Star Trek: videogame marketing campaign

Star Trek: blog tasks

1) Pick out the five most significant aspects of the Star Trek campaign from the list above and explain why they were important in creating a buzz about the game.

June 2011

E3 announcement and teaser trailer

This was one of the most significant aspects of the Star Trek campaign because this is where everyone found out that a new Star Trek game was being created, because the announcement had been made this had started a buzz. 

April 2012

New teaser trailer released

This stage of the development showed the audience how the game was actually serious and that there was a game that was going to be released soon. 

June 2012 – E3

Website and Twitter feed launched

Updates on Facebook

Game enemy (Gorn) announced

Gameplay footage posted online

Game producer Brian Miller interviewed

When the website and social media aspect of the game was released two months later, everyone one was excited about the game. It had started trending on twitter and everyone was excited about this new Sci-Fi game that was going to release soon.  

February 2013

Retailers post circulars online

‘Making of’ video released

UK launch event at the Science Museum  

This made the audience realise that the game was not a myth even though it was taking so long for the game to release. The making of video showed how the game may have already been made and it gave hope to the audience that the game will soon be released and be out in game stores near them. 

April 2013

Previewed in game magazines

Gadget Show live game available to play

Gameplay footage on YouTube

Interview with Brian Miller released

2 years later the game was finally released but the audience was not happy. 'Several occasions while playing Star Trek, I was ready to call it a write-off'' This example of a review shows how the game was not well executed even though it took so long for the developers to make the game. After people had started playing this game the game was totally twitter bombed because it was so bad and a waste of money.

2)Watch the following YouTube trailers and explain why they might appeal to an audience:

• Teaser trailer
• Xbox teaser trailer
• Full trailer
• Comedy trailer with William Shatner

3) How many views did these trailers receive in total?

4) Why did the Star Trek videogame publisher develop the marketing campaign over such a long time?

5) What other examples can you find online from the Star Trek marketing campaign? Print? Reviews? Broadcast? E-media? Do you feel the campaign as a whole was successful?

Videogame advertising: Institution

Rockstar Games

Background: found in 1998, headquarters in New York
Owner/founder: by the British video game producers Sam Houser, Dan Houser, Terry Donovan, Jamie King and Gary Foreman. 
Most successful games: Grand theft auto, Max Payne, L.A Noir, The warriors
Interesting fact about the institution: As of February 2014, Rockstar Games titles have shipped more than 250 million copies. The largest franchise being the Grand theft auto series which alone have shipments of at least 157.5 million

EA (Electronic Arts)
Background: California, USA. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 Owner/founder: Trip Hawkins
Most successful games: Battlefield, Sims, Need for speed
Interesting fact about the institution: In 2011 Electronic Arts was the world’s third-largest gaming company

Zynga
Background: founded in July 2007 in San Francisco
Owner/founder: Mark Pincus
Most successful games: Farmville, Zynga poker
Interesting fact about the institution: 80 percent of Zynga's income comes from Facebook users

Nintendo
Background: Founded on September 23, 1889, headquartered in Koyoto, Japan  

Owner/founder:  Fusajiro Yamauchi
Most successful games: Super Mario, Tetris, Legend of Zelda
Interesting fact about the institution: The name Nintendo can be roughly translated from Japanese to English as "leave luck to heaven.

Sony Computer Entertainment
Background: Established on November 16, 1993 in Tokyo, Japan

Owner/founder: headed by Steve Race

Most successful games:  launch of the original PlayStation video game system
Interesting fact about the institution: The Company has sold more than 400 million PlayStation consoles worldwide.

Case study 2: Wii Party

General Research:

The game was released worldwide in March 2012. The game was created and published by Nintendo. This game can only be played on the Wii console as it has been designed specifically for this certain console. Since the game has been released over 7.94 million copies have been sold worldwide.

Broadcast:

Some key conventions for a videogames advert are game previews which would show the viewer what the games are. The company’s name/logo will always be shown so the audience would know who have created and published the game. The advert would also have some footage of people playing the game so the target audience would get to see what features the game has. Sometimes the advert may be non-diegetic; this means that the advert would have background music playing over the videos. Another key convention would be that the company uses attractive people in their adverts so it would appeal to more people. A domestic setting in the advert creates an atmosphere and sells a better lifestyle. The advert also may have a personal identity. This means- finding yourself and your lifestyle or beliefs reflected in the media text. 


Print:

There isn't really a main colour scheme for the front cover for this game. Most of the colours are bright and vibrant so the game can stand out on the shelves of the shops.

'The only impressive thing about Wii Party is how Nintendo dumbed down and removed the soul from a franchise that was already as stupid and soulless as Mario Party.

 this negative comment is showing how people are not impressed with what Nintendo have created. This suggests how Nintendo are slowly loosing their market.
 I think that this review would decrease the sales of this game as the audience would not buy the game if many people are not impressed

E-media :

http://wiiparty.nintendo.com/

The website for this game is quite childish. The variety of colours that have been used are mainly bright colours you would find in a children's book. On the website it also shows pictures of friends and family playing the game and having fun. This gives the interpretation that if you play the game the developers want the families to believe that 'A family that play together, stays together'.

From this facebook page for this game it shows the 11,212 people have liked this page. This suggests that lots of people like the game and enjoy it.

Fifa 14- Case Study

Print:

 The main print advert used to promote fifa 14 is the one shown above. It promotes the game by using words like ‘we’ ‘your’. This makes the audience feel like the advert directly addressing them so this would make them want to buy the game. There is synergy between the ‘start your journey’ and the picture of the professional football player holding keys as it is making the audience feel as if they are a part of the fifa ‘family’. The ‘we are fifa’ slogan makes the audience feel as if they are now being welcomed into the fifa community.  The slogan ‘take the fifa 14 world tour’ suggest that if you buy the game it will take you to a whole new level of gaming. This links to the main image as it is showing Lionel Messi holding the keys to the fifa van so people can join. The colour schemes of the print advert are bright so the poster would be able to stand out on billboards.

‘FIFA 14 rocks! It’s the best football game till date. Much more realistic features, improved game play than FIFA 13.’ – This is showing how people who play this game are impressed by the quality of the game. This suggests that because the graphics are much more realistic it makes the game more fun.

‘There is nothing new to the game. It is the same, and it feels like i have wasted my money.’ – This negative review suggests how there is nothing new to the game and it is to similar to previous fifa games.

‘Goals feel more organic and varied here than they have in a fifa game for years’-This positive review is showing how the game has changed dramatically throughout the years.

Broadcast:

the advert attracts lots of different people as it shows no matter who you are or where you are you can enjoy the game as much as everyone else. This advert also makes it appeal to a variety of people as it shows different people in the advert. Celebrities have also been used in the advert so the game would also appeal to their fans. This would make the fans think that if their idol enjoys the game then so will they. The advert has famous musicians, football players and ordinary people. Lionel Messi is driving the van because it shows that he is the main player of the game so he will lead everyone to victory.