Xbox Kinect

The Challenge

As part of introducing a game-changing technology, Xbox Kinect, to market, Microsoft's $8-billion Interactive Entertainment Business needed a comprehensive go-to-market plan to run a complex and integrated program of marketing strategy, communications, engineering and channel management. In addition, all integrated elements needed to hit a narrow product launch window with a tight, controlled message, while making the entire product experience ­­– from packaging to quick-to-play architecture ­– as accessible as possible.

Our Approach

Slalom developed a comprehensive strategy for the Xbox Product Marketing group to launch Kinect through every channel possible, including Xbox LIVE, accessories, first-party games, third-party games, as well as the core Xbox platform. The approach brought together key components – such as brand and product identity, research, retail and channel marketing, marcom, and PR – in a way that was able to:

• Create a unified umbrella for the Kinect marketing work streams
• Use a governance model to ensure that any issues within Microsoft or its external channel and marketing partners are exposed and addressed
• Build a repeatable methodology and toolset for subsequent product launches

The Results

Thanks in part to the program Slalom developed, the Kinect product launched on schedule during the 2010 holiday window. This has been a key factor in Kinect outpacing expectations, with more than eight million units sold worldwide as of January 2011.

The notable success of the program has led Microsoft to continue using this approach to combine and streamline the efforts of more than 200 employees across marketing, engineering, and product teams for subsequent launch initiatives.