Rock fans uninterested in Harrison's PS3 auction

44 Comments by Kyle Orland Apr 3rd 2007 5:55PM
Filed under: Culture, Sony PlayStation 3, Business

Marketing is all about knowing your audience -- what they'll respond to and what will turn them off. Going by that metric, it seems Sony's Phil Harrison wasn't quite a marketing genius at a recent rock concert.

Paul Rose, a.k.a Edge magazine's "Mr. Biffo," recounts on his blog the somewhat embarrassing tale of a Harrison-led PS3 charity auction in the middle of a Marillion festival in Holland. Harrison, who's apparently a friend of the British rock band, reportedly took over the auctioneering duties from the band's keyboardist, raising the bidding price from just above €100 to the €600 retail price as he did.

What followed was a debacle that Rose calls "one of the most awful things I have ever witnessed." According to Rose, Harrison was only able to get one bid out of the awkwardly silent two-thousand-plus strong crowd. What's more, Harrison reportedly "became increasingly desperate as it grew clear that everyone just wanted him to go away, and nobody was going to indulge his tasteless attempt at publicity."

It'd be easy to spin this as an example of the PS3's high price hurting it's saleability, but really it's just another example of marketing tone-deafness of Sony's part. These people were there to hear a rock concert, not to hear a marketing pitch from a Sony executive who wants them to throw down €600+ for a game system on an impulse. Sometimes, you just have to know when people don't want to be sold to.

Tags: auction, awkward, concert, embarassing, harrison, marillion, PlayStation 3, Playstation3, PS#, sony

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

Next-Gen-Gamer: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:03PM

I still think this is fake.

However, before you could say “Fake blog fiasco”, Harrison materialised on stage to commandeer both the auction, and the microphone.

Emphasis on "Fake blog fiasco".

waLLy: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:03PM

Talk about a bad photo...

Sam: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:03PM

Wow... wut a loser!

Striderhayasa: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:04PM

wow, that does smack of desperation. Is the writing on the wall for Sony? Can they recover from the debacle that is the PS3? On one hand, I look at my PS3 the same as I look at my PSP...it's some serious engineering at work for sure, but it may be too little too late in the greater scheme of things. But after all of the lies, the bad ad campaigns, the high price tag, the ridiculous comments by Sony Execs...it's all catching up to them.

One thing is for certain, I definately wouldn't want hardware designers to believe that it's okay to push a $500 + dollar console on the masses. Sony....are you listening?

LongshotX: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:10PM

Homeboy needs to go outside and get a few spankings by the Sun. DAMNNNNN.....he looks like a GHOST! Sppppoooooooooooooooooky!

Brian: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:13PM

Yeah how embarrassing that he was trying to raise money for charity. What a jerk!

ALH: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:17PM

oh snap, people didnt even want to bid on one for CHARITY?!

Phil Harrison: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:22PM

PS3 still has no games I don't blame the crowd.

And it's 100$ over the retail price.

WHAT THE FUCK WAS HE THINKING?!!

Mike: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:31PM

Sony needs to fire this turd. Or 'promote" him like they did with Kaz. Harrison has been doing nothing but damage for this company everytime he opens his mouth.

Mr Khan: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:34PM

I couldn't think of a reason for this, instinct says had they done it with 360, Wii, DS, or PSP there would have been a different reaction

Maybe all the signs of Euro-domination were misread due to the pent-up demand of having to wait for 5 months longer than other regions, and in reality it isn't all that hot

But i don't think so, maybe its just his lack of charisma...

Rubang B: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:50PM

I wouldn't pay that price for a PS3 if it cured AIDS, and that's just because Phil Harrison called me fat.

jas: Apr 3rd 2007; 6:58PM

What's next, randomly popping into churches to take over the podium to push the unholy PS3?

How about Harrison standing on busy street corners with cardboard sign, "Buy PS3 for food".

He even looks like a weasel-ly salesman.

Freelance: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:01PM

I don't like Phil Harrison but I do like the way the media (yes that is now you Joystiq.com) Find those misleading pics and post them at the right time.

LaughingTarget: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:01PM

You can't exactly blame Harrison. His job is to turn Sony around (they need it) and given the PS3 was already a horribly mismanaged business turd, he's been given a nearly impossible job. No one can sell the PS3, it is just too much too early and few are interested in paying for it. Can't sell it for less because Sony's financial strength is not up-to-par. They're still behaving like a late 90's tech company, the same kinds that failed. They keep outspending their internally generated cash and that will lead to bankruptcy eventually. Capital expenditures are outstripping sales growth, not good. Lucky for them, they've got a large enough asset base to not fail immedaitely.

Harrison has a hard road ahead, the only way he can turn Sony around is to change the overall culture of the company. That means he needs to squash future kin of the PS3 (overly ambitious and badly managed products) and start acting like an established company that needs to keep itself competitive in a declining market segment, not a rapidly expanding tech company. He has to do this while trying to recoupe as much of the investment into the PS3 as possible. Deep in his heart, he knows for a fact the PS3 will be an ultimate failure, even if it does manage to move 120 million units.

disguised: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:01PM

What an idiot. Who cares about the PS3 and his signature. Get the band to sign it and you'll automatically have a few fans bidding for it.

LaughingTarget: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:03PM

Freelance -

You'll notice that the photograph is an intentionally made promo photo (most photographers will find it hard to recreate that by jumping out of a bush infront of Sony HQ). You can blame Sony for letting that one get out of Walgreens.

LaughingTarget: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:05PM

disguised -

The band DID sign it, he said it was €100 per signature.

NorCal05: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:09PM

What a moron. After seeing there was no interest, he should have given it away and said that he would personally donate 1000 euros.

Jdoki: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:10PM

@1

I doubt this is fake. Mr. Biffo is pretty well regarded in the UK gaming journalism world. He is credited with creating the video games section on teletext (something of a must-read back in the day) and writes for probably the most well regarded multi-format games mag in the UK (even if some of the writing is wedged firmly up it's own arse).

It's unlikely that he'd make this up. As his blog says, he only posted it there because Edge wouldn't run the piece.

It's one of those so weird you couldn't make it up stories... Why base it at a Marillion convention in Holland for a start!?

But yes, it does suck, that in a room of 2500 Marillion fans, he could barely raise retail price for a PS3 autographed by the band.

I dunno if it says more about tight fisted Marillion fans, or the PS3 being such a pariah that no one wants to touch it.

disguised: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:16PM

@18

If that's the case, then I feel sorry for the band.. lol..

Rubang B: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:20PM

Why was Billy Corgan selling a PS3 again?

::Didn't read the article::

Poisoned Al: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:26PM

Those calling for Harrison's head should remember, if it wasn't for him saying/doing something stupid once a week, most of us would forget that the PS3 is even out.

Chris: Apr 3rd 2007; 7:38PM

Hahaha, oh man, Rubang made me lol.

john: Apr 3rd 2007; 8:03PM

Next-Gen-Gamer,

I'm pretty sure that "Fake blog fiasco" was a dig at Sony's fake PSP site debacle, not a indication that the article was made up.

Tommunist: Apr 3rd 2007; 8:57PM

The keyboard player for the band kinda resembles Phil; spooky isn't it? I want Guitar Hero with some tasty Marillion riffs! New album "Somewhere Else" out this month!

Kizzle: Apr 3rd 2007; 9:02PM

Clearly because the crowd was smart enough to know that the XBox 360 is the superior gaming machine.

Steve: Apr 3rd 2007; 9:22PM

What a dumbass. Phil's probably lucky he didn't catch a whiskey bottle in the face.

Yubal: Apr 3rd 2007; 9:53PM

"Sometimes, you just have to know when people don't want to be sold to."

I'm a salesman, and all I've got to say is: Indeed...

http://el-cabron.blogspot.com

Matt B: Apr 3rd 2007; 10:10PM

Did some of you read the article? He was trying to raise money for CHARITY even if this is true. Reading comprehension goes along way. Read something and make an objective opinion instead of:

*slightly drooling* "Duh....Joystiq say so. Must be so."

You weren't there. joystiq wasn't there. The article is based on some dude's blog in the UK supposingly in the know....

C'mon..

zackflash: Apr 3rd 2007; 10:24PM

Sony needs to learn how to price things and to entertain the market, not themselves.

umm.....hello??: Apr 3rd 2007; 10:48PM

@30

did YOU read the article?? the charity was for "Victims of ProgRock"....what freaking charity is THAT?!!!

Matt B: Apr 3rd 2007; 10:57PM

@32
It is still for whoever else!!!!! It is not like he was pocketing the money!!!

Avrum: Apr 3rd 2007; 11:08PM

You mean a Sony rep made an ass out of himself yet again? Do tell!

To be fair, this did come before the GDC event I believe where I really felt Sony finally found their marbles got them rattling around again, not to mention Harrison is pretty much the only sane one within the corporation.

He can take me HOME anyday. (or better yet, to a LittleBigPlanet...)

kevin: Apr 3rd 2007; 11:53PM

how about you all get lives, This is truly sad.

Sidepocket: Apr 4th 2007; 1:51AM

@ Matt B

Charity or not, he was trying to sell people something that few people want right now.

This proves to Sony that the PS3 is not as hot as they said it was going to be on 05.

That is trully sad. Shows how bad of a job they have been doing.

Hopefully it only gose up from here.

This also proves that 600 dollar euro/dollar is Income Tax for most people. Anyone who says its cheep is eather rich or a fool.

Rubang B: Apr 4th 2007; 2:12AM

Man 600 dollas ain't shit to Chad Warden. He would've bought that shit in a second. He's BALLIN'!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25LceCPO1ys

jester1470: Apr 4th 2007; 2:32AM

I was at this auction - it came after the bands Q&A IIRC) and it's kinda misrepresented, it's not so much that people werent interested in the PS3 because they knew how bad it would be, this is a room full of music fans who didn't know the ins and outs or who Harrison was, the reason it didn't go higher is because most people didn't have the required cash having spend hundreds to get there in the first place. These were music fans not necessarily games fans. I thought it was a good gesture it added to the total of money donated - the charity was www.akiramineaction.com I was disappointed in MrBiffo regardless of what this guy has done in the past I saw it as nothing more than a nice gesture (ok he did start the bidding too high imo, but that was his choice), it was hardly a cheap publicity shot because think about the logistics if MrBiffo hadnt been there do you think anyone would have actually heard about this ? It wasnt designed to get out into the general public it was just a last minute gesture as things were being auctioned.

Mark: Apr 4th 2007; 3:08AM

As much as I think the PS3 is a great console, Sometimes Sony really do make an ass out of themselves.

If I were waiting to watch my favorite band, and some jerk came on trying to sell something, I would wish he would get the fuck out of there.. Infact, I would pay him the 600Euro to leave... Perhaps that's why the winner paid up...

Come on Sony, brain in gear time, this is not an isolated incident, and the rabid sony haters have enough food thanks to previous Sony marketting gaffes, please don't feed them any more..

Richster: Apr 4th 2007; 3:37AM

Jester fellow -

I was there, as well, and I can say that the deal did go tits-up. Not because no one knew who he was or they were more music fans than gaming fans. I heard a few people in the crowd remark, "He's joking, that," and "I'll buy my PS3 when it's 400 yoyos - that thing isn't worth 600."

It was quite funny and embarrassing for Phil. He's a nice man, although he did seem to come off quite desperate in the end there. In fact, it was almost bone-chillingly quiet after the one bid. And when it was over, people were laughing at him. I wasn't impressed - I wanted him to get off sooner. I'm sorry the bloke felt we were doing him a "disservice" by not bidding more when someone dropped six-fiver on the Maril shirt.

GamerG: Apr 4th 2007; 6:00AM

Sounds like someone has caught Krazy Ken Disease!

Sparkstalker: Apr 4th 2007; 8:28AM

Yup, it was for charity...which speaks volumes. People wouldn't bid on it over retail for charity...pre-launch and signed to boot. Ouch. Yeah, maybe Phil's heart was in the right place, but it's certain his brain wasn't.

reverse auction: Apr 22nd 2007; 12:55AM

I would have used a reverse auction site http://www.oltiby.com

reverse auction: Apr 22nd 2007; 12:56AM

They should've used a better picture.

wallywallaby: Apr 30th 2007; 11:57PM

Ahh yes, this is the same crowd that thinks helping others through Folding@Home is a bad thing.

Microsoft fans to the core. Helping others is bad - quite the reputation you guys are acquiring for yourselves. I can't wait for you guys to laugh at people with cancer - I'm sure it's coming.