| XBOX 360 Relief 2005 is over! NEXT! Solving one Christmas gift puzzle creates another one. The Xbox 360 Premium game console game machine list price is $400 in stores. For $300, the XBOX 360 is available. The premium edition includes:a hi-def TV viewing capability, a wireless controller; TV set cables; a 20 GB removable hard drive,and more. Did you buy it for someone? Microsoft's Bill Gates -- you cannot get around him. He knows how to make software sell on a numerical computing engines (computers and game consoles). Sony's PIII is late. XBOX is creating buzz right now. If you want to make a game that will work on a popular game console like XBOX or PS2 (copyrights Microsoft and Sony Corp respectively) you need permission from these companies and significant investments in programmers and system technologies to do it. Manufacturers are very selective because they love to play the "insiders game." Still interested in game production? May 2005: Now, Amazon.com promotes the book. This is what they say... "Book Description: As the game industry continues to grow, you might be considering jumping in, but before you do, read what the insiders have to say and learn from their experiences. You’ll explore the inner workings of the game development and publishing industry through the experiences and insights of industry...[end]" The XBOX 360 is not a homework processor. It will not help you think through and print out those serious private / public school application forms when you want your child to get into the best "public free" school. For what they sell it for, I think it's worth it. Sony's PlayStation 2 once ranked supreme. What has been your experience with the old and new XBOX?send comments | Black people diversify the cell phone industry It may not be long before a Black man, or Black women rise to the CEO position in a major cellular phone company. But not one has made it there yet! Think Virgin, T-Mobile, AT&T now Cingular. Think Nextel. Think Verizon. Think "money." Once upon a time black folks had nothing to do on the internet. Now, cell phone marketers target carefully, the "base"--and they ARE delivering what crunkMedia consumers want. There was once upon a time a firm named AT&T dominated long distance calling services. AT&T made most of the money. Now Flat-Rate long distance monthly bills limit profits. Documented and undocumented salespersons offer almost as many calling card minutes as AT&T used to.Haiti. India. Africa. China. The Caribbean. There is no upside dial-tone profit for long distance residential calling carriers anymore. Your phone bill is the best illustration. In the New England territory, anybody can sign up for residential calling plans for $50 per month ( Verizon Freedom ) flat rate. You can call anybody stateside USA. YOu can call Puerto Rico, Canada - North America anywhere and not pay a dime over $50 per month no matter how long you talk. Camera enabled cell phones make up for money lost in long distance calling for national carriers. Here's why.
Software and Hardware for PC, XBOX and PLAYSTATION What the industry is doing wrong Why is the numerical html code for the color "white," a larger digital number than the html code representing the COLOR "black?" A digital "f" is 15, while a digital "0" is Zero. The HTML code for white="#FFFFFF." For black it equals "#000000." Why? Isn't the color white devoid of all colors in the rainbow while the color black includes them all? Isn't it true that a "black Hole" in the galactic universe is so dense, so powerful, that it includes all forms of matter known to mankind and bends time around it? Form your own conclusion, then read on.. The classical methods of a MBA program case study frame ideals and results into two possible outcomes. Usually this is published as the (A) plan and the (B) plan. Plan A is the best plan, the ideal, the desired performance even before it happens. Plan B becomes the actual result after some period of real world practice. When Plan (B) is published, students go into overdrive analyzing what went right or wrong with plan (A) and how in the world did the idealbecome the picture Plan (B) represents. Such is the case with considering the currently adopted demographic study literature, statistical market surveys and resulting industry reports the entertainment game industry publishes for the benefit of it’s peers to help them understand the industry.
A creative review of a plan A strategy should suggest that there are two markets for game software purchase and play in America. On the one hand there is an identifiable base ofconsumers. They are already buying and using and to get them, you have to be better than yourcompetitor on different levels. On the other hand, there is the “other” software marketcomprised of ethnic consumers who have not been pitched to and have not beencounted in surveys because ethnic consumer segments have unique purchasing habits. Most ethnics make culturally active decisions when buying anything from anyone that doesn’t look like them, isn’t owned by them and does not represent their cultural taste.The Interactive Digital Software Association is a frequent publisher of industry surveys and statistical literature. It’s year 2000 survey by Peter D. Hart Research Association found that 60 percent of all Americans or about 145 million people, play computer and video games regularly. That’s large--60 percent is a pretty good number because it indicates massive acceptance of product and services offered. In fact, it is somewhat scary to think that already 60 percent of all Americans are game software players and purchasers, because there is not much room left to get to 100% when you factor in all the new company configurations with the funding to make a run for it to get to the top. Plug in a market saturation factor and you know you have serious challenges ahead to get a serious cut of the action for your firm, if you follow the traditional literature, marketing strategy opinion and survey data when looking for your next customer. It will be hard to gain position even if you have as much money as your competitor and your B plan, when up for review, is going to stink if you fail to achieve desired goals. You have to make sure that as many would be buyers are participating as possible and you should not just consider marketing to who the industry pundits tell you to go after in their dense statistical demographic literature. Thinking out of the box will help you discover how to reach the “other” software market and that market is found in Ethnic America. The American population is predominately White but their numbers are shrinking. Ethnic America, defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, is three of the four main racial categories. They are African Americans, Asians, American Indians. Historically, the Bureau has classified Hispanics as Whites but during a recent Census taking, the Bureau allowed the population to define themselves as members of the exact ethnic background they originate from. This is a good thing. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MARKETING But how many public relations firms and marketers on contract with game software publishers have even bothered to diversify their staff with an adequate supply of minorities, compared to white Americans in a meaningful way? Lack of diversity when hiring eliminates the use of informed culturally diverse options that have an impact on decision-making process. This is not a problem for retail computer superstores such as CompUSA, and MicroCentre. Enter any one of these national chain stores and you will find probably a higher percentage of minorities at the cash registers and working the product aisles than you may find employed in the police department of your town. And police training includes ethnic diversity training at orientation and periodically throughout their careers. It a matter of survival for them and it should be a matter of survival for you. [Sidebar] In the Game software publishing business, lack of diversity when hiring eliminates the use of informed culturally diverse options that have an impact in decision making process. Public relations and marketing professionals impact marketing strategy and customer acquisition.The acid test for an organization offering marketing advice and public relations assistance to a game publisher may be the question “do you know exactly where the target ethnic consumers buys candy and soda pop everyday without fail?” When you have an ethnically sensitive product a firm that knows this can position your product and find more buyers. Marketing cost would be reasonabale. Who said it was a good idea to create character actors in software games they do not look like the average person? Most of you, if you decide to go after them, will believe that targeting ethnics is a new framework for business. Wrong. Consider Tony Hawk. His game skaters look average and he looks like Tony Hawk. Young kids are emulating his every move. In other titles, graphic artist are inventing faces of terror, horror, mystique, and anguish and they paint them on super humans found in the games. No wonder parents are peed off about some of the software their kids are buying and using. Perhaps they wouldn’t be if they had some input into the character setup process and were allowed to create endings, story lines and characters that they want their kids to feel. To parents, choice is a good thing. To ethnics, choice is the supreme purchasing motivator while compromise is the alternative. Imagine having a line of game product in inventory that appeals to African Americans or folks from Puerto Rico. Laura Croft in “Tomb Raider” gave young female white women aged 18-21 in college a reason to purchase and play games. Don’t you think for a second that an African American or Puerto Rican store sales persons will steer consumers to a product they feel a close connection with. Of course they will! Laura Croft became the fictious star of a movie because it was so successfully cultist among young white women as a computer game. Later, movie investment kicked in. They pumped "Laura Croft" on the big screen. “Tomb Raider, a one person game became so addicting,” said Jane Doe, a young white female bartender and recent college grad. She said “Laura mostly kills people but there was something about it they was so attracting that every day me and my girlfriends had to play it. We even locked our guys out when they stopped by to get in the room.They knocked and banged to come inside. The guys were pissed off. They simply didn’t understand why we girls had to shut them out so we could have fun with Laura. And, every new release made Laura have bigger boobs. That wasn’t so cool but I noticed it. It’s been a while since I played. I graduated college 2 years ago. Perhaps I’ll take her up again some day. She was so important to us when we were in college.” So was Elvis and he has left the building. Now he's gone. What computer software game connects like Elvis did on a deep cultural level, to African Americans, Puerto Ricans, and any other ethnic Americans on the U.S?. Answer "GRAND THEFT AUTO!" But, why? Found - African-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Asians and white GTA habituals. These are demographics no other interactive entertainment production company tapped into that deep. GTA is popular! FIELD EXPERIENCES ...to be updated in June 2005 WHAT DO ETHNICS WANT TO BUY IN A SOFTWARE GAME? Titles such as Tony Hawk version x is one, same for NBA basketball, the baseball games, downhill ski racing themes, stock car racers, Mario and etc., etc. Street noise. Blacks do appreciate African American software choice. Some told us: “I have found another cd-rom for about $12 and up by Grolier Books in the"Extraordinary People" series. Called "Extraordinary Black Americans, fromColonial to Contemporary". Do you know what I think would be so very cool-a multimedia tour of Black history THROUGH MUSIC. Now, who will come upwith this title? What a way to teach Black Studies to all people, and areal high interest grabber for those adults who don't like history or reading.”Feedback Form examples continued. “Hello, I am a teacher from Norfolk, Virginia. I was wondering if your company would donate your clipart. We are not for profit, so nothing would be published and sold. We are just having a hard time finding quality African American Clipart and software titles. If you can help please let me know.” “I am looking for clip art for a coming festival called "Saints N DA City" I need modern art looking African figures dancing, playing instruments etc. “ “My sister braids hair , and her shop stays busy any types of clip art pretaining to that key of situation? And also any type of women fellowshiping type of clips? “ “I have American Greetings Spiritual Expression 1 & 2 but they don't have enough Black Graphics. I was coaxed into buying Hallmark card studio 2by sierra home. I can't begin to tell you how disappointed I was. It was onlyten or less images that were African Americans. It was like we don't have families angels ,sports, children. I would love to have a full range of African americanclip art. “ “I am looking for graphics depicting 2 African American Professional women for a business handout. Can you help me? “ “DO You have clip art of non-african black people.” I need to have What we looklike in the work force and at church. “ “Do you have any Reggae/Rasta/Marley screen savers? That's what I am looking for. Also, Black Hebrew Bible Chraracters. “ “looking for small businesses in new jersey,who provide quick and easy computer upgrading classes. In book form. especially black business” WHAT ARE SOME PURCHASING HABITS OF ETHNICALLY DIVERSE CONSUMERS? A treasure trove of information exists in this area. It’s not a far leap of faith to suggest how believable the data really is, if captured from an authentic source. If you intend to closely target African Americans, look into the U.S. Congress and it’s member organization, the Congressional Black Caucus.(CBC) CBC members include every single African American House and Senate member of the U.S. Government. The CBC publishes volumes of data and is available to brief you. You can find a lot of it online if you look hard enough. One of the most concise volumes of information in book form pertaining to the multi-racial marketing is the book “Multi Cultural Marketing: Selling to a Diverse,” America by Marlene L. Rossman.. ISBN 0-8144-7921-9. Her content focuses on marketing to African Americans, Hispanics and Asians and other segments. In the author’s notes, Marlene states her aim. “My goal is to help marketers increase profits, not to make political or social statements.”Another authentic source for geo-demographical data is the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a 30-year old organization. It’s mission statement reads: The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies informs and illuminates the nation's major public policy debates through research, analysis, and information dissemination in order to: improve the socioeconomic status of black Americans and other minorities; expand their effective participation in the political and public policy arenas; and promote communications and relationships across racial and ethnic lines to strengthen the nation's pluralistic society. ARE YOU COMMITTED? Take a look at yourself? Are you truly interested in increasing your company profits. Do you work well with African Americans, Asians or American Indians and other ethnics who are passionate about protecting their ethnic turf and insuring mutual respect for themselves. How careful do you listen to parents who are paying for the kid’s software purchases? Are you committed to diversifying your staff and contracted public relations officials. Will you put enough skin in the game of networking with Ethnics outside your circle to achieve common goals? The Urban Institute is a non-partisan social policy and research organization. [ www.urban.org http://www.urban.org. Remember the research they conducted in 1998 which resulted in a published report titled: “Reports of Risky Teen Behavior Rise in Surveys by Computer,” and described as: “U.S. teen males may be far more likely to engage in risky behavior such as hard drug use than previously estimated. In the most recent wave of the National Survey of Adolescent Males, teens queried in a self-administered computer survey reported far higher incidence of use of street drugs, carrying of guns or knives, and male-male sex than did teens surveyed using a traditional pencil and paper questionnaire.” What better way to solve both problems than to developer newer themes of software and target them to ethnics and non-ethnics who have an appreciation for cultural sensibility? You could be the first in your field to reach the higher plateau of fusing interactive entertainment software to the vibrant civilizations found in Ethnic America. end of article Title: WHY YOU SHOULD CREATE BLACK AND ETHNIC AMERICAN SOFTWARE FOR XBOX, PLAYSTATION, and GAMECUBE CONSOLE ©by William Murrell Call 1-617-740-8800 to discuss. | |
