TMCnet Feature

As the demand for tablet computers and mobile phones are expected to increase over the next few years, the market for portable video game consoles has opened up.  

According to a recent article, 42.5 percent of the U.S. population is expected to use mobile phones to play videos games by 2015. Sony is hoping to recapture some of its video game passion with the PlayStation Vita, its newest hand-held game player that debuts on Feb. 22^nd.

The PS Vita is a stand-alone player but can also control a PlayStation console.  Vita Users have the ability to continue playing the same game they started at home on their PlayStation.

Sony worked with Deutsch, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, to create a $50 million campaign that includes television commercials, billboards, retail partnerships, digital banner ads and a significant presence in social media.

 “Never Stop Playing” is the theme of the campaign that will be featured on many of the ads as will the Twitter (News - Alert)-influenced hashtag, #gamechanger. The company will buy promoted Twitter posts that will direct consumers to the device’s website, playstation.com/psvita, where they can learn more about the product and make a purchase. Facebook (News - Alert) users will find a tab dedicated to the Vita on the PlayStation page and how-to videos about the device.

There will be online banner ads across 26 websites like Yahoo, ESPN (News - Alert), CNN, and YouTube. In addition, Billboards and wallscapes will be seen in cities including New York, Chicago and San Francisco, while radio ads for the Vita will be broadcast on the Howard Stern show on Sirius Radio during March Madness.

The PS Vita campaign also involves giving users the chance to play with the device in pop-up stores that the company is calling Vita Social Clubs which are located in cities such as San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles.

Jason Elm, the executive vice president and creative director at Deutsch, described the campaign’s audience in a statement, as “very socially plugged in, mobile, out and about, both physically and on the Internet.”

The Vita, which made its debut in Japan last year, will be sold in the United States for $249 for a Wi-Fi version, and $299 for a 3G version. The average price for its games ranges from $9.99 to $49.99 including cheaper and free applications.