Why Sony Interactive Entertainment's Eric Lempel Innovates With a Consumer Mindset

For the gaming industry, show floors are a crucial way for audiences to get a feel of upcoming consoles. But with the pandemic causing many of the industry’s in-person events to be closed, Eric Lempel—Sony Interactive Entertainment’s svp and head of global marketing—and team pivoted to unveiling their PlayStation 5 online. Not only has the showcase been watched over 25 million times, but it also helped SIE report a 40% year-over-year increase in sales. Discover how Lempel and team drive innovation by being audience-obsessed, and why he thinks the art and science of marketing will continue to evolve even more rapidly over the next five years. How did you get to where you are today? Any noteworthy "aha" moments along the way? I lived in New York and worked in the gaming category before PlayStation existed. Years later, I received a call from Sony Computer Entertainment about a “confidential project.” I already believed in PlayStation’s potential, so I took the leap and moved to California. And that “confidential project” … that was PlayStation 2. Since joining the company, I’ve had an incredible journey over 20-plus years—I’ve had the privilege of leading multiple innovative initiatives along the way: The launch of PlayStation 5, PlayStation VR, PlayStation Network, PlayStation Store, PlayStation Plus, and spearheaded new ways for how our fans interact with our brand. What's the most innovative thing you're currently working on? PlayStation 5 and the ongoing evolution of the PlayStation brand. PlayStation 5 represents a true leap forward in immersive interactive entertainment. Our previous generation console already had greatly advanced technology, and the general sentiment we heard from our audience before launch was “how can the new generation exceed what we have today.” PlayStation 5 broke through that challenge and we brought sensations of simulated worlds to life through a collection of innovative technology. In the end, in our case, technology is only as good as the solutions it delivers to shape people’s emotions. PlayStation 5 and consequently, the PlayStation brand, delivered on all fronts by combining technology, innovation and imaginative storytelling. Sony's innovations intersect art and science. What new or up-and-coming innovation(s) are you most excited about and how do you think it will change the future of marketing? The discipline of marketing is increasingly about the intersection of art and science. First and foremost, we need to keep the consumer at the center. My team looks at new innovations in marketing technology that help us have a deeper and more meaningful relationship with our fans, a relationship that they want to have with us in return. It’s about making sure that we listen to our current and prospective audience, take the time to understand them, what they care about, and craft campaigns that will resonate. The discipline of marketing is increasingly about the intersection of art and science. Innovations in marketing have already delivered new ways for us to reach consumers in meaningful ways that can offer them a better experience, especially within the gaming category and it evolves on a seemingly daily basis. The art and science of marketing will continue to evolve even more rapidly over the next five years, and we will likely see more innovation in the next five years than we have in the past 20. What’s one piece of work from your career that you’re the proudest of? The launch of PlayStation 5. 2020 was the year to unveil the PS5, and we wanted to do it in a way that would delight consumers and create a massive cultural moment that would transcend the interactive entertainment category. Everything about the launch of PlayStation 5 was supposed to be big and the complexities of a global pandemic made it clear that our global marketing plans for the launch had to change significantly. With in-person events shut down globally, our global team pivoted to unveil the next-gen console through an online showcase resulting in our most-watched digital event to date (25M+ views). We also kicked off a new globally unified brand line, “Play Has No Limits,” with the intention of making it live up to the ambition of the new console and direction of the brand. Purposefully, the brand line also serves as a rallying cry for our organization. Despite COVID restrictions on production, we safely produced creative that delivered on the promise of “Play Has No Limits,” inspiring consumers to get excited about the launch and stretch their understanding of what would be possible with the next generation from PlayStation. Finally, PS5 arrived, resulting in an outstanding 4.5M units sold in a little over a month and SIE reporting a 40% year-on-year increase in sales. I could not be prouder of what my team and all of SIE accomplished, and while it was not exactly what we had planned, it may have turned out better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj6AUuRs1A4 Where do you look for inspiration when coming up with the next project or initiative? We are inspired by our fans and their passion for our products, services, and brand. At the core of everything we do, we always look to do something innovative and surprising for them. We are also inspired by our creators. We daily encounter some of the most imaginative people who are constantly creating new adventures that excite and invite our fans to take leaps into new worlds. Their creativity and ingenuity constantly raise the bar for what PlayStation represents. What is one skill that you think is currently underdeveloped in Marketing? Having a deep understanding of the consumer mindset. One example is not understanding that a consumer does not have the time to give their full attention to the brand that is trying to reach them–marketers often assume they do. We all encounter hundreds of distractions on any given day, and it takes focus to keep consumer understanding top of mind as you develop messages that can break through in a clear and engaging way. Working with many organizations, I encounter a lot of people that seem to forget that the consumer doesn’t work alongside them: the consumer isn’t bringing all of the background, strategy, and intention to the interaction with the brand or message that the marketer has when they craft the message. How do you pick and develop the talent on your team? I look for team members who are excited about the category and brand, or simply passionate about what they do. In our global marketing org, we have authentic gamers that are extremely skilled in a variety of fields, and those who are not gamers but are very talented and passionate about their area of expertise. It’s vital that we find great people who want to work as part of a team and be great team players that people enjoy working with. We look for people who want to drive innovation in the entertainment space and share in our common goal to bring interactive entertainment and joy to the world. PlayStation VP Mary Yee on Reclaiming Market Share Through VR Gaming What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Always be passionate about what you are doing. Bring that passion to your entry–level job as if you were the leader of a giant organization. That passion can guide you to develop and grow in whatever you do. Also, be a great partner and be the type of person that people want to work with.

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Why Sony Interactive Entertainment's Eric Lempel Innovates With a Consumer Mindset

The head of global marketing talks how they pivoted PlayStation 5's global unveil to an online experience

Julian Gamboa

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Julian Gamboa