Advirtizement (sp)

"Greatness Awaits"

by PlayStation

Published to YouTube on June 10, 2013

This advertisement inspires pride in the viewer to convince them to seek greatness in PlayStation's videogames.

    The advertisement has a Leonardo DeCapri-ish man stepping out of a crashed car and strolling down a road with odd events revolving around him while he praises the viewers and ensures them of their right to greatness. At the end of his motivational speech, the camera pans while he walks boldly into a hectic battlefield, lightheartedly beating people with singe strokes. The speaker praises the viewer as someone "with... the powers of an ancient god," which is practically the definition of sinful pride; placing one's self in the incorrect position relative to God. The ending image of a hectic world emphasises the variety in the gaming world. The last frames show a grounded boat near a race track at the foot of a scenic mountain with explosions and ships and the air. Despite the fact that many games on battlefields are monochromatic bore-fests, the advertisement maintains vibrant colors to continue the theme of endless choices and varieties.

    "Who are you to deny greatness? If you would deny it to yourself, you deny it to the entire world, and we will not be denied." The language here evokes a sense of duty, selflessness, and heroism in the act of "accepting greatness." Near the end of the section, the ad makes a clever twist in language, for in the context of the sentence, "we will not be denied" expresses how the world, along with the speaker, will not be denied the viewer's greatness, which is tyranny. It is offensive that the world presume to to demand something from the viewer. The meaning of "we" is therefore rewritten as the viewer and the speaker. With this meaning of "we," "We will not be denied" then implies that someone is attempting to deny greatness from you. Forgetting that in the original context of the stanza, you or the one denying your own greatness, this gives a challenge to the viewer to prove their greatness, and the correct response is shown by the speaker, who charges into the gaming madness.

This interpretation of "we" solidifies the prideful narrative of the ad. "You are great. The world asks pleadingly for your greatness, and out of the benevolence of your heart, you accept. Opponents wish to challenge your greatness, but cannot hope to overcome you."

   The full title of the video is "Official PlayStation Greatness Awaits Trailer. With the labeling of trailer, the advertisement seeks to both entertain and persuade. Through a sense of entitlement, it persuades the viewer that they should have more games, but as a trailer, its responsibility is also to sample the experience of gaming, just as a movie trailer samples the movie. In this respect it must entertain the viewer as games do, and because it is a commercial for games in general, and not a specific title, it must show a variety of gaming types. That is another reason why it incorporates so many gaming elements. Some from Grand Theft Auto, with the crashed car, the destroyed city street shows apocalyptic elements of The Last of Us. The trailer is attempting to proved incite into many different games for a combined gaming audience.

   The audience of the ad are middle to upper-middle class American teens and preteens. The PlayStation 4's going at 400 dollars, with each game at 60 bucks a pop, and the audience has to have parents that can pay for all of that. The audience is likely already involved in the gaming world and familiar with gaming culture because the advertisement appeals to the self-centered gaming mentality and incorporates elements familiar to gamers including deadly robots, screaming natives (no comment), nature levels covered in vines, and race tracks. The destruction of the building incorporates the popular trope and quality song of "Cool Guys Don't Look At Explosions." This chillness in the face of complete madness continues throughout the trailer, emphasizing the heavy acquaintance the speaker has in the flaming, exploding, painted world, which reflects the audience's familiarity with gaming genre's. With this familiar audience, the ad is meant to invigorate their gaming passion so that they'll buy even more PlayStation games.