Sony marketing sucks!

[Blu-Ray Buckeye]

OK, now that I have your attention. I've seen people mentioning how Sam's Club has blu-ray as an end cap. That is good. However Sony also has a big promo w/ Sam's recently. It could have been great, but it actually pretty much blew ass.

OK, so Sony had a big display w/ their latest 60" Bravia. It's beautiful and the display is amazing. Feeding the TV were 3 devices:

- a Sony Audio/Video Receiver ($600)... it was doing nothing... not even turned on.
- A Sony standalone blu-ray player... also doing nothing... not turned on
- A PS3 on the far left... on, rockin' and providing the signal and spectacular image to the TV.

Could have been a great sales tool. People were standing around in complete awe of the image. Every one of them leaned forward to check the price of the..... wait for it..... the f-ing TV. No one looked for where the image was coming from.

The display makes no mention of the source or that the PS3 plays movies. In fact, the overall display undermined the PS3 because most people just assumed the movie was playing on the blu-ray player... the setup made it seem like there was a receiver, a player for movies and a game machine. And that's how the sheep took the message.

Consumers are not sharp enough to figure thsi all out, you have to spoon feed them.

Consumers are stupid, but Sony marketing is far more stupid.

[spicynacho]

You have a good point, like the VS fashion show, everyone is looking at the model, not the bra.

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Blu-Ray Buckeye

Consumers are stupid, but Sony marketing is far more stupid.

My local Sam's Club had a Blu-ray demo disc playing last time I was in there. The video was stressing the advantages of Blu-ray.

BTW, the audio receiver was on when I was there.

~Alan

[Blu-Ray Buckeye]

Originally Posted by spicynacho

You have a good point, like the VS fashion show, everyone is looking at the model, not the bra.

Thank you, and as I mentioned in anotehr therad... the TV commercials are no better. A few have a quick image of the Spdiey 3 movie but they don't actually say it and the parts are moving to fast for the average consumer to get the detailed message. They just just as the images are flying by, "Gee that game console seems neat but it sure is expensive".

They should have their standard fancy, artsy commercial then inetrrupt it at the nd with some average dude who pops up and says, "Hey, uh, does this this play movies?" Then some other dude chimes in and says, "Yeah actually it plays hi-def blu-rays like (quick whrilwind of all of the biggest newest hits). OH, it also upconverts all of the DVDs you already have in HD too." Half of America would drop their jaws. The people do NOT get it.

[Blu-Ray Buckeye]

Originally Posted by Alan Gordon

My local Sam's Club had a Blu-ray demo disc playing last time I was in there. The video was stressing the advantages of Blu-ray.

BTW, the audio receiver was on when I was there.

~Alan

Yes, but it wasn't stressing the advantages of the PS3 over all other consoles as a gaming console AND a blu-ray player. That was my only point. I said nothing about blu-ray promotion in general. having a random receiver in the mix only confuses the issue... people at Sam's aren't there to buy expensive receivers and their receiver is not battling in a bloody war over format or gaming console supremacy.

[reider]

Sony is in a difficult position (trying to sit one ass on to chairs), but it's all other CE companies in the Blu camp that are pissing me off. If 170 companies were to make just one TV add each they would flood the broadcast and brainwash j6p's in no time!

[MotionBlurr]

I hate to say it but companies with bad products are experts at marketing (MS) and the companies with great products are bad in marketing (Sony).

I can release something like an overpriced paperweight (like the Zune) and not worry about its quality or how bad it is. I'll just let the marketing department hire some celebrities and rock bands to promote them in parties and hire some starving writers to write about it in a few magazines and it will attract people by the loads.

[181]

Originally Posted by MotionBlurr

I hate to say it but companies with bad products are experts at marketing (MS) and the companies with great products are bad in marketing (Sony).

I can release something like an overpriced paperweight (like the Zune) and not worry about its quality or how bad it is. I'll just let the marketing department hire some celebrities and rock bands to promote them in parties and hire some starving writers to write about it in a few magazines and it will attract people by the loads.

So why isn't BDA doing that? I think it's time for BDA to set aside honor and pride and do what will attract more people. Shove it down people's throats and cut prices.

[gearyt]

Remember "Pet Rocks??" nawww you're too young

[pokerface]

I have to agree as I never see Blu-ray or Playstation 3 commercials on TV, only ads for movies or games. Problem is these are on because of the company putting out the movie or game.
Alot of people don't know what Blu-ray is or that the playstation 3 will play them.

[tru2blu707]

not just sony marketing but i think the retailers have A LOT to do with it also. my BB up untill last friday didnt have the right price tag for the 40gig ps3. and now its not even in the video game section! and the ebgames at my location didnt have the right price for the 40gig also...they just had the 499 sticker price just like at BB.

[Gremal]

Originally Posted by tru2blu707

not just sony marketing but i think the retailers have A LOT to do with it also.

Yep...in fact I'm more inclined to blame the retailers.
The only such display i have seen is at Target...as noted by others, there is a Sony BD player and about two dozen BDs right under the display. Sony marketing is an awesome force in A/V...how some stores implement it does leave something to be desired, though. But why blame Sony? Their reps can't be everywhere, and after they provide retailers with gear for the in-store displays, it should be up to the retailer to get it right.

[Kirsty_Mc]

Sony's marketing has always sucked, though lately with the balls bouncing down the hill, they seem to have improved a bit.

Their marketing in the early '80 was brilliant... the John Cleeese adverts were memorable. But they dropped him... one of the adverts did not suit the suits back in Japan as it referred to the Japanese in a "disrespectful" manner. British humour sometimes does not travel well .

Have a look at a couple on Youtube:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiDbkaaF_k4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSPlEBbgP-A&NR=1

There was another one where Sony developed a connector on HiFi systems to "avoid 3 plate fulls of spaghetti hanging out of the back".

[Paden]

Maybe Sony needs to run some morning infomercials where they spend 30 minutes talking about one product. The issue with the PS3 is that it does so much you can't adequately advertise it in 30 second spots. Hell, hire the guy from Ronco of pocket fisherman fame!

[Hawknelson05]

yeah, theyre book smart but have no people skills



and they really need to stress the sometimes obvious things because the general population is mildly retarded

[tuku]

Originally Posted by Blu-Ray Buckeye

They should have their standard fancy, artsy commercial then inetrrupt it at the nd with some average dude who pops up and says, "Hey, uh, does this this play movies?" Then some other dude chimes in and says, "Yeah actually it plays hi-def blu-rays like (quick whrilwind of all of the biggest newest hits). OH, it also upconverts all of the DVDs you already have in HD too." Half of America would drop their jaws. The people do NOT get it.

We have ads like in the Uk from PC World. And they work, as one of my colleagues at work bought a Home Media PC (with large screen LCD). PC World advertised the fact you could play games, get on the internet, play DVDs and watch football all for less than a grand. Works with the average person who are not that well informed.

By the way the pc is probably worth half that, but the way they sell it promoted its features.

[Bullseye]

BRB not to sound harsh but come on. Sony is the “ONLY” CE Company as far as I can see actually attempting to make people aware of Blu Ray. Too often have I have read ads in magazines from the likes of Panasonic, Sharp, Pioneer, Samsung, Philips all advertising hi-def TVs and up scaling DVD players? What’s the story there? Why in God’s name are they not advertising Blu Ray players?

Up scaling DVD players and no mention of Blu Ray.


WHERE ARE THE OTHER CE COMPANIES.

[Brent]

I think the new Sony PS3 ads are catchy. My fiancée saw a few of them when they first starting airing (a few weeks ago) and liked them enough to mention it later to me.

[Firestreak]

Sony needs TWO separate ads going on for the PS3.

They need one ad focusing on the games, nothing else.

Don't focus on the built in harddrive, media capabilities, blu-ray drive... nothing! Just focus on their games catalog. Push Uncharted, Ratchet, COD4, Unreal Tournament 3, Orange Box, Assassin's Creed and some images of Grand Turismo 5 Prologue. Drive in the fact that this is a game machine, target this specifically at people who are gamers.

And then an entirely seperate ad going on that it's a media device, first show all the warner blu-ray movies, then start showing the blu-ray exclusive and make sure it says, "ONLY ON BLU-RAY!" Then show the PS3 and that it plays blu-ray movies, and it upscales DVDs, and it streams media.

The thing is that the PS3 is a great blu-ray player, and a great game machine. However people can't process both of those things in the same advertisement. Gamers will think if you focus on the blu-ray aspect then it sucks as a gaming machine compared to a system that does that exclusively. Movie goers will think it's going to be a shitty media device as it's a game machine. They don't get the fact that it's a $400 quality movie player, combined with a $400 game machine. It's worth it for movie lovers OR gamers. If you love movies and love gamers, these ads will hit you double whammy. If you love either, one of them will get you.

[CasualCat2001]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

BRB not to sound harsh but come on. Sony is the “ONLY” CE Company as far as I can see actually attempting to make people aware of Blu Ray. Too often have I have read ads in magazines from the likes of Panasonic, Sharp, Pioneer, Samsung, Philips all advertising hi-def TVs and up scaling DVD players? What’s the story there? Why in God’s name are they not advertising Blu Ray players?

Up scaling DVD players and no mention of Blu Ray.


WHERE ARE THE OTHER CE COMPANIES.

Actually Panasonic's deal $499 off their plasma if you purchase their Blu-ray player is great marketing imo. Though it would have been nice to see it get some TV time.

That deal is the way to do it though. Make the choice easy for consumers.

They could also use some advertising making it clear that you're not getting the full use out of your shiny new HDTV unless you are also watching movies on Blu-ray.