Effective branding is a vital component in creating a successful videogame today. The visual identity of a game is generally the consumers first impression, and as such must convey a lot of information about the product and why they should buy it. In order to ensure a high quality product, the identity needs to be reinforced throughout the game, from packaging through menus to end credits. At its best, the visual identity can be simplified to a single iconic statement which is instantly recognizable and attracts the intended audience.

At Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's London Studio we have developed the brand identities for a number of unique products, including the EyeToy and SingStar franchises (which have sold 8 million+ units combined to date) as well as more recently working with an exsiting established brands such as, 24.

This session will cover easy steps for creating a brand from scratch as well as maintaining existing brands, even those where the IP is held by a licensor. Specifically, it will explore how we developed the brands for EyeToy and SingStar and how we utilized the existing brand of 24. Finally we'll look at the kind of brand management issues you may encounter and how to alleviate them in advance.