The Brief
Against a backdrop of the global pandemic and battling stock shortages, the long anticipated PS5 was coming to Australia. The launch required more than a pure product moment; it required a branded communications strategy that felt locally relevant.
PlayStation wanted to create mass awareness and engagement around the launch knowing that their key competitor was also launching a new console - as well battling stock shortages.
The Strategy
With so much owned content coming from the US, we needed an opportunity to connect with the audience via a local lens to present cut through. My role was to lead the content strategy and creator-led messaging that translated PlayStation’s global vision into high-engagement narratives for an Australian audience.
Based on culture and audience insights, I found an opportunity to implement a creator integration strategy, which meant collaborating with up and coming content creators, to help us create unique and engaging content that reached an audience beyond those who were traditional gamers.
This would also allow us to tap into the highly relatable and culturally relevant moments for our audience experienced, that they could connect with amidst the anticipating build up to receiving their much loved console.
Fairbairn Films - ‘Getting your PS5 home safely’
Blake Pavey - Personifying PS Consoles
Key deliverables
Messaging framework: Localising the 'Play Has No Limits' narrative
Creator-led comms: Briefing and directing 6 unique creator assets to ensure brand consistency, whilst ensuring content was true to the creators channel and audiences.
Integrated marketing communications: Aligning social, PR, and creator channels under one cohesive story.
The Results
As a result of this approach, we delivered 6 pieces of unique content creator led assets to be used across launch and post-launch to help sustain momentum and engagement. Thanks to the collaboration with Fairbairn Films on 'How to Get Your PS5 Home Safely' organic engagement platform benchmarks were tripled with an overall engagement rate of 16%.
Building a creator led narrative helped moved the PS5 Australian launch from a tech product launch to a culturally relevant event. Thanks to the success of this strategy, PlayStation continued to partner with content creators across major campaigns and software launches.