WEEK 13 – DEVELOPING AND MANAGING PRODUCTS

          The Xbox 360 Kinect is a new product to the world and the role of the future product is to bring games and entertainment to life in extraordinary ways without using a controller. Kinect allows the natural magic and fun in all of us to shine meaning it is easy to use and fun where it gets everyone off the couch and moving, laughing, and cheering to those who win or lose. Whether you like to play games or not, anyone can play and have a blast. Basically with advanced parental controls and movies for the family, Kinect promises a gaming experience that’s safe, secure and fun for everyone.  Kinect will be considered an addition to existing product lines because it will be used for Xbox 360.  Kinect would be classified in its introductory leading to growth stage because the consumer and public are becoming more aware of Kinect and adopters are likely to go out and buy it. During Kinect’s development project team members experimentally adapted numerous games to Kinect-based control to help evaluate usability.

WEEK 12 – CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

     Microsoft CRM which stands for customer relationship management is to establish a 360 view of customer interaction, sales opportunities, deliver value to customers and implement more effective campaigns. In order to improve sales Microsoft usually plan price lists, discounts and unit groups.  The team members or organizational workflows assign leads and tasks so they can capture and track all lead details in one system. When purchasing Xbox, customers are required to log in and supply information such as their name and email address.  Xbox 360 members get delivered notifications and alerts through mobile device as well as services and opportunities. To create better customer service Microsoft allows customers to have accounts where they can create, manage and resolve cases by phone, email, chat, and web or in person which Microsoft usually have team members who are there to respond back to the customers. For marketing data, Microsoft has other sources such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Microsoft strategic plan is usually to pinpoint best marketing efforts.  To do so they create highly targeted lists and associate them with campaigns for specific groups in order to capture their attention correctly and have them focused on the item. For example past blog post have shown an article where for the launch on Xbox 360 celebrities as well as potential customers came out and participated in the showcase of the new system called Kinect.  With the use of technology which has become so crucial, it allows marketers to really reach out to the target audience in several ways to persuade them in the upcoming items and have them buy.

WEEK 11 - INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

         Microsoft creates promotion to communicate to the consumers about Xbox 360 kinect and in order for them to do this they form promotional strategies such as advertising. The main goal is to provide a competitive advantage over the competition like Sony and Kinect as a device camera and microphone was designed to replace the traditional controller and be hands free. Xbox 360 Kinect has been advertised through television such as the channel E number 51 on cablevision, magazines such as pcmag.com, edge, the internet and even Facebook. Microsoft aim for mass communication is to address the message to large audiences. An example would be how Microsoft created a corporate blog for Xbox 360 kinect called the Microsoft blog.  Here it allows the sender which is Microsoft to inform, persuade and remind the receiver who’s the audience about Kinect. Under Facebook and even the blog many can give feedback and their opinion on Kinect.


              

Mark Wahlberg Teams Up With Kinect for Xbox 360 to Support Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Microsoft donates Kinect for Xbox 360, consoles and games to thousands of Boys & Girls Clubs across the country.

NEW YORK — Nov. 3, 2010 — Just hours before the launch of Kinect for Xbox 360 in the heart of Times Square, actor/ producer Mark Wahlberg joined Microsoft Corp. and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to set down the controller, get off the couch and stand up for kids across the country. Beginning today, Microsoft will donate Kinect for Xbox 360, 4GB Xbox 360 consoles and two games — “Kinect Adventures” and “Kinect Sports” — to thousands of Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide. A perfect complement to Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s commitment to health and fitness, Kinect for Xbox 360 gives kids a whole new way to get active as they dance, dodge, leap and have fun using their whole body and voice to play — no controller required. The consoles and Kinect sensors available to the Boys & Girls Clubs will reach millions of young people across the country. Wahlberg is an alumnus and advocate of Boys & Girls Clubs of America and credits much of his personal success to the afternoons and evenings he spent at his local Boys & Girls Club growing up. He continues to support local Clubs through the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation and sits on the board of directors of the Colonel Daniel Marr Boys & Girls Club in Dorchester, Mass. “I’ve experienced firsthand the positive impact organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs have on the lives of young people,” Wahlberg said. “When I heard Xbox 360 wanted to give Kinect to Clubs across the country, I had to jump in and help.” Completely controller-free, Kinect for Xbox 360 introduces a new way to play that lets you use your whole body, encouraging active, immersive and social experiences. Simply step in front of the revolutionary sensor, and Kinect sees you move, hears your voice and learns how you play. See a ball? Kick it. Want to watch a movie? Say “Xbox, play.” With 17 games launching before the holidays, Kinect gets kids and parents, gamers and newbies alike, off the couch and on their feet by making YOU the controller. “The first time we saw Kinect, we knew it would have a special ability to bring kids, their families and mentors together. This is gaming and entertainment that encourages teamwork, fair play and creativity,” said Cyndi Court, executive vice president of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “We’re so excited to provide Kinect for Xbox 360 to our local Clubs, and are thankful to Mark Wahlberg and Xbox for supporting our mission to keep kids healthy and active.” Today’s announcement was part of a daylong celebration in Times Square leading up to the launch of Kinect for Xbox 360. At midnight tonight thousands of retailers across the country will open their doors to give consumers the first opportunity to purchase Kinect and experience the freedom of controller-free games and entertainment. More information is available at http://www.xbox.com/Kinect or http://www.facebook.com/xbox.

   ( This is an article I found that I thought was good to post since I was surfing the web about Microsoft )

WEEK 10 - PRODUCT CONCEPTS

       Xbox 360 Kinect which is the brand name is a consumer product. It is a consumer product because the whole purpose and function for why it is made is for the individual consumer want and desire to have. Microsoft if you didn’t know have a variety of things and not just one product. Microsoft is a product mix because it has business software’s, hardware, entertainment where Xbox 360 Kinect fall under, mobile devices and servers. From Microsoft website, Microsoft mix width is about 11 product lines. The reason for product mix if you have don’t know, is to create diversity for the consumers where we can always draw their attention and allow them to keep coming back as loyal customers. For example, Apple Company and several others have many different products not just one. Now in order for us to take advantage and keep the competition up or the changes in the environment, Xbox 360 was first made as a regular gaming system. However Microsoft felt they needed to adjust the product item and allow the gaming system to be used without any controller; where you are able to be hands free and do the same things you were doing before with the game. I feel this is a good modification because for the target market and groups we want it to sell for they will like the change in the appearance and recommend it to others. Xbox 360 is a global brand all over the world and with the new product item Kinect because Xbox 360 is a well known product and if it is introducing a new product then customers are most likely to go out and buy it.