Ad Watch: PS3's Advertising Qore

It could be argued that the print media is in the midst of dying a very slow death, and nowhere is this more evident than in the gaming world. While gaming magazines used to be one of the primary sources of gaming information, the Internet (and to a much smaller degree, the TV) has mostly usurped this role. After all, when users can gain instant access to game videos that offer them more about a game than several pages of written word and still screenshots from a source with a large lead time, it’s obvious which route they’ll take most of the time.

Sony Computer Entertainment has seen the trends in gaming media and has responded with Qore, an online magazine exclusive to the PS3. The company hopes that it can reach its audience in a whole new way. Not only is it a unique way to promote its products, but it’s also an intriguing way for advertisers to reach the PS3 audience.

We caught up with Susan Panico, Sr. Director of the PlayStation Network, and got to the center of Qore.

Golden Qore?
Ostensibly, Qore is an online magazine with video-on-demand. However, its paid nature and exclusive access to certain promotions have some wondering if Qore is a backdoor way of introducing a premium subscription service to PlayStation Network similar to what is given to Xbox Live Gold accounts. However, with original video content and early access to certain betas, Qore certainly has enough features to make it distinct from other console offerings.

"The idea [of Qore] is to provide an interactive TV show around PlayStation products and provide insight into gaming culture, and we do this by focusing on the hottest games and giving our exclusive users access into certain game betas," explained Panico. "For our first episode in June, we had trailers for Afro Samurai and Secret Agent Clank, along with a feature on Soul Calibur IV and an interactive digital comic book for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. A lot of content that’s very gaming centric and we plan to cover games in-depth with things like developer interviews and we’ll provide exclusive content that you can’t get anywhere else, be it demos or custom wallpapers for your PS3."

"One of the primary things we look at from the ad standpoint is that you don’t see something like a banner ad; you see content that you care about."

When asked if Qore would be evolving and changing in the coming months, Panico responded, "[This is] our first experience in this sort of content and we’re migrating people from their cable box tops to their PS3. It’s an evolution for the company, since we’re a gaming company at heart, but we need to create content for our media devices. In the coming months, we’re going to be doing a three-part series on the development in Resistance 2, and the first part is in the July episode. We’re also doing an in-depth look at Silent Hill: Homecoming and offering a demo of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm before it hits the store. "

"Veronica Belmont really brings a lot of credibility to the format and [our fans] like watching her," she said before adding, "We want to make sure [our users are] engaging with the content; we want this to be the TRL or Entertainment Tonight for PlayStation."

Qore is like a magazine in several ways...
Qore’s subscription fee and content resemble that of a magazine, as does another element: advertisements. Ads pop up after certain content selections are made and users can continue after the ad plays in full. This has drawn some criticism, as some feel that the content should either be free with advertising or paid for by subscription and advertising-free. There’s no saying that Sony won’t modify the format to remove either the ads or the subscription somewhere down the line, but for now, both are present in Qore.

"We have a lot of great advertising partners like Universal Pictures, Activision and Konami. Burger King has signed on for a three-episode deal and another movie studio has signed on for an episode," explained Panico. "One of the primary things we look at from the ad standpoint is that you don’t see something like a banner ad; you see content that you care about. For example, Universal included a trailer for The Incredible Hulk, which was a 6-minute trailer cut specifically for us. Things like that really appeal to the audience of Qore. Ultimately, the goal is to make it as non-intrusive as possible, and you’ll hope it’ll be what your audience is looking for."

"Qore provides an opportunity to engage with very rich, targeted CPM," she described, "An audience that they know owns a gaming console and is primarily male 18 – 34. Advertisers are smart about not talking down to the consumer and finding ways to engage with them and I think that Qore provides such an opportunity."

Hard Qore
Qore has only had two episodes at this point, and considering the experimental nature of an online subscription magazine on a home console, the service will no doubt change over time. Qore has a lot of potential as a service for gamers and as a medium for advertisers to reach said gamers. It remains to be seen how much of this potential will be realized, but it’s certainly something to watch for in the months to come.

"Right now, users can purchase episodes for $2.99 or subscribe for $24.99 and you get Calling All Cars! for free. [We think the reason people will subscribe to Qore] is because it’s created on core PlayStation technology, allowing users to interact with the exclusive content in the order they want," said Panico. "Because it’s designed that way, you can access it wherever your HDTV is and not just on a PC. Another incentive is the interactive content, the themes and the ability to join betas, which really takes advantage of the full PS3 experience. We’ve been talking with the users on the forums, and they appreciate what we have to offer; one person put [some Qore content] on YouTube and it got rave reviews."

"I think right now, Qore really focuses on the core audience, but it brings in other gamers with the interactive content. It doesn’t so much broaden the audience as it reinforces the audience," she commented. "When we as a brand set out to do something, we really look at how we can create an exciting PlayStation experience for people. We know our audience are savvy gamers that want to be in the know and they’re also tech savvy and they want to take advantage of the PS3 experience overall. I think what Qore does well is that it delivers everything in HD quality, takes advantage of the technology by allowing you to customize the experience, and it provides a level of interactivity where you get the best of both worlds; you get your first looks layered with the interactivity of games and it’s just another way we’re pushing the boundaries of the PlayStation experience."