Ad Analysis: PlayStation: Michael – Sony (2001)

Such a wonderful advert, I think this appeals to people in different ways, seeing your character come alive is brilliant, it is the reason we love games, the accompanying graphic novels, movie tie-in, action figures. The multimedia makes the characters, their story and their universe three dimensional, not only being stuck inside a Blu-ray. 

The authenticity of the characters is sublime, Nathan Drake’s costume and Snake’s clothing camouflaging into the wall, I really do believe the attention to detail is what consumers notice, they spend hours playing as some of these characters, investing in their stories and lives, and to see them in an advert lauding the player is brilliant. The words ‘Long live play’ echo as a parallel to the well-known phrase ‘long live the king/queen/x’, which connotes an important concept, royalty, to continue usage and to glorify and celebrate play.

It breaks the fourth wall slightly, referring to the player/controller in a universe where it is normal to do so and to see lots of characters together in one tavern, makes it special, adding to the chanting of Michael’s name as a hero. The viewer knows their name isn’t being chanted by the symbolism is strong, it easily places their name in Michaels’ place, remembering their adventures with Ezio and frenetic fighting with Rico and the wrath faced by Kratos. What is the company trying to communicate? That the player is the hero, that the players are grateful for their effort; that the player is a hero with a thousand faces like Joseph Campbell so aptly wrote.