The PlayStation 4 took an early lead last fall, partially because of Microsoft’s PR stumbles and partially because of a promising lineup of exclusives scheduled to release in the following months, but Sony isn’t giving Microsoft a chance to catch up. The Wall Street Journal shares the latest data from research firm iSpot, which shows that Sony has spent nearly $60 million on TV advertisements for the PS4 since the beginning of 2014.
To put that into perspective, Microsoft has spent just $34.7 million, contributing to a total game industry advertising bill of $226.5 million. Through the end of May 2014, both Microsoft and Sony have released 8 commercials for their new consoles.
Sony’s “Greatness” ad, highlighting the PS4’s ability to quickly capture and share gameplay, is the biggest hit so far, airing 1,058 on national TV while garnering more than 2.5 million online views and 17,000 social actions, such as tweets, likes and shares.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb2Ur7_fT48
On the other hand, Microsoft’s “All-in-One” ad, showcasing the Xbox One’s entertainment features, aired more than 1,300 times and wracked up just over 1 million online views and 6,000 social actions. It also reportedly cost $3 million more than Sony’s biggest ad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1mfIg1I3zE
With 19% of all digital engagement (or 7.4 million digital actions) in the category this year, Sony has trumped Microsoft’s paltry 6% share. The biggest spending will happen closer to the holiday season when console sales and the game release schedule picks up, but Sony is ensuring it doesn’t lose that early lead.
