Xbox saw a big jump in Ad Awareness with women and millennials following its latest commercial
In the run-up to last week’s release of the Xbox One X, the Microsoft gaming console bet big on one splashy 60-second television ad, featuring music from Kanye West and emphasizing the game’s immersive gaming experience. It also made a point of inclusivity, showing gamers of all genders and races being moved by the console’s power. And according to YouGov BrandIndex’s data, Ad Awareness for the Xbox brand rose across multiple demographics in October.
The ad was stuffed with pop culture references, including a cameo from football player Marshawn Lynch alongside his videogame counterpart. The vibe of the ad is intense, with shots of eagles soaring and lyrics from West’s song Power: “No one man should have all that power/ The clock’s ticking, I just count the hours/ Stop tripping, I’m tripping off the power.”
Ad Awareness measures whether someone has reported seeing an ad in the past two weeks. Xbox was one of the largest Ad Awareness movers for women in October, when an average of 15 percent of women saw an ad for the company. That was a 6-point jump from September. Among the overall public, the average rose by 3 points.
After the ad debuted, the brand also saw a significant hike with 18-to-34 year olds. On Oct. 22 – the day the ad debuted – the brand had a 14 point Ad Awareness with this demographic; seven days later, the score peaked at 19. This paralleled the general public’s Ad Awareness, which rose from 12 to 16 over that same time period.
Initial sales figures for the console look strong, and the system is projected to be one of the hot items for Black Friday.
