Sony game launch

For Australian gaming fans, the launch of Sony PlayStation2's flagship racing game Gran Turismo 4 (GT4) was something they had been waiting several years for. To tap into the excitement that had been building around the game, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) opted to hold its media launch in a venue that emulated the game's characteristics, choosing a grungy inner-city pub more famous for live bands than corporate launches. Despite the logistical challenges of organising an event at such a venue, SCE managed to create a strong presence while still maintaining the pub's unique character. One room was transformed into a gaming den with ten interactive display units where people could play the game. To add atmosphere, a pair of BMW 1 Series cars were parked in the beer garden. Although most gaming journalists had received copies of GT4 several weeks earlier, for many attendees it was their first exposure to the game. Adrian Christie, head of PR for Sony Computer Entertainment, said GT4 features 700 cars and more than 100 musical tracks — taking in a wide cross-section of tastes from rock to classical — so they wanted to build the launch around a live musical performance from an Australian rock band. The venue choice proved to be a winner too. "People were really relaxed and felt comfortable being there, which is what we wanted," said Christie. "It's a place that many on the guest list usually hang out at anyway. We felt they would feel more comfortable there than in one of the city bars, where they are questioned on their clothes and aren't allowed to wear sandshoes. We wanted to stay away from that whole scene." Organised internally by Sony's marketing team in conjunction with PR firm Weber Shandwick, the event was attended by about 250 people, 75 per cent of them journalists. The GT4 invite list went beyond usual gaming media to include as broad an audience as possible. Editors at the TV networks, newspapers, men's magazines, marketing journals, car magazines and girls' magazines were all invited. The motoring titles were very important given that car enthusiasts are a major market for the game. Pre-event cocktails Aselect group of 30 journalists were invited to pre-event cocktails with the managing director of SCE Australia and New Zealand Michael Ephraim for a briefing prior to the launch. During the night there were several informal presentations from Sony executives who mingled casually with the guests. Local bands played throughout the evening and most people stayed until midnight. The end of the event was timed to coincide with the game going on sale. The McDonald's franchise across the road from the venue, a well-known hang-out for car fanatics, agreed to stay open to sell the first copies of the game. Given the competitive nature of the gaming industry, where a rave review can mean big sales and a poor review the exact opposite, SCE tends to hold media events for its major software launches but tries to make them as varied and as interesting as possible. Events are tied in with the product. For example, other software launches this year have been unveiled on a sailing trip on Sydney Harbour, a dinner in a Greek restaurant, a music trivia night as well as at E3, the annual gaming conference in Los Angeles. The first event in the GT4 launch was an internal incentive for the marketing team who took part in a five-hour road test at Sydney's Eastern Creek motorway. They were able to drive vehicles showcased in the game and then straight afterwards drove those same cars, while playing GT4, so they could better understand how closely the cars in the game matched the real thing. VERDICT ADRIAN CHRISTIE, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT "The event was a great success," said Adrian Christie, head of PR for Sony Computer Entertainment. "It was a big collaboration and something that was in the making for a long time. We wanted something fitting to celebrate the launch of the game and that is what we got." However, the success or otherwise of the night wasn't being judged against sales. "It was more about building relationships and thanking the media for their continued support of the company and the marketing team behind the launch, including our creative agency and our media-buying shop," said Christie. That said, for every dollar spent on PR for GT4 since the campaign began in May 2004 until March this year, he estimates SCE got $53 in return. "The column inches we got in the press were equivalent to about US$750,000 in advertising and media spend, and we are very happy with the results."