Sony has unleashed another promotional video for the PlayStation 5. Akin to the advertisement that premiered last month, the latest promo does not feature any gameplay footage. However, it’s still meant to evoke the immersive feelings that one would get while enjoying the next-gen console.
See the promo below in the video below, which is titled “The Edge.”
In an interview with Variety, the brand’s Global Head of Marketing Eric Lempel explains that the above ad was designed to “evoke some of the feelings you would get from PlayStation 5.” Lempel elaborates,
We want to excite and thrill [our fans]. We want to show them a path to the mysterious unknown… What you’re seeing is them coming to the edge and then going beyond. And really, that’s what we’re trying to signal here. It’s not about the features. It’s a brand spot.
It seems the pandemic is the motivating factor behind the direction of PS5’s promo ads, thus far. Lempel tells Variety that usually the goal ahead of a console launch is to let fans go hand-on with the hardware. Of course, the usual marketing plans aren’t presently possible. He continues,
I like where we’re going with our advertising and I like what we’re conveying, but you really won’t get the full experience until you touch it. That’s been an incredible challenge, so we have pivoted some of our communication to really try to strongly evoke the feelings you’ll get from using the console, and that was what our first spot was all about.
We’ve previously talked about next-gen’s overall feelings, immersion, and the DualSense controller being the biggest innovations in next-gen, something that difficult to convey via trailers. Those more interested in seeing gameplay in these types of ads will have their wish come true soon enough. According to Lempel, games will start to “play into these campaigns very quickly.” When exactly that may come to pass currently remains to be seen. But with the stated launch window edging closer, such promotional tools should begin rolling out in just a few weeks.
Thankfully, more PS5-related details are imminent. Come this Wednesday, September 16th, at 1:00pm PST, Sony will host another PS5 showcase. Fingers crossed this is the day that pricing, preorder, and release date information emerge.
PlayStation 5 remains on track for a holiday 2020 launch.
