PlayStation dives into emotive side of gaming with suspense-filled ad

Sony Interactive Entertainment's new spot aims to give viewers a taste of the powerful and gripping emotions gamers feel when playing on the PlayStation 4 console. Titled "Heart", the latest spot done by creative agency adam&eveDDB features a tactical unit rappelling down into a pitch black cavernous opening.

A strange noise echoes through the tunnel as the unit makes its way deeper underground. Trying to hide their fear and gather their nerves, they watch as the captain pries open a thick steel door into more obsidian darkness. The strange sound, however, grows more deafening.

Mary Yee, VP of global marketing, Sony Interactive Entertainment, said it hopes to continue to surprise its fans through the stories told from the lens of the PlayStation brand. "Presented through the suspenseful tone of ‘Heart,’ we wanted to capture and emulate some of those gripping and unexpected emotional instances that PlayStation has delivered over the past 25 years," she added.

Last year, PlayStation carried out a marketing blitz by producing its first-ever global marketing campaign that saw game characters come to life. The move aimed to raise awareness of “PS Now” in all 19 territories where the streaming service is offered, including Japan, US, France, Germany, Italy and UK.

Separately in Malaysia, Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios partnered with Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia to establish the first Southeast Asia studio locally. Sony will offer art and animation services as part of its activities, developing global exclusive titles for PlayStation platforms. The company also picked MediaCom to handle Southeast Asia duties.

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Campaign credits:

Sony Interactive Entertainment
Eric Lempel, Senior Vice President Global Marketing
Mary Yee, Vice President Global Marketing
Adam Grant, Director Global Marketing
Jayne Murphy, Senior Manager Global Brand Marketing
Dianne Segovia, Global Manager Brand and Platform Marketing

Creative agency: Adam&eveDDB
Chief Creative Officer: Richard Brim
Executive Creative Director/s: Ant Nelson, Mike Sutherland
Creatives: Darren Beresford, Richard Gayton
Chief Production Officer: Anthony Falco
Agency producer: Michael MacMillan
Assistant producer: Charlotte Wickens
Planner: David Mortimer
CEO: Mat Goff
Managing Partner: Sarah Coleman
Account Director: Adam Patel
Account Manager: Casey Nguyen
Project Manager: Sam McGeorge
Digital Display Lead: Marceline Le Gaufey
Global Business Director: Sybille Chrissoveloni
Business Affairs: n/a
Designer/Typographer: King Henry

Media agency: Mediacom
Production company: Iconoclast
Executive Producer: Anna Smith
Producer: Charlotte Woodhead
Director: Romain Gavras
D.O.P: Andre Chemetoff
UK Production Manager: Francesca Resteghini
Editing Company: Trim
Editor: Tom Lindsay
Post Production: The Mill
Post Producer: Clare Melia
VFX Supervisor: Dan Williams
3D Artist: Phil Maddock
Colourist: Damien Van Der Cruyssen

Audio Post Production: 750mph
Audio Post Production (Foley): Arrogant Music & Dreamsound
Service Company: Shelter Executive Producer: Albert Zurashvili Producer: Yulia Foster
Project Manager: Max Matveev
Project Coordinator: Gena Shevchenko
1st AD: Grits