AWARD CRITERIA: Commercial success, Long-term brand potential, Innovation and creativity, Marketing support and impact
NEW GAME BRAND
PLAYSTATION VITA
(SCE UK) Itʼs Sonyʼs first console launch in five years. It was supported by the biggest campaign in SCE UKʼs history. And this time last year we didnʼt even know its name. Vita has captured the industryʼs imagination with its wide range of functionality and variable pricing. At the same time, it has grabbed the nationʼs attention with a launch line-up of more than 25 games – and plenty of hot titles to look forward to – and the Vita Rooms sampling tour. With plenty of activity still to come, expect Vita to maintain this profile throughout 2012.
RAGE (BETHESDA)
The challenge Bethesda faced with Rage was two-fold. Not only did the publisher have to established Rage as a new brand in an increasingly competitive genre, it also had to re-establish the high profile of legenday FPS developer id Software. To do this, the team drew on all its marketing muscle and idʼs heritage to reach shooter fans. Early promotions, including sponsorship of The Walking Dead way back in April, certainly helped, as did trailers before The Hangover: Part 2 and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. As a result, Rage took No.2 when it launched in October – second only to FIFA 12.
SKYLANDERS: SPYROʼS ADVENTURE
(ACTIVISION) To other publishers, Skylanders would have been a risk not worth taking. To Activision, it is now ʻpotentially a $1bn franchiseʼ. The publisher has not only successfully launched a new IP in the games market – no easy task, even when trading on the old Spyro name – it has established a new brand in the hugely crowded toy market. To call Skylandersʼ sell-in ʻextensiveʼ is an understatement. Both the game and the range of interactive toys has a massive presence in all forms of retail: online, supermarkets and specialists, both in toys and games.