Sony sets sights on teens for PSP success

PSP News | Without resorting to ill-advised viral marketing videos.

Sony is shifting its PSP marketing focus away from the 18-34 year old demographic and moving towards the teen market. Speaking with Chris Kohler at Game | Life, PSP senior product manager John Koller revealed a number of strategies aimed at attracting 13-17 year old gamers, including the recently announced price drop, a targeted UMD release schedule and the new “Dude, Get Your Own” advertising campaign. “Most of our registered owners database stats have shown the 13-17 year old consumers far outpacing other groups in terms of purchase. The intend-to-purchase crowd is living mostly in that group as well.” Koller also promised future firmware updates with, “more of a lifestyle focus”, though he would not go into details.

Previous attempts by Sony to target teenagers have been poorly received. On the ill-fated ‘All I Want For Christmas Is A PSP’ campaign, Koller was surprisingly candid. "That campaign clearly did not work," Koller said. "It was an effort to be able to target that individual in a more quiet manner and not go out and promote it and have it be something that was found. The way it was done is not correct... In the future, we'll be more clear and transparent to the consumer."

Related Content

PlayStation Portable 3.0 firmware now available
21 Nov, 2006 Display PlayStation 3 content on the PSP.

PS3 Worldwide launch in November
15 Mar, 2006 Full summary of Ken Kutaragi's speech, with a worldwide launch - including Australia and Europe.

Faulty PSP buttons found in Japan
25 Jan, 2005 Square buttons that stick?

18 Comments

Jabbar

5 years ago

I posted this same message on another website. Maybe Sony will read this.
I'm 34 and marketing is my profession. When did Sony ever market to the 18-34 year old demographic? If Sony did ever market to the 18-34 year old demographic we would have at least had a phone book on the PSP or a real clock. An alarm maybe, so that I can get to work on time to buy more Sony stuff. Sony is sooooo stupid.

Vervain

5 years ago

Well maybe they could more people to but there system if they released better games and for a lower price. Darn games cost WAY too much. Although harvest moon is only going to cost like $50, so thats ok.

Eyce

5 years ago

"Dude, get your own!" Campaign?

They've already failed.

Karai Pantsu

5 years ago

This Summer you will laugh, you will cry, and you will buy more Sony products. Coming soon to a cinema near you, Ashton Kutcher reaches a new all-time low in "Dude, where's my PSP?!"

ugh the boot

5 years ago

That will seriously amount to jack! How is this crap gonna work? Oh yea more attitude! How about you drop the price in every territory like you're doing in the U.S Sony?

Or just friggin drop the Psp game prices! How's that for a marketing campaign? Screw only the 13-17 year olds.....we want EVERYONE!!

legend166

5 years ago

So, All I Want for Xmas is a PSP was a campaign aimed at 18-34 year olds?

Brilliant!

Crestfallen

5 years ago

Welcome, and congratulations, Patrick!!

I see by your profile that your favourite game is Ico. I look forward to your future articles.

Dovey

5 years ago

what do they define success, they ain't going to ever eclipse the market share the DS has got.

Vervain

5 years ago

Dovey wrote

what do they define success, they ain't going to ever eclipse the market share the DS has got.

It's actually not impossible for that to happen. Sure it's very highly improbable but still not impossible. I still don't think they will beat the DS in sales but if the PSP get's the prices of games and the console dropped then graphically speaking it could last a fair whle and maybe one day overtake the DS. That's my favourite saying, improbable yet not impossible.

renegadesx

5 years ago

^ ^ ^ ^
Improbable yet not impossible can really be said on just about anything.

Vervain

5 years ago

renegadesx wrote

^ ^ ^ ^
Improbable yet not impossible can really be said on just about anything.

True, but that doesn't stop it from being true now does it?

Frozencry

5 years ago

renegadesx wrote

^ ^ ^ ^
Improbable yet not impossible can really be said on just about anything.

You pointing out the obvious anymore than you just did:
Impossible.

?oe?oe

5 years ago

There's no chance PSP will outsell DS now. Even Monster Hunter in Japan, no where near proved that the PSP can overtake DS.

BovineDeath

5 years ago

How about this for a marketing strategy: Release the damn games in Australia, at the same time as the rest of the world, not 6+ months later! Or release a PSP with a second analogue stick so the games don't all have gimped controls. Or drop the prices of the console and the games.
Or [sarcasm] release more driving games! [/sarcasm]

ittekimasu

5 years ago

i think releasing games at the same time world wide and lowering the price on games/consoles could help it, because personally i get all hyped up when reading reviews on the US version and it dies down by the time it gets released here, so hopefully if they can do this people will instinctively buy the game instead of waiting and slowly loosing all that enthusiasm.

BovineDeath

5 years ago

ittekimasu wrote

With print magazines losing sales to internet review sites, games need to ride on that initial international buzz. Don't expect any hype apart from targeted advertising or playstation.com.au for MGS: Portable Ops. The rest of the world has played it, finished it and moved on. Sony only seem to value the USA and Japan, there is NO reason for a delay in the "PAL" release for any game. It does not take the OFLC longer to classify PSP games than other games, and there are no changes that need to be made to the PAL versions except maybe setting the multiplayer games to connect to AU / European servers.

Vervain

5 years ago

BovineDeath wrote

ittekimasu wrote

I think one reason why it takes a while to release games in PAL countries is the fact that if you remember Europe isn't all a predominantly English speaking place. So in turn they have to ALOT of translating and then they release to all of Europe. I don't think it takes as long to do that as it does for them to release it though.

Still they don't need to translate for Australia so why do WE need to wait so long?

renegadesx

5 years ago

Vervain wrote

BovineDeath wrote

ittekimasu wrote

Australia doesn't exactly have the population to support it's own territory, we are part of the PAL market, and no doubt get the exact same discs that the UK gets, with a sticker for Australian classifications.

View as forum topic

Add Comment