Ads on Xbox
As advertising continues to evolve for game platforms, the New York Times reports that Microsoft is set to launch a new suite of advertising tools called NUads (short for natural user interface ads) on the Xbox Kinect gaming consoles.
Developments at the USPTO earlier this month indicated that Microsoft had plans for a new, interactive advertising platform utilizing the Xbox 360 Kinect camera controller. On June 6, 2011, Microsoft filed a trademark application for the term “NUADS” for “advertising services, namely, promoting and marketing the goods and services of others through online interactive video games by enabling consumers to interact with third-party advertising content through voice or body gestures via computer game console and sensor devices.” See full trademark application here.
Both Gamasutra and Techie Buzz speculated that this could be the natural user interface that Microsoft had been talking about for quite a while, which would allow them to offer a similar service to iAds, the Apple advertising platform for app developers to create apps/ads that offer an interactive and aesthetically pleasing experience for the user. According to the Times, NUAds will allow Xbox users to use voice and motion commands to interact with advertisements while they are playing games or watching videos.
The NUAds will be located on the console dashboard, embedded in games and other video content. They are intended to help advertisers keep the attention of Xbox users in a way traditional television advertising does not by creating a way for users to interact and engage with their televisions. Using voice commands, gamers will also be able to send messages about ads to networking sites like Twitter, to text messages about ads, or to vote as part of promotions.
These new advertising options will be presented today (June 21, 2011) to advertisers at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, an annual conference for advertisers and marketers.
