Mobile Ads & Marketing : How Microsoft Launched the latest Xbox to Increase Sales

Microsoft, the worldwide and leading company which sells computer softwares, consumer electronics and related products, also offers gaming console such as the Xbox One X. 

For the launch of one the most important product for the company - its lastest console Xbox One X- Microsoft choose to target millennials through mobile-first marketing campaigns. 

The mobile-first marketing campaign was imagined around two different items:

• The gaming console itself, which was presented as the most powerful in the world
• Forza7, one of the most realistic and famous racing game of the market, exclusively sold with the Xbox One X

Microsoft wanted to target young people interested in gaming and/or racing sports to deliver their marketing messages and story. The idea was to craft an innovative mobile experiences which could represent the core benefits of both the console and the game - blazing-fast, powerful and immersive gaming experience.

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They choose to create two different mobile marketing experiences which had to mimic the look and feel of Snapchat or Instagram stories: the first one was showing the console features and the second one was playing the Forza Motorsport 7 game best videos. 

The goal was to create a seamless experience for Snapchat or Instagram users, since they decided to push these microsites through Instagram and Snapchat stories ads. To do so, microsites was built this way:

• 1 Fastory video cover which was literally the sequel of the stories ads. 
• Multiple screens with rich media and effects such as videos, pictures, parallax, etc. and 1 Call to Action per Screen
• 1 final screen that encouraged visitors to pre-order with a emphasized Call to Action

In order to reach their objectives, Microsoft and Dentsu teams worked collaboratively with the Fastory team, optimizing constinuously the Snapchat and Instagram assets, Fastory contents, and advertising campaigns trafficking . This marketing campaign has really been a success, reaching more than 60% of interaction rate on content and leading to an improved brand experience for the Xbox One X launch.