When Microsoft's $8-billion interactive entertainment business
wanted to introduce a game-changing technology to market, the
company needed a comprehensive go-to-market plan to support
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.
Slalom Consulting developed a comprehensive strategy for the
Xbox Product Marketing group to launch Kinect through every channel
possible, including Xbox LIVE and its accessories, first-party
games, third-party games, and the core Xbox platform. The approach
brought together key components—such as brand and product identity,
research, retail and channel marketing, marketing communications,
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
Thanks in part to the program Slalom developed, the Kinect
product launched on schedule. 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.
