Xbox takes over X Factor
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Microsoft is preparing to take over an entire ad break in the X Factor next month as part of its biggest advertising push for its Xbox 360 console.
The PC giant will use the slot to promote its recent deal with BSkyB and the launch of the Lips Number Ones and DJ Hero video games.
Microsoft’s UK Xbox marketing director Stephen McGill says: “We believe that the X Factor provides us with the perfect opportunity to communicate directly with our target audience and is the ideal time to educate them about the new games and services on the Xbox console.
“By taking up the entire ad break, we can really help to capture the imagination of both potential and existing Xbox users.”
The ads are expected to run during the live X Factor show on 14 November, in a deal brokered by media agency Universal McCann.
It will be the first time Xbox has used an entire TV commercial spot to promote its services. McGill says the ads aim to “celebrate the innovation which our latest releases focus on”.
On Tuesday, Microsoft launched its tie-up with Sky Player, Sky’s online TV service, on the Xbox LIVE service and Windows 7.
And last week, Microsoft launched a global marketing campaign to promote the release of its Windows 7 operating system. The television, outdoor and digital activity highlights how the operating system was developed with the help of users and is designed to simplify people’s lives.
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Readers' comments (6)
Andrew Kemp | Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:59 am
I wonder if they are going to mention that fact that about 54.2% of its consoles have major hardware failure at some point compaired to Sony Playstations 10%? And if Microsoft think that their target market is the same as the X Factor then i'm not quite sure they have understood their positioning in the market. This would surley be more suited to casual Wii type gamers.
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Sumit | Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:38 pm
The Wii has tapped out the casual audience - now it is MS & Sony who really need to break into that market in a significant way and this show is as mainstream as you get. Coupled with the releases of Sphere / PS3 Eye 2.0 & Natal for XBOX we will be seeing a much more casual focussed Sony & MS in the near future.
Hardware wise I would agree PS is far more reliable tho the X360 is still a great machine.
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Dave Pollard | Wed, 28 Oct 2009 1:08 pm
As I understand it the hardware has been updated to remove the faults they have had. (i hope so as I am about to replace my faulty xbox) I did think it was a strange place to find its target market, but games such as Lips would compete with ther Wii's casual gamer market so maybe they are trying to take market share from nintendo rather than Sony.
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David Coombes | Wed, 28 Oct 2009 1:28 pm
1) Since when have advertisements been honest about what you're buying?! Plus I think you are getting some very exaggerated figures there. XB360 failure rate is nothing like 50%.
2) The whole point of this campaign is to broaden MS's gaming market. They already have a good hold on the traditional gamer interested in shooters and racers and sports-games. Now they are wanting to wrestle some of the 'casual' gamers away from Wii, with broader titles and services. It's an intelligent campaign in an intelligent slot, given the X-Factor demographics, educating the casual gamers to the casual possibilites on the XB platform, who otherwise would only associate XB with gritty shooters and games with bad attitude.
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Anonymous | Wed, 28 Oct 2009 2:22 pm
Andrew Kemp - I cannot comment on the failure percentages that you have quoted.
However - can you not see that all the console manufacturers are slowly moving into the mass market gaming territory (so well occupied by Wii) as they see the clear financial rewards to be had from appealing to a broad audience. You wont see PlayStation cretaing ads that position themselves as a 'hardcore' gaming brand anymore...long gone are the days of 'Do you believe in the Power of PlayStation' esque advertising.
So in short, Xfactor audience is bang on for sing along kareoke games such as Lips.
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Ben | Wed, 28 Oct 2009 3:34 pm
what Andrew Kemp said about the xbox 360 having a 54.2% failure rate is a failure in its self..the xbox 360 isnt even close to 54% failure rate..i agree its bad..buts its not 54% its more like 33%..and i doubt the ps3 has a 10% failure rate now considering all the YLOD or what ever it is called i been reading around lookls more like 15%..
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