Product

PSP – handheld interactive entertainment console.

Target Audience

15-34 year old Asian and other youth, art literate contemporaries, video and visual artists, Followers. PSP attracts approx 5,000,000 visitors a month.

Challenge

Following the amazingly successful launch of Sony PlayStation Portable in 2005, the brief was to create exclusive and unique content for the handheld device. The marketing strategy was the second phase of the console and I had to show participatory ways in which the audience could interact with PlayStaion Portable. It was imperative to retain the inimitable Sony PlayStation reputation but to instill a sense of iconic brand/product for the PSP. It was important to use renowned artists in their field and get them to creat PSP compatible work, using general public to create something experiential also. The brief was to broaden the market of interest to retain audiences and engage new ones.

Solution

We decided on a female led project as they were one of the less represented groups to PlayStation Portable. We further concentrated on Asian female artists who have show and worked internationally. We chose three acclaimed artists with extensive biogs. We followed the view that PSP is an aspirational brand and chose the artists as models of aspiration, producing work that was admired. Hence the title Admire/Aspire.

Using this theme we further took things one step further and introduced educational workshops. Using the brand values of ‘Beauty’, ‘Freedom’ and’ Desire’, we used an elderly Asian women’s group, an amateur theatre group and an inner city girls summer scheme to participate in workshops to learn about video art and expression through the use of technology. The work was then showcased in an exciting new space. After creating a brand identity for the show, we curated and designed the space, created the online and printed materials.We used the Great Eastern Hotel to show the photography and video art throughout various locations within the building including in every room. We increased interaction between public and artist by creating a map to locate all the art spots.