Is social media proving to be the number one advertising tool across the globe? How could social media be best utilized in order to attract potential customers and breed loyal ones? How important is it to build up excitement for the launch of a certain product/service before its actually in the market? What are the reasons and facts behind Xbox Project Natal’s social media campaign’s success?
One could easily argue that social media is a great tool for creating and executing successful campaigns, but the question remains to be: How?
In an overly-cluttered need-driven market packed with different yet sometimes similar, competing products and services aiming to grab and sustain the attention of potential customers, there must be certain keys which unlock opportunities for some companies as opposed to others. It seems that Microsoft have found their master key: The Xbox Natal Project!
Our Analysis:
After watching Youtube’s video of the Xbox 720 Natal Project, my first reaction was: “I need to meet Milo!” After researching more, I came to realize that Milo is not yet available! I was disappointed yet I made myself a promise to stay up to date with this project’s progress so I will be one of the first few thousands to own it straight after its launch date.
This made me wonder: how could I possibly want something that I haven’t experienced first hand this bad? And the answer was simple: A clever, highly targeted social media campaign which captured the attention of millions!
Impressive stats for one of Project Natal's Youtube videos
The Reasons & Facts:
- Milo: The unique character which Microsoft chose to represent its Xbox 720 creation is a teenager with an innocent look and a rather smart personality and engaging characteristics. Microsoft defied the norms and did not choose a foxy middle-aged woman neither did they use a toddler or a hunk in his middle twenties with a bad boy attitude. I think that was brilliant! What Microsoft was able to do is allow us to think of Milo as a long-term friend rather than the cliche’s we see in almost every game and ad.
- Channel Utilization: I must admit I am highly impressed with the traffic analysis that we were able to find about the different social media venues used to advertise Project Natal. Not only were they able to profoundly create interest through their ads on Youtube, Project Natal was able to attract thousands of reviews and feedback and more than 10,000 Twitter mentions within 50 days only which is proof of their creativity and the level of attention they were able to originate!
Bit.ly stats for the same video!
- Focus on Family: Microsoft played a very important card by demonstrating, through its ad, that it’s designed for the entire family and is suitable for all ages in addition to its ability to bring family members together through family-oriented games and more.
- Hands-Free: Yes, I know what you might think: “Nintendo almost did it,” but they didn’t! Microsoft’s focus on the hands-free technology in their ads takes the whole gaming experience to a different level. You don’t need a joystick or any other device to play any Project Natal game, you just need to physically be there and viola!
- Object Scanning: Who would have thought it would have been possible to scan an object right into the hands of a character in your screen? Not many I can assure. The Natal Project was able to at least think about it and represent it to the public in the form of a slick and highly effective ad (the answer to whether it’ll be as effective as they say it is will remain sealed until the release).
- Voice & Face Recognition: Project Natal’s voice and face recognition technologies seem to be a whole new realm of possibilities and the ads emphasized on that! Two-way interaction, connection and communication that is almost as real as reality is a big step from the ordinary into the absolute opposite: high technological creativity utilized at its best!
The way I see it, Project Natal is a big leap into the future of interaction and technology though I must say that I am not 100% sure that it will really be able to avoid many problems such as differences in languages and accents.
I would love to hear your feedback on how this project could better be evolved and why would you not be interested in purchasing such a product.
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