Sony Launches PSP Ad Campaign

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 5/2/2007

San Diego — Sony Computer Entertainment America said it has launched a new national marketing campaign to support the recently reduced price of the PlayStation Portable (PSP) system, now available for a $169 suggested retail.

The campaign, titled “Dude, Get Your Own,” uses a humorous style to communicate the PSP’s status as a coveted portable entertainment system offering high-quality games on-the-go, as well as multimedia features such as video and music playback.

Sony will run the spot through the end of May on select broadcast and cable network shows including “King of the Hill” (FOX), “South Park” (Comedy Central), “Adult Swim” (Cartoon Network), “the NBA Playoffs” (TNT), “Saturday Night Live” (NBC), and “WWE Smackdown” (CW).

Six additional vignettes that build on the TV spot will be released online in a variety of Web sites, at retail, and through other channels.

Later this week, Sony will launch an interactive Web site, at www.us.playstation.com/dudegetyourown.com, where the vignettes will be rolled out sequentially along with information about the PSP system.

The vignettes will be part of an online advertising campaign running now through July, with placement in a mixture of gaming and lifestyle media sites such as IGN.com, Gamespot.com, ESPN.com and Maxim.com. A direct mail piece supporting the campaign will be distributed later this month.

Sony said the ad campaign will target 13- to 17-year-olds, a key target audience for the PSP system this year that should be motivated by the price reduction.

Sony said PSP hardware and software sales have been sparked since the April 3 price drop announcement.