SlashGear

“Brand advocates” sounds like a generous way of referring to comment spam or viral marketing, but in Microsoft’s case it actually involves sending Xbox 360 party-packages to 1,000 different women and asking them to demonstrate the console to their friends and neighbours.  The promotion was part of an attempt to enthuse non-traditional gamers, with the packages including microwaveable popcorn, Xbox trivia game Scene It? Box Office Smash, a universal media remote control, a three-month subscription to Xbox Live and 1,600 Xbox Live points. 

In return, the women had to invite at least ten people around to see the console.  Microsoft’s hope is that the women will be so enthused by the game, the Live online service and the sweet, sweet popcorn, that they’ll wax lyrical about how great the 360 is and how much better it is than the stupid old Wii or PS3.

“We’ve sold 20 million consoles to date globally since we launched three years ago.  In order to get to the next 20 million, we need to get a new audience of women and teens. We’re going after them in ways that are different than ways we’ve done before” Heather Snavely, director of interactive entertainment business global platforms, Microsoft

The promotion was organized by House Party, a company which sets up home parties for marketers based on a database of around 100,000 would-be brand advocates.  Microsoft’s party volunteers were quizzed on their social network activity in order to stand a chance of getting the $150 party-package.

[via electricpig]