Xbox, Nintendo & PlayStation make Top Social Brands list
by Dustin Burg 
{ Jan 30th 2009 at 8:00PM } 
As far as social gaming brands go, Xbox came out on top at the #5 position, which was, interestingly enough, just ahead of the grande-non-fat-iced-latte-sugar-free-carmel Starbucks brand. Sony (the company, not just its gaming division) is listed at #9, Microsoft at #11, Nintendo at #13, PlayStation at the #15 position, and Sega (wow, really?) landed at #72. For whatever reason, a solo appearance by Wii, or even its sidekick, DS, was not to be found in the top 100.
We're not sure if the point of this list was to grant select fanboys bragging rights or not, but we ask that you please keep the verbal tiffs to a minimum and all thumb wrestling activities restricted to the playground.
(In case you were wondering, the ever-trendy iPhone claimed 2008's social brand crown.)
[Via Major Nelson]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Jan 30th 2009 8:09PM
"grande-non-fat-iced-latte-sugar-free-carmel Starbucks"
Is that a grande iced caramel Macchiato with light milk?
Poisoned Al @ Jan 30th 2009 8:12PM
I'm surprised Xbox was such a strong brand. Playstation is way down in 15th. Has it REALLY dropped off the social conscious THAT much?
Not so much with the Wii tho. That has ALWAYS been a shit name. I'm guessing people just stick with "Nintendo"
Jon A. @ Jan 30th 2009 8:20PM
It's not which brand is in the social conscience, it's which brand makes people band together.
For example, everybody knows the name Wii, but Wii isn't one of the top 100 (according to Vitrue) brands that a group of rabid fans will fight to the death over.
Baby J Penn (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jan 30th 2009 8:23PM
I've seen some people go at it in Best Buy over the last Wii & copy of Wii Fit.
Jon A. @ Jan 30th 2009 8:24PM
And besides, Micheal Strutton - the product drector at Vitrue - pretty much said that Wii and DS fit under Nintendo. That's probably because Nintendo is a games only company; Sony and Microsoft do other stuff.
required @ Jan 30th 2009 8:31PM
The PlayStation brand does outsell Microsofts console brand, a lot more PlayStations are consumed month by month.
The Espiritu (Viva La Joystiq!) @ Jan 30th 2009 8:41PM
@required
Wrong!
The Nintendo brand does outsell Microsofts and Sonys console brand, a lot more Wiis are consumed month by month.
There, fixed.
B @ Jan 31st 2009 2:50AM
@required
Uhh... duh? 3 consoles > 1. Thank you captain obvious.
Now lets be fair include the Windows platform in there and Microsoft runs circle around both companies.
Baby J Penn (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jan 30th 2009 8:21PM
Not surprised that the iPhone is at number one. The thing is pure tits and has become an icon in a very short time.
required @ Jan 30th 2009 8:37PM
No, not even ugly tits and no, not an icon. It looks like the LG KE850 that came before it.
Poisoned Al @ Jan 30th 2009 8:42PM
It's bought by tits if that's what you mean.
required @ Jan 30th 2009 9:00PM
It does look like the LG KE850 that came before it.
Tiptup300 @ Jan 31st 2009 12:48AM
Although I am a Microsoft fanboy at heart, I actually found the iPhone to be a big disappointment. Here I hoping to get my hands on it to find it's amazing, just so I can be all "It sucks", but unfortunately, it actually was just a big let down to me.
I was planning on blindly say how terrible it was, but it actually was.
Baby J Penn (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jan 31st 2009 12:55AM
Please explain how it was terrible. I have always been a techie and get a new phone every year. In my opinion the iPhone is the best mobile platform I have ever owned. Do you see how many copy cats it has spurred?
Tiptup300 @ Jan 31st 2009 3:43AM
It didn't feel as responsive as I thought it was going to be. I really couldn't get used to the keyboard, although I only could try using it for about a day.
I'm also not too keen on the one app at a time system. It seems very basic. It's pretty much as basic as the one muti-application launcher I made for the zune. Which was still planned to have some application interaction.
Baby J Penn (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jan 31st 2009 6:06PM
Well if you look hard enough you will certainly find faults with any device regardless of how great it is. In my opinion the iPhone got it right in every way. The applications are easy to use, the UI is intuitive, the web browser is top notch for a mobile device and there really isn't any glaring omission in my opinion other than maybe a higher megapixel camera and basic functions like texting pictures and the like. The e-mail function works great and thats even for business purposes. This is of course discounting the massive amount of storage, ipod functions and added functionality of all the available applications.
The great thing is that I can simply use the google works suite if I need access to any type of spreadsheet or word processing functionality. There really isn't much that this phone can't do and to top it all off you have it all wrapped up in a clean and easy to use UI. I'm not understanding the complaint of launching multiple applications at one time. I will take the stability of the mobile iPhone over the little more usability you get from the completely unreliable Windows Mobile platform. To be honest I will take Android, Apple & Palm over WinMo.
People can downvote me all they like or think that everyone who owns an iphone is some pretentious, turtle neck wearing wanker.
It's also a bit difficult to get a gauge of how good a device after only one day of hands on time. In my opinion the outpouring support of the public and rapid consumer adoption (as well as being the number one brand on this list) just reinforces that the iPhone has indeed become the standard that all other mobile phones will be judged against. Have you noticed the trend of now seeing every other manufacturer releasing a touch screen iClone (including RIM). The thing has become a popular culture icon.
Tiptup300 @ Feb 1st 2009 4:39AM
I think the whole touch screen thing just really irritates me. I never used WinMo, so i can't rate that. I can say however that the Sony Ericsson 780i's UI is god awful, but I still prefer having real buttons to a touchscreen. Although the iphone seems to have more tactile feedback then the razer...so...
Baby J Penn (PSN johnnynumber5) @ Jan 30th 2009 8:24PM
On the Internet the PS3 is the one that people love to hate.
The Espiritu (Viva La Joystiq!) @ Jan 30th 2009 8:33PM
I wonder why?
Me love PS3!
required @ Jan 30th 2009 8:33PM
Hey I'm from the Internet and I don't.
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Jan 30th 2009 9:35PM
For what I understood The internet hates everything except lolcats and rule 34.
Longhorn4Life @ Jan 30th 2009 10:13PM
Its perfectly understandable, the Xbots are tired of playing Halo and the Wiitards are tired of playing nothing so they go on the internet to bash the console they wish they had, expect the hatred to multiply by years end
B @ Jan 31st 2009 2:53AM
Wiitards don't even know the internet exists.
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Jan 31st 2009 8:03PM
If you were wondering longhorn is just a regular retard.
I'm sure you voted yourself up quite a bit because no one survives a post using "xbots" unless is using it as an example of why you shuldn't use "xbots" in a post.
Someone in the internets took the day off.
Longhorn4Life @ Jan 31st 2009 10:13PM
xbots, xbots, XBOTS!!!!!!
required @ Jan 30th 2009 8:31PM
What happened to Microsoft's "welcome to the social" Zune?
Noah @ Jan 30th 2009 10:56PM
My guess... DRM.
Roto13 @ Jan 30th 2009 8:36PM
Think of it as a list of things ranked by what has the most fanboys and it makes perfect sense.
ebola! @ Jan 30th 2009 8:40PM
It's all so clear now!
Premature ejaculation man @ Feb 1st 2009 4:20AM
I hate going on Starbucks forums =p
required @ Jan 30th 2009 8:45PM
The methodology is a bit goofy. They looked at some sites in December of 2008 and considered that representative of the entire year. And which sites you might ask do they deem the most social? They don't say.
required @ Jan 30th 2009 8:50PM
The Espiritu,
No I was right. I also point out that the Sony brand outsells the Nintendo brand. More Sony products are sold than Nintendo products month by month as Sony sells more than game systems.
The Espiritu (Viva La Joystiq!) @ Jan 30th 2009 8:54PM
Yeah you're right, but you were talking about the PlayStation brand not the Sony brand.
Noshino @ Jan 30th 2009 9:28PM
then if we use that reasoning, The Espiritu, we should also not count Pokemon, a multimillion dollar franchise on its own, when we talk about Nintendo....because it is more than just the video games, right? :]
j.howlett @ Jan 30th 2009 8:53PM
coffee sucks
required @ Jan 30th 2009 8:56PM
You couldn't be more wrong.
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Jan 30th 2009 10:05PM
Drink your tea hippy.
Ethan @ Jan 30th 2009 8:56PM
It's because it's impolite to Wii in public
Fakeplasticball @ Jan 30th 2009 9:09PM
Did you know that MacDonalds has some pretty good coffee? MCD's is ready for a come back.
slycooper_rocker [psn:slycooper_rocker] @ Jan 31st 2009 3:36PM
surprisingly, it does.
DonGeronimo @ Jan 30th 2009 9:16PM
You all do not get it, out of all the cool products and companies chatted about on the internet THE XBOX was in the TOP FIVE!!!
The 360 tops the Playstation in sales, in attach rate and in COMMUNITY!!! That is something the Playstation will never have again do to it's lame online system...The PS3 has no Major Nelson....
Noshino @ Jan 30th 2009 9:29PM
"The PS3 has no Major Nelson...."
thank god
jarhead906 @ Jan 30th 2009 10:29PM
You're one of those people that bought a Mac because you wanted to become part of a 'social movement' right?
Microsoft knows how to handle software. They also know the significance of hosting a 'community' that revolves around a product. It's not for your benefit. It's for theirs. The point of doing any of it (like Nelson's podcasts) is to attract people like you that will in turn spout off all the glories of your tight-knit community to your friends, who, in turn, will hopefully do the same.
And if anyone wanted to have a community that badly, wouldn't they just make an account or go buy an Xbox 360? Clearly it's not that important to everyone.
jarhead906 @ Jan 30th 2009 10:32PM
Oh, and how is the PS3's online system 'lame' when the service is performs just as well as Live?
DonGeronimo @ Jan 30th 2009 9:37PM
The PS3 has no Major Nelson... "thank god"
Oh yeah, thank god The Playstation has no community leader with a ultra-popular podcast who is just a symbol of the deep interplay Microsoft has with 360 owners and other podcasts and gaming sites. You would kill for such. Sony just does not have anything like it. It is like PS3 owners are all alone out there and no one in the media pays attention to them...
TotaleeAwesome @ Jan 30th 2009 10:17PM
Yeah ok. Do you know the people most concerned with Playstation fanboys placing amongst the social subconscious are xbox360 fanboys? I mean the table is so accurate, 360 fanboys (while i do love me some 360) are the most OTT and pathetic fanboys, constantly flaming playstation related posts on various forums. Personally I hate rabid fanboyism or when a "community" is created around a product. It begins to drown out open-ended thought and happily allows enthusiasts to descend into hyperbole. The fact that you fanboys jump on to attach rate? I mean, what the hell does that mean? This is the first generation where people have brought up "attachment rates" to make up for the pathetic state of "hardcore" gaming compared to the Wii in terms of sales. I mean why do you care whether PS3 owners are alone or are paid attention to in the media, do you have any friends, a life for that matter?
Once again, remember Vitrues list is merely a composition of brands with community strength, "cult" brands if you would like to call it that. While these brands do often enjoy success (hence the heavy community driven advertising) a successful brand doesnt always mean a successful social brand hence why xbox tops Wii even though the Wii far more successful. The playstation is even in number 15 after the slow sales of their products within the last two years showing a small but relatively significant dedicated consumer base. Starbucks is far ahead of Macdonalds even though the latter has far more global reach, enjoying great sales and growth in these tough times and the former is enduring some of its worst times and stagnant sales. Add to the fact that social brand strength can work both ways, while you get a strong consumer base you can often shoebox you target demographic and only appeal to a certain type, age or gender of consumer which is almost certainly the case of the Xbox360.
mr mobius @ Jan 30th 2009 9:50PM
I'm surprised that 'Gameboy' isn't in the list.
I still hear people use 'Gameboy' for any handheld gaming system. These people are normally over 50 though.
Maybe the people of Ireland are just backward and behind the times.
bugz @ Jan 30th 2009 10:07PM
required
Just STFU you playstation Fanboy!!!!!!!!!
jarhead906 @ Jan 30th 2009 10:37PM
I know, right?
P.S.
If I ever hear anyone say this around me in public, I will ruin you. It's as annoying as having a lobby-full of 12 year olds on Call of Duty 4 yelling on crappy 3rd party headsets.
MBO @ Jan 30th 2009 11:42PM
the iphone thing is bs