Make or break for PS3 as hard-sell kicks off

THE battle for supremacy in the console games market kicked off in earnest at the weekend as Sony began a month-long drive to convince consumers it's soon to be released PlayStation 3 is the way of the future.
Sony Computer Entertainment and its retail partners will spend $7 million over the next six weeks, with much of the marketing aimed at giving people hands-on experience with the console.
"Demo, demo, demo" is SCE managing director Michael Ephraim's catchcry.

 

With rival Microsoft's Xbox 360 trading at half the price of the PS3, and Nintendo's Wii coming in at under $300, Mr Ephraim admitted people needed to trial the PS3 to be convinced the $999.95 price tag was value.

 

At the weekend retailers fired their first salvos as part of the Sony push, with Harvey Norman retailer Domayne offering $50 vouchers (understood to be underwritten by SCE) to customers if they are unable to get a hands-on demonstration of the machine.

 

The PS3 launch is also the first stage of the battle for supremacy between High Definition DVD and the Blu Ray formats, with PS3 featuring Blu Ray.

 

While PS3 consoles will be hot properties when stores around the country open at midnight on March 23, Mr Ephraim knows the marketing battle is to be played out over months, not weeks, when the average family, not tech-savvy early adopters, will need convincing.

 

The key, he said, was making them see the PS3 as an entertainment centre merging gaming, movies, the internet and messaging through the (preferably high-definition) TV in the living room.

 

"We are very aware and have punctuated that point -- demo, demo, demo," Mr Ephraim said.

 

"We have talked to our retail partners. My company have set the agenda of demo-ing. How we go about that is tricky and costly."

 

Part of the challenge is demonstrating the wireless aspects of the device in a store environment.

 

"The key retailers -- Harvey Norman, Domayne, JB, Myer -- all these stores that I have just mentioned sell consumer electronics and they see the benefit to selling PS3 properly because they will sell Bravia (TVs), MP3 Players (and) Walkmans.

 

'Demo is the way to go. It is a strategic direction I have given the organisation as far as marketing dollars, retail co-op dollars."