A new generation of games console comes around once every 7 years. Our objective was to make PlayStation4 the most successful launch of all time.

More than that, we needed to demonstrate that PlayStation had changed, and that it was going back to its former glory. But brands say they’ve changed all the time. We know from research that to truly demonstrate change it requires a symbol for change, something to mark the event (Harvard Business Research). This was something that required more than traditional advertising, so we got to work looking for the right kind of opportunity.

Our job was to take the slogan and deliver it within our media. But it was going to take more than a traditional media campaign.

Harvard Business Research stated that brands need a ‘symbol’ to prove they’ve changed. So we set about finding a location big enough to show the world PlayStation was back. We quickly turned to outdoor, the last true broadcast medium, capable of capturing the imagination of the world.

So we got to work, scouring the country to find the ideal location. We soon set our eyes on the OXO Tower, an iconic part of London’s skyline for over 100 years. This was the perfect location for our symbol of change.

Never before had the Tower been used for advertising, and transforming it involved a team of neon-glass specialists, graphic designers, and the UK’s best abseiling team to install the shapes over the course of three days.

Our symbol for change, the OXO Tower takeover, was an instant success. It generated 36 million impressions on social media within 24 hours, and gaining 60+ pieces of coverage in national press and online. We even changed Google! A search for ‘OXO Tower’ now reveals images of the PS4 takeover.

The success was matched in-store. The PS4 sold 6 million units globally in the first 5 months, versus XBOX One’s 3million, making it the fastest selling console of all time.

We also changed gamer’s perceptions, doubling positive sentiment towards the brand.

PlayStation changed, and we used media to prove it.