Xbox 360

LONDON, 25th September 2008: As part of the largest marketing investment since the launch of Xbox, Microsoft today announced a global integrated marketing campaign that reflects the evolution that Xbox is bringing to entertainment, to gaming, and to the way we play together. The broad entertainment experiences Xbox consumers enjoy with their family and friends are inviting a step change in how people experience the platform, which the campaign illustrates in a series of moments through a variety of media and executions.

The campaign, which kicks off today, 25th September, includes television, billboard, and print ads, as well as interactive TV, cinema, radio and digital marketing around the UK and Ireland, supported by PR outreach, social networking and direct customer communication efforts. Additionally, from tomorrow, Xbox.com will undergo a fundamental step change, created and built by AKQA London, to embody the fusion of gaming and entertainment that Xbox represents.

“Since the launch of the original Xbox, our platform has focused on delivering amazing gaming experiences which won the hearts and minds of core gamers through top-rated franchises such as ‘Halo’ and ‘Gears of War’,” said Stephen McGill , Head of Gaming and Entertainment, Xbox UK and Ireland. “Today the world of entertainment has morphed and Xbox is at the heart of delivering not only amazing gaming experiences with 1st and 3rd party core gamer marketing efforts around titles such as ‘Gears of War 2’, ‘Fable II’, ‘Tomb Raider: Underworld’, and ‘Pro Evolution Soccer 2009’ but also the broadest, most social entertainment offerings with Xbox LIVE, movies, music and a smashing Christmas games line-up.

With the single largest investment to date, we’re speaking to consumers through a fully integrated consumer marketing campaign aimed at reaching the casual and social segments. It’s an exciting time for consumers to experience the entertaining world of Xbox 360, and this campaign will embrace product experiences for all interests which celebrate people and tap into how consumers feel to create an emotional engagement with new audiences.”

The Creative

Created by McCann Erickson, the TV films are designed to connect with people through emotional moments that are the result of individual Xbox experiences. There are initially three separate spots, based around key Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE experiences – family, music, and movies: “Lego Batman”, which focuses on a father and son gaming together; “Rock Band”, showing a group of friends sharing some music gaming fun; and “Movie Downloads” which highlights how consumers can enjoy downloading and watching their favourite high definition films on Xbox 360. Each campaign treatment is unified, firstly showing the effect (the emotion on our hero’s face), and then the cause, (the Xbox experience). These are woven together into a single shot. In the UK, each spot brings to life an expression of what the actual moment feels like with Xbox and will run on Thursday 25th September during top-rated shows on major UK channels including ITV1, Channel 4, and SKY running through to the new year.

The films were directed by Daniel Askill, who has created advertising campaigns for brands such as Air France, Hummer Chairs & Cadillac. Askill has a strong reputation within the creative community, with Screen International asserting: “Askill has sealed his reputation as an extremely hot property” on the back of his award winning short film, We Have Decided Not To Die.

To create the magic of the Xbox experience, miniature sets were built rather than created in CGI. The films were shot in Prague, which has a long history of miniature building, using a team of craftsmen. The level of detail in the miniatures is exquisite, from tiny lights that worked in each of the buildings in Lego Batman, to the stacks of speakers and intricate scaffolding in Rock Band 2, to the rows of tiny velvet chairs in the cinema set.

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For more information, please contact:

Nik Thakkar / 020 3047 4087 / nik_thakkar@jcpr.com

Seema Parmar / 020 3047 4001 / seema_parmar@jcpr.com

About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox LIVE online gaming service, and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around gamers. The system was first launched in North America, Europe and Japan in 2005 and then in Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan in 2006. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox LIVE and Xbox 360 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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