The Plan to Rule Then All

For our dynamic exposition project our group plans to do a youtube review styled video. Our plan so far is to start the video with a walk through a technology store to show all the different products Sony makes to highlight the problem of their over diversified business structure. Following that introduction we hope to do a tongue and cheek satire video where we debate how to do the video and go in multiple directions to parallel how Sony can’t seem to pick a single direction to go. Hopefully the video will be both humorous and educational. We can also tie in some concepts from class like ambush marketing. Hopefully from showing how nothing can be fully flushed out when people jump from one thing to another will prove that this is a problem for Sony. Then after we settle on the youtube style review, it will show that focusing on one good idea will be the most productive.

The main thing we are concerned about for this project is having the correct technology and implementing good humor. As far as technology goes, no one in our group has good video editing software to piece the video together. Since we are recording the videos with a google phone, finding a compatible software will pose some difficulty. For the second potential issue we are working on a script together now, and hopefully between five people we can make it work. Another issue following that would be organizing a good time for everyone to meet and work on the project. Everyone has very busy schedules and with the end of the semester coming and most classes ramping up for that, it will be difficult for sure.

The main resource we need at this point would be a video editing software. If worst comes to worst we can use a free program like movie maker. The other resource we will need is time. Unfortunately that is a limited resource and there is only so much we can do about obtaining it. However if we can get everyone together, it should be a very entertaining experience.      

The Highs and Lows of Sony Interactive Entertainment

1) What are the 3 strongest and weakest aspects of your firm’s product strategy? 

• 3 Strongest aspect of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

             1) The first strength that we believe Sony possesses is their aptitude to release exclusive games like, Horizon Zero Dawn, Nioh, and Mass Effect Andromeda which can catches the customer target segments attention and allows Sony to use premium pricing in order to get the extra revenue during a small window of opportunity that they can.

            

             2) The second strength and probably the most important are Sony's ps4 consoles. This is their bread and butter commodity that they sell and in turn is one of the biggest reasons why Sony doesn't go bankrupt. 

             3) The third and final strength is their Branding strategy. Branding is probably the single most important facet in the gaming industry and the way Sony Interactive advertising and markets their products has allowed for this Branding ideology stick. For example Sony used their "Greatness Awaits" campaign in order to tease and heighten curiosity for the Sony ps4.

 

• 3 Weakest Aspects of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

             1) The first weakness Sony Interactive possesses is that new gaming consoles come with many problems including glitches within their systems, hardware issues, audio problems and sometimes glitches and within the games themselves.

             2) The second weakness Sony Interactive faces is their competition with both Microsoft they possesses the Xbox 1 and the new Nintendo switch. Overall Sony has sold more consoles than both companies but at times Sony has sold less units specifically losing out to Microsoft's Xbox 1 at a time or two.

             3) The third and final weakness Sony has is the high involvement customers have when deciding which console to buy. Even though ps4's are available and affordable they are a social want rather than an economic need.

2) Is your firm addressing all three aspects of the pricing “stool?” How do you know?
       
            1) Competition: Sony is doing a good job balancing the stool by pricing their console, "Sony PS4", appropriately and at an affordable price for the majority of customer target segments. The first aspect of pricing Sony Interactive deals with is competition with both Microsoft's Xbox 1 and Nintendo's Switch. All consoles are priced exceptionally well and affordably in order to sway a customers purchase but the one thing Sony does that sets them apart from the rest of the crowd is their extent of high profile games and their treasure trove of games which exceeds 1100 games in total.

            2) Cost: Sony Interactive's second aspect of pricing would be the cost of their products such as their consoles. Earlier we said that their consoles are affordable and that is what keeps them competitive in the industry. It is relatively cheap to get started with a ps4 and a game running you around $300 but with that being said you will eventually have to pay for a Sony PlayStation Plus subscription in order to take full advantage of the system which will run you another $60 annually and extra controllers which will cost about the same. The gimmick is that they already have won you over simply because the console is cheap so your initial purchase is cheap and therefore keeps them at the top notch of the competition and the little added features solidify that extra revenue in order to make up for the money lost on the cheap consoles.

            3) Customer: Through branding, exclusivity, and the augmented or "total" product Sony Interactive really captures the attention of the customer target market they seek. They hit all the specific brand associations including "strong" which Sony ps4 comes to mind with the majority of people gamers and non-gamers alike. Their brand is "favorable" because the console practically sells itself and helps support their compelling point of difference. Their brand also shares the "unique" quality in the fact that the ps4 leads the way in graphics and gaming spectrum. For the majority of gamers a platform that has the best graphics and majority of games will draw customers from every corner of the market and then Sony is able to focus on that target segment once it is reached.

The 4 C's but None of Them are Water

Hey all! Coming at you hot with another funky fresh post dealing with the other 4 C's of marketing. Just a quick reminder we're following the Playstation component of Sony.

Competition

    

        The number one challenge which comes to mind when thinking about PlayStation’s success in the market is being distinguished among its competition. The video game market is vast causing PlayStation to have many direct, actual competitors. In their attempts to stand out so far, PlayStation has both won and lost  their battles. It depends on which of the multiple markets they’re fighting in you look at. The PlayStation 4, is currently on top in the console market, beating out its rival the Xbox one. These two are the most comparable because of the similar capabilities of the two machines. More distinguished in its audience than those two, the Nintendo Wii also greatly affects the PlayStation’s success as well. Although they all have different target audiences, there is a lot of overlap in who they are ultimately getting to buy their console, and in the end, most customers are choosing one of the three.

        Secondary competition stems from digital content, predominantly in producing exclusive games and TV shows. Every video game company want to boast the best and coolest games which can only be played on their console, and that’s where PlayStation owes most of it’s success. But an area where they suffer because of the opposite reason is in their exclusive TV shows, which very few people know about.

Company

     One big strength which Sony has going for it is it’s impressive reputation for the last 20 years. It’s been delivering quality games since its first console, which was a huge success. Some of it’s biggest issues have come from what it’s tried to introduce to the market aside from it’s main line of consoles, which include devices such as a virtual reality headset and a PlayStation Vita (a handheld device), which have not been huge successes in the mainstream market, and Sony has not given as much attention and publicity to those compared to their flagship device. In fact Sony has branched out to multiple different sectors, including TV’s, cameras, and moves. Unlike the PlayStation’s main competition, the parent company Sony is spread out over multiple fields.

Collaborator

    

     Diversity and quality of games is the main selling point for PlayStation, which boasts hundreds of games no one has heard of and hundreds which they have. Because of this, Sony’s relationship with the best game developers is key to their success, but not only that, their relationship with small developing companies consisting of 1-5  people has been a game changer for selling to those interested in a niche market. PlayStation is known for its big name games as well as its Indie games.

        Another core group that is closely tied to PlayStation is the companies providing other digital content like video streaming or music streaming which has become a standard in consoles in the past few years. Since many consoles have these kind of additional services, it is key for PlayStation to keep a close connections with these companies in order to provide the service better than its rivals. Whether that means the apps load faster or have less bugs, or some combination of both.    

        Some websites, such as video game news sites like IGN and retailing sites like Amazon are key to spreading the word about PlayStation’s different promotions and releases. Sites like IGN and Gamespot write review and news about new games and consoles, which means they provide free publicity, both good and bad, for PlayStation. Whereas Amazon accomplishes a similar task by promoting their hardware, but will only tell you what is available, and not spin it in a positive or negative light.

Context

       

        The world existing outside of video games greatly affects both PlayStation’s approach to the market and their success. One major factor is how well the economy is doing. Video games can quickly become an expensive hobby and if no one has money, no one will buy video games, no matter how affordable they are, because they are still a luxury.

        The constantly advancing technology is a factor in deciding which direction the company should move and also makes it a challenge to keep up with competition, both new and old. Both 4K TV’s and Virtual reality headsets are prime examples of this, and Sony’s attempts to be ahead of those markets has put their biggest weaknesses on display, because they can’t fully commit to either of them like they’ve committed to the PlayStation.

Another external factor that affects PlayStation is the constantly changing fads of the consumer market. Certain genres of games fall in and out of popularity fairly quickly relative to the time it takes to create a game. Even if a game is beautifully designed with excellent mechanics and has an amazing plot, if it isn’t a popular style of game, it won’t become a big seller. There is a delicate balance between appealing to the masses without isolating the fringe groups. However thanks to the diversity of PlayStation games, they handle these cultural influences well.

How to Clean Up the Competition

Hey all,

Soaps 'R Us here and we're here to answer some basic questions about our targeted customer segment! As passionate gamers we're excited to be focusing on the Playstation aspect of Sony. Here's what we got so far!

1. 
   

   1. The primary customer segment that Playstation targets is young adult males between the ages of 15 to 26, living in the United States, who devotes some of his free time to gaming. He is a gamer who isn’t necessarily professional but identifies enough as a gamer that he cares about what name brand his console is and the quality of the game performance.
   2. This customer segment has multiple benefits they are looking for in a product. He wants a console that has a reliable and diverse game market. He demands frequent software maintenance and updates. It is important to have both good mechanics and visuals. He also wants and an accessible online community. Playstations also provide a sense of escapism for customers and let them de-stress from their lives, allow them to connect with their friends, and even possibly open them to new interests or communities in the world of gaming.
   3. We have a few ways these customers learn about the product. One of the bigger ones is runing ads on TV. Ideally targeting the audience during certain time slots and on channels that the customer segment will most likely be watching. Being able to advertise online is also vital since most of the market will also have internet access and be active online. A good way to go about this is advertising on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter,  IGN, Youtube, giving out a few consoles to unbiased Youtube technology reviewers, advertising on Twitch, and possibly Reddit. Another crucial contact point is person to person, being known by word of mouth. Having groups of friends, families, and awestruck children to generate hype and support of playstation consoles is invaluable. Lastly is advertising in brick and mortar stores. Since Playstation is big it receives good spots in stores where people see them easily while shopping. Big displays and test games in the front of the electronics sections and such.