July 10th, 2002 (12:00am) - "Champagne," "Mosquito" Awarded Gold and Bronze Lions At 2002 International Advertising Festival
LONDON, 10th July 2002 Ð Two advertisements for the Xbox video game system from Microsoft have captured the prestigious Cannes Lion awards at the 2002 Cannes International Advertising Festival.
®Champagne,Ó a short film originally created as a ®viralÓ marketing piece for the Xbox launch, won a Golden Lion in the Best Creative Film category.Ê It underlines, in a highly engaging and visual way, the Xbox philosophy Ð that life is short, our time is precious, and everyone should find more opportunities to play in our daily lives.Ê A great response led to ®ChampagneÓ also appearing on television and in cinemas in Europe.
"There were four Gold winners that could have taken the Grand Prix award in any given year, and after Nike’s ’Tag’ spot, the ’Champagne’ spot for Xbox was the favourite among the judges,Ó said Jeff Goodby, president of the 2002 Cannes Lions judging panel and Chairman, Goodby Silverstein & Partners.Ê
®Mosquito,Ó a 60-second TV and cinema commercial creates specifically for the European launch of Xbox, picked up a Bronze Lion in the same category.Ê The piece neatly illustrates what can happen if you forget how to have fun and play in life by telling a ®fableÓ about a group of mosquitoes who lost the ability to sing and play.
The advertising by Xbox was created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty London, who accepted the awards.Ê Derek Robson, Group Business Director, BBH London, said, ®WeÕre thrilled with these prestigious awards for the work weÕve done on behalf of Xbox.Ê We felt these pieces really communicated the Xbox brand vision Ð that we need to elevate play to its rightful place in our lives.Ê ItÕs important to balance work and play, and both ®ChampagneÓ and ®MosquitoÓ bring those notions to life in a very engaging way.Ó
®WeÕre very excited that BBHÕs work was recognised by the Festival,Ó said Neil Thompson, European Marketing Director, Xbox.Ê ®WeÕve set out to raise the quality bar in video game advertising to appeal to a broader audience, with a more inclusive feel.Ê Video game advertising has come of age and both ®ChampagneÓ and ®MosquitoÓ are of the calibre youÕd expect from a major consumer brand like Xbox.Ó
®Xbox leads the console market in terms of performance and fantastic game experiences, and itÕs very gratifying that these prestigious judges have chosen TMChampagneÕ and TMMosquitoÕ as leaders in the creative advertising field,Ó said Harvey Eagle, European Advertising Manager, Xbox.Ê ®We realise that broadening the market for gaming by redefining peopleÕs notions of play is a massive challenge, and one that wonÕt be accomplished overnight, but we feel TMChampagneÕ and TMMosquitoÕ further our goal of making play, and video games, a more important part of peopleÕs lives.Ó
The International Advertising Festival, also known as the Cannes Lions Festival, is the largest gathering of international marketing and advertising professionals in the world.Ê This year, about 9,000 delegates from the advertising and allied industries attended the event, which showcases over 13,000 ads from all over the world. Winning companies receive the highly coveted Lion trophy, which rewards the best advertising work produced throughout the world in TV, Print, outdoor and on the Web, as well as the most innovative and creative media solutions.
About Xbox
Xbox (http://www.xbox.com/) is MicrosoftÕs future-generation video game system that delivers never before seen gameplay experiences. With more than three times the graphics performance of the latest generation of game consoles, Xbox empowers game designers with the technology to realise their vision of great games that are challenging, exhilarating and fun.Ê Xbox is now available in Europe for an estimated street price of Û299/£199.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq ®MSFTÓ) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software Ñ any time, any place and on any device.
