Ebone
10-08-2002, 01:24 PM
I pulled this little tid bit off MSNBC.COM
Last holiday season Microsoft spent an estimated $500 million launching the Xbox with a promotional blitz that included the software giant’s chairman Bill Gates selling the first console to a fan in New York’s Times Square.
For an encore, Microsoft plans a whole series of new commercials scheduled to hit TV later this month, said John O’Rourke, worldwide marketing director for Xbox.
“The volume will be even louder than it was last year,” said O’Rourke, adding that the Microsoft was increasing its marketing investment this year.
Microsoft executives said earlier this year they would spend $2 billion developing and popularizing the Xbox over the next five years.
Xbox commercials will “let the games speak for themselves” by showing plenty of game footage, said O’Rourke. “It’s what consumers want to see. This year we’ve got games worthy of showing.”
By the end of the year buyers will be able to choose from over 200 Xbox titles, compared to only 18 when the platform launched last November.
He declined to comment on specifics of the ad campaign, although he said Microsoft will divide its marketing activities between advertising and promotional partnerships with key retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
O’Rourke feels Microsoft has a “secret weapon” this year with Xbox Live, its online gaming product which lands in stores on Nov. 15.
For a one-time fee of $49.95 for a year’s subscription, Xbox Live will enable gamers to play against people all over the world through a high-speed Internet hookup. A monthly fee of $10 kicks in after the first year. Microsoft is promising 10 online games by the end of the year.
“That’s the big differentiater we have to talk about,” he said. “That’s our secret weapon in terms of building excitement and buzz.”
.....This is good news
Last holiday season Microsoft spent an estimated $500 million launching the Xbox with a promotional blitz that included the software giant’s chairman Bill Gates selling the first console to a fan in New York’s Times Square.
For an encore, Microsoft plans a whole series of new commercials scheduled to hit TV later this month, said John O’Rourke, worldwide marketing director for Xbox.
“The volume will be even louder than it was last year,” said O’Rourke, adding that the Microsoft was increasing its marketing investment this year.
Microsoft executives said earlier this year they would spend $2 billion developing and popularizing the Xbox over the next five years.
Xbox commercials will “let the games speak for themselves” by showing plenty of game footage, said O’Rourke. “It’s what consumers want to see. This year we’ve got games worthy of showing.”
By the end of the year buyers will be able to choose from over 200 Xbox titles, compared to only 18 when the platform launched last November.
He declined to comment on specifics of the ad campaign, although he said Microsoft will divide its marketing activities between advertising and promotional partnerships with key retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
O’Rourke feels Microsoft has a “secret weapon” this year with Xbox Live, its online gaming product which lands in stores on Nov. 15.
For a one-time fee of $49.95 for a year’s subscription, Xbox Live will enable gamers to play against people all over the world through a high-speed Internet hookup. A monthly fee of $10 kicks in after the first year. Microsoft is promising 10 online games by the end of the year.
“That’s the big differentiater we have to talk about,” he said. “That’s our secret weapon in terms of building excitement and buzz.”
.....This is good news