Microsoft: Changing the Game
Microsoft needed to address the significant barrier to entry for 33 million disabled gamers, aiming to create an inclusive gaming experience. The goal was to launch a new controller that empowered players with limited mobility, showcasing Microsoft's commitment to accessibility and fostering a sense of belonging within the gaming community.
Creative Idea
Showed disabled kids playing equally, proving accessibility means everyone can win.
Microsoft introduced the Xbox Adaptive Controller, empowering 33 million disabled gamers to play naturally and equally, fostering inclusion and demonstrating that everyone can participate in the joy of gaming, thus changing perceptions of ability in the gaming world.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Microsoft leveraged its technological expertise and resources to develop a specialized, user-friendly adaptive controller for gamers with diverse needs.
Category
The gaming industry often overlooked the specific needs of disabled players, creating a barrier to entry and full participation for many.
Customer
Disabled gamers desired to play equally and naturally with their peers, feeling included and empowered rather than limited by their mobility.
Culture
A growing cultural emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility made the timing perfect for a product that truly enabled everyone to play.
Company
Microsoft leveraged its technological expertise and resources to develop a specialized, user-friendly adaptive controller for gamers with diverse needs.
Category
The gaming industry often overlooked the specific needs of disabled players, creating a barrier to entry and full participation for many.
Strategy:
Empower marginalized communities through innovative design to redefine industry standards of inclusion.
Customer
Disabled gamers desired to play equally and naturally with their peers, feeling included and empowered rather than limited by their mobility.
Culture
A growing cultural emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility made the timing perfect for a product that truly enabled everyone to play.
Strategy:
Empower marginalized communities through innovative design to redefine industry standards of inclusion.
Results
The Xbox Adaptive Controller received the 2018 Golden Joystick Awards Outstanding Contribution accolade. The campaign told its stories on the Super Bowl. News outlets like CBS This Morning and GMA featured the Super Bowl ad as a top-rated commercial, starring "unforgettably charismatic young people." Major publications praised the controller and the campaign: WIRED published "XBOX ADAPTIVE CONTROLLER GIVES DISABLED GAMERS A POWER-UP"; Business Insider, Variety, The New York Times, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, USA Today, PCGamer, Forbes, Bustle, BBC all ran positive coverage. Social media was flooded with positive responses, including users sharing personal stories and even tattoos of the controller. TIME magazine named it "Invention of the Year." The product secured 3 Global Patents. It resulted in 33 Million Gamers Empowered. The campaign inspired competitors, with an article from Kotaku showing "You Can Use The Xbox Adaptive Controller With The Switch, Too."
2018
Golden Joystick Awards Outstanding Contribution
3
Global Patents
33 Million
Gamers Empowered
Strategy Technique
Make the Brand the Hero of a Bigger Fight
Microsoft positioned itself as a leader in promoting inclusivity and breaking down barriers for disabled gamers, making gaming accessible for everyone. This elevated the brand beyond just selling products to championing a social cause.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Fight stereotypes
The campaign directly challenges the stereotype that disabled gamers cannot participate fully, by showcasing children with limited mobility playing video games with ease and joy, proving that everyone can play.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional in its strategic storytelling, seamlessly blending groundbreaking inclusive product design with authentic, emotionally compelling human stories to demonstrate technology's power to empower.
The campaign effectively communicated its message through heartfelt narratives in the Super Bowl ad and subsequent tutorial videos, bringing the product's empowering impact to life through real user experiences.
The authentic and charismatic performances of the children featured in the Super Bowl commercial and tutorial videos were pivotal in generating genuine empathy and showcasing the joy of inclusion.
The campaign's profound impact arises from the seamless integration of groundbreaking product design, empathetic storytelling featuring genuine performances, and a brilliant core idea that resonated deeply with audiences.
