When PlayStation launched the PS1 console in 1994, it was jumping into a game dominated by Nintendo and Sega. A challenger on the scene, the company broke through with the marketing line “U R Not E” (with the E in red to denote “You Are Not Ready”). The provocation might have been directed at consumers, but it was the competition that was blown out of the water by Sony’s superior gaming system. When all was said in done, PS1 sold 120 million units–besting then-market-leader Nintendo by a wide margin, which sold about 34 million of its Nintendo 64.

Fast-forward 20 years and a lot has changed in the so-called “console wars.” While the PS2 was extremely successful, by the time that the PS3 was pit against Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii, PlayStation had returned to its underdog position.

PlayStation 4

Now, with a new generation of consoles reshaping the face of gaming and entertainment, PlayStation has returned to its roots in its efforts supporting the PS4, roots that focus on one thing: blowing the minds of gamers. And it’s a strategy that’s helped put PS4 at the front of the pack. The company sold over 6 million units in the console’s first four months, far exceeding PS4 annual projected sales. And it seems the biggest problem for Sony execs at the moment is maintaining enough supply to meet the demand.

Guy Longworth, PlayStation’s SVP of brand marketing says the challenge the company set itself with the launch of PS4 was “getting back to number one.” “Over the last two years we’ve been laser focused on what’s right for gamers in terms of the product solution, our policies and procedures, and our communications,” he says. “We spent a lot of time talking to gamers and did so with one mantra in mind: “we’re for gamers.”

This distinction, while perhaps sounding a little obvious, is an important one; particularly in an environment where console makers have been extending their market reach by appealing to casual gamers by positioning their systems as all-in-one media centers–a tactic heavily employed by Microsoft with the release of Xbox One.

Thief

So what did PlayStation find when talking to its core base of users? “What they wanted to know was that we had a more powerful system, more exclusive titles, and they were interested in the new social capabilities that were built in that really allow gamers to get so much more out of the experience,” says Longworth, mentioning that the PS4’s redesigned controller with a single-swipe function that allows gamers to instantly share their game play has been an extremely popular feature. “The digital entertainment is important, and we have a robust, solid roster of entertainment, but for us the strategy was to highlight the fantastic gaming experience and demonstrate it’s the best place to play if you’re a gamer.”

From this insight, PlayStation’s agency, BBH New York, created the campaign tagline “Greatness Awaits,” which Longworth says has allowed the brand to unify its messaging with an idea that elevates the gamer. “When gamers are playing games, they’re the hero in whatever game they’re playing,” says Longworth. “What they love are the great achievements that are available to them on PS4. In real life, most folks don’t get to drive a Grand Prix car, or battle against dragon, or go into space. On PS4 you can really have those experiences and achieve true greatness.”