PlayStation hands EMEA PR brief to Fever

Fever has had its UK PR brief for PlayStation extended and will now act as the retained consumer PR agency for its hardware and software across EMEA markets, ahead of the launch of PlayStation VR in October.

Sony extended the brief following a four-way competitive tender process. Fever will work with the Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s in-house team to develop press and social influence campaigns to support hardware and software launches across 109 countries.

Fever will also provide support on corporate and crisis communications.

The appointment comes ahead of the launch of PlayStation VR in October of this year, PlayStation’s new virtual reality system.

Fever has already been briefed on developing and delivering a launch programme for the system and its launch software titles including RIGS: Mechanized Combat League, Tumble VR, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood and PlayStation VR WORLDS.

The win extends Fever’s relationship with PlayStation, with the agency having been retained by PlayStation in the UK since June 2013.

Fever MD Bruce McLachlan and director Ceri Reed will lead the account.

David Wilson, director of comms at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said: “We are delighted to have Fever on board as we move PlayStation forward into a brand new and exciting era. With the launch of PlayStation VR on the horizon, plus a raft of exclusive triple A software releases, this continues to be a hugely important time for PlayStation and with Fever we feel we have an agency that understands our target consumers and can develop insight-led ideas that will resonate with the right people.

“We were really impressed with their strategic approach to the launch of VR that put social influence at the heart of their thinking and are confident their experience in delivering integrated campaigns for major brands will help us push PlayStation to new heights.”

McLachlan added: “PlayStation®VR is set to change the way people game and it is extremely exciting for the agency to be spearheading the communications launch strategy. While 2016 has been heralded as the year of VR, so far it is still an emerging technology; PlayStation®VR has the potential to take the VR experience into the mainstream, and we look forward to working with PlayStation to deliver a PR and social influence programme that can help do just that.”