I entered Sony Playstation’s Big Rig parked adjacent to EB Games yesterday. This 18 wheeler styled truck opens its belly to some 30 feet of PS3s for public enjoyment all powered by a hefty generator. Right behind the driver’s cab, a sound booth with a leather couch and kareoke mics engage you in a sing-along game (you win if your tone is the best) on screen.
The PS staff of four shifts as the trailer travels across the country. They call it the “Big Rig”; but, in discussion with staff it is PS3’s “field marketing”. In our marketing world it’s also called “experiential marketing”; Jack Morton reknown for this space claims that live experiences produce more brand engagement than any form of advertising. Yet the trailer was near empty. I place the blame on its low visibility from the road, no sound emanating from the trailer to draw attention and perhaps, little advance notice to locals. If you are going to throw an experiential event unannounced pick your real estate carefully and optimize any partners’ participation.
Also there is no mention of this tour on the Playstation.ca site. Huh? This could have triggered higher participation and viral social media activity. I searched and found only a few posts for the US version–nothing for Canada. And what about local search engines? The rig is going all the way to Moncton, N.B.; hopefully, the first days will kick-off some blogging in their favor.
I thought the PS3 Big Rig was a great experience for gamers and for the PS3 brand; simply, some opportunities were missed.
