Project Brief
Checkland Kindleysides was commissioned by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe create designs to encourage users to sample and experience PSP™ (PlayStation® Portable), targeting both trade audiences at launch events and consumers at events outside the retail environment such as live music gigs, airports, theme parks or shopping malls.

PSP™ is Sony’s first hand held ‘portable’ device ‘designed as a multi-media entertainment device, capable of delivering unique experiences through a combination of games, music, video and photo applications, underlining Sony’s holistic approach to lifestyle and entertainment. With amazing graphics, high resolution widescreen LCD, wireless connectivity the PSP™ gives consumers the freedom to enjoy entertainment on their terms. The PSP™ is truly a lifestyle enhancer that appeals to everyone, male and female, young and old.

There has been much press about the PSP™ in the build up to the European launch, so there is already a level of awareness of what it is and what it can do. Sampling events for PSP™ are all about raising awareness even further, educating audiences about major product benefits and the entertainment experiences offered and most importantly about consumers getting their hands on a PSP™ playing with it and ensuring that PSP™ becomes a ‘must have’ and iconic product.

The creative is an iconic solution that encapsulates beauty, desire and freedom (PSP™ brand values) through shape, colour and form, with the aim of accentuating PSP™’s look, proposition and differentiation within the consumer environment.

At the core of the concept is the idea of portability and movement. The pure form of a white concave dish set in a polished black sphere forms a backdrop to our PSP™ presentation. Creating a focal point and amplifying the aesthetic of the PSP™ as it appears to float within the clean white form, acting like a visual full stop in space, reflecting the light weight and portability of the PSP™.

The ’Atlas’
We have created three different designs; the ‘Atlas' unit a double-sided freestanding sphere set on an aesthetic, fluid droplet like base which houses two PSP™’s.

The ‘Stackerball’
As the name suggests the ‘Stackerball’ is made up of several spheres stacked upon one another, using different numbers of spheres this unit can house two, four or six PSP™'s or include branded spheres. Both the Atlas and the Stackerball are designed for flexible use on different height levels, either seated or standing as the PSP™ is attached to a (secure) recoil cable which reflects the portable nature of the PSP™, enabling consumers to pull the device a distance away from the unit and experience it more freely.

The Stackerball unit was developed to allow the unit to vary in height depending on its usage and location at any given event. This was accomplished by incorporating a docking devise between the various spheres, ensuring that the power connection was maintained as spheres are located onto one another. This process was achieved via the use of male & female connections between spheres, in the same way that a conventional domestic kettle sits on its base unit, utilizing design ideas and solutions more commonly associated with product design. By maintaining the electrical connection throughout the unit, sampling of the PSP™ is maximized, as the product can recharge without being removed from the fixture.

The ‘Porta-Ball’
This is the most truly portable and is thus aptly named the Porta-Ball. The Porta-Ball is a lightweight sphere containing a PSP™ within a concave dish. Created for users to experience the PSP™ on a bar or table top or alternatively it can be removed from its base for use on the lap, whilst seated or reclined, to be later returned to its docking station, to recharge. The same docking method as that developed for the Stackerball, is utilized here to provide both the recharging of the PSP™ and to allow users the opportunity to remove the Porta-Ball from its docking base and experience the product at their leisure. Providing this level of freedom helps to communicate the portable nature of the PSP™.

Design Considerations
With focus on the portability of the PSP™, the carrying cradle became a fundamental part of the design development process. It was essential to develop a design solution that was secure yet aesthetically embodied the main principles behind the PSP™. This was achieved through forming a cradle with strength and durability, produced to the exact profile as the PSP™ ensuring that the focus remains on the PSP™ rather than the supporting cradle.

With the PSP™ being such a desirable item, security was of paramount importance. It was essential to secure the PSP™ in a way that wouldn’t detract from its portable nature, providing a feeling of freedom whilst acting as a clear deterrent from theft. This was achieved via the development of a retractable recoiling mechanism (unique to this fixture) that attached the PSP™ cradle to the unit. The recoil cable also carries the power source from the fixture to the PSP™, allowing recharging of the PSP™ without removal from its cradle to maximize sampling opportunities at various events. This recoil cable also carries a security alarm system (linked to a sounding devise housed within the units sphere) and should this be severed or removed from the PSP™ cradle the alarm would sound. This security/power device has been applied across both Atlas and Stackerball fixtures providing a consistency between fixtures.

Iconic
All the designs promote the idea of portability, enabling consumers to experience the different positions they can use their PSP™’s in. The designs units create compelling environments which engage consumers and encourage them to interact with PSP™, the fist step in creating desire to possess their very own iconic PSP™.

The whole creative combines PlayStation ‘wow’ expectations with PSP™ values to differentiate and enhance appeal of PSP™.

Award Winning
We are proud to announce that we were presented with two prestigious POPAI Europe awards.

As POPAI is the global organisation representing the marketing at-retail industry, these are most prestigious industry awards to win and our designs dominated the ‘Leisure, Electronics, HIFI & Video’ category with the 'Atlas' unit winning Gold and the 'Porta-Ball' winning bronze.

About Checkland Kindleysides
Founded in 1979, we are one of the largest design consultancies within the UK. Our offer spans a broad range of design disciplines including graphic communication, identity, retail, interior and interactive design. We work in partnership with both local and global brands across a diverse range of market sectors.

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