Anyone who was born in the eighties has probably played a Sony Playstation and is therefore likely to have heard of the Final Fantasy series, one of the most popular videogame franchises ever. Although now in its thirteenth incarnation (or XIII for the fans), it is perhaps best known for the seventh installation in the series. Final Fantasy VII is one of the greatest ten video games of all time according to a multitude of industry media and fans polls. Especially in the RPG (role playing game) genre.
So why is it the showing us the future of branding, despite being released in 1997?
There are three reasons why FF VII is so successful. First, it tells a fantastic story. But this is nothing new to the Final Fantasy series or indeed the RPG genre.
The second reason why FF VII is so successful is that it is slick and graphically well presented. Think about it, even War & Peace would be ill received if the typeface was illegible.
Third, it immerses the user in the experience. If you play Final Fantasy VIII, the next title in the series (which also has a great story and characters, with even better graphics), it feels like watching a film. There is little to no user immersion.
Any one of these characteristics is not enough, all three must combine seamlessly to create the successful game.
The same is true of a modern brand.
Next time you're looking at your website/PR/advertising, stop and think.
What's your story?
How is it presented?
And how can the customer get involved?
