really cool? If these commercials were rendered with the PS3. That would be something to talk about.
This demonstrates the SIXAXIS at work. You know what would be really cool? If these commercials were rendered with the PS3. That would be something to talk about.
Posted: Nov 9th 2006 9:34PM (Unverified) said
I think I get Sony's idea of advertising now.
Basically, they don't care how craptastic the ads are, as long as they get the gamer's mindshare.
Well, that explains why their ads were consistently racist and insulting for quite some time.
Basically, they don't care how craptastic the ads are, as long as they get the gamer's mindshare.
Well, that explains why their ads were consistently racist and insulting for quite some time.
Posted: Nov 28th 2006 3:51PM (Unverified) said
The commercial is frickin weird. I hate it so much i was literally paralyzed by fear when i saw it. i wanted to change the channel but just couldn't
Featured Stories
The politics of making games: Disconnect between 38 Studios and Rhode Island in quotes
Posted on May 24th 2012 6:45PM