Microsoft works family angle in new Xbox ads Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Microsoft works family angle in new Xbox ads Posted by XanTium | November 4 23:37 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From usatoday.com: [QUOTE] Bringing families and friends together is the marketing hook behind Microsoft's Xbox, as well as promotions from rival Nintendo for its Wii game system. The tech titans want to reach beyond teens and adult technophiles and ring up more business from casual gamers. "We're growing our consumer base," says Jeff Bell, a Microsoft (MSFT) corporate vice president, about the company's new ad campaign and the Oct. 22 launch of the family-oriented Xbox 360 Arcade console. "We want to broaden our appeal." Microsoft's new ad efforts, which include commercials that show a father and daughter playing with guitar-shaped controllers, position "Xbox as a connector that brings people together," Harris says. Microsoft's maneuvers: * A fresh ad campaign. TV and cinema ads show ordinary folks at spots such as a shopping mall parking lot. Their day-to-day activities are disrupted when a group of people crash the scene through unusual means such as hot-air balloons. The outsiders set up a mock living room, complete with a couch, TV and an Xbox. Bystanders then crowd in to check out Xbox. * Family-friendly video games. Rough-and-tumble Gears of War and Halo 3 are among the more well-known games that Microsoft publishes. But the company is also promoting less-violent fare, such as Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action, which launches this week. The $59.99 game has a range of puzzles that use movie trivia. * Less-expensive console. The $279.99 Xbox 360 Arcade comes with five free family-friendly games such as Uno and Pac-Man. Microsoft still offers the regular Xbox 360 for $349.99 and the Xbox 360 Elite -- targeted at hard-core gamers -- for $449.99. [/QUOTE] Full Story: usatoday.com

[echto]

* Less-expensive console. The $279.99 Xbox 360 Arcade comes with five free family-friendly games such as Uno and Pac-Man. Microsoft still offers the regular Xbox 360 for $349.99 and the Xbox 360 Elite -- targeted at hard-core gamers -- for $449.99.

Weeee.. looks like I'll be picking up one of the LEC's seeing how mine has finally gone to the 3 ring of death unable to repair land.

[Chancer]

This is a good marketing angle. There are lots of families who can be converted to 360 owners with this type of appeal. Hyping up shooters and killing zombies is great for a large section of gamers but they do need to target the fun factor purchasers who just want to have a blast with trivia games and stuff the kids and parents can all join in.
Good Move

[bucko]

Won't be advertising ManHunt 2 then

[xxYoDaddyXX]

Despite the lower price tag and the family factor, who the hell pays $279.99 to play uno or pacman?

[88 Ecko Unltd 88]

uno or pacman are part of live arcade not like they can purchese games like viva la piniata or katamari

[DarkLabel]

A good step in the right direction I say. But in my opinion, the best thing for them to do is bundle a game or two with the family pack. Think about it, with a game like Viva Pinata or a party game like Fusion Frenzy 2 (Even though it was a abysmal) would help it tremendously. Look at Wii Sports, people buy the console for just that game. If they really want to grab in the family, they should bundle real games with this console, but I'm not talking about games like Halo 3, but more like family games. That would really start putting some pressure on Nintendo.

Besides, games like Viva Pinata and such are getting old so it wouldn't really be a loss, plus it's a first party game.

[jdsony]

I saw one of the new ads the other day. Kind silly because it's random people playing in the streets and they have 3 games on the table Halo 3, Mass Effect, and something else. These aren't exactly appealing games to average-non gamers.

[fred333]

They look like some lame ads to me. I wonder if this stimulate sales?

[Knasen]

I like the idea of MS trying to make it more appealing to the casual public, but if they really want to start sell 360's to the familys then they should start releasing ALOT more family/child friendly games also. People won't cash up for a 360 to play a few arcade games, they want more than that.

Apart from Viva Pinata, Open Season, Cars and perhaps 3-4 other games there aren't really much to play for the younger audience.

If MS were smart then they should atleast have bundled the Arcade version with the Viva Pinata Party Animals game as It seems to be able to appeal to the younger people and families.