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Microsoft Ads Entertainment Marketing: Movies, TV, Music and Gaming

Xbox and Edelman tweet Quantum Break choose-your-own-adventure clips offering 'interaction rather than passive' viewing

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By John McCarthy | Opinion Editor

April 29, 2016 | 3 min read

Microsoft and Edelmen have debuted an interactive demo on Twitter to promote the launch of Xbox One exclusive game Quantum Break.

From the fourth of April, Xbox UK tweeted a choose your own adventure video, enabling fans to get a taster of the game’s branching narratives and decisions.

US digital agency Omelet previously experimented with branching narrative videos on YouTube and a dedicated hub for the Hitman game but Edelman's efforts mark the first significant time the medium has been tested on Twitter.

The agency and Xbox worked together to utilise Twitter’s conversational ad product, getting the root video on as many Twitter feeds as possible. From this video, users have two options, each video on how to progress.

This sees the user's Twitter account automatically tweet Xbox UK that instantly sends the next narrative thread in the choose-your-own-adventure-style. This makes the promotion of the game all the more social and interactive brings it closer in line with modern games.

Jod Edney, Xbox Studios senior category manager, said: “We’re seeing that audiences are enthusiastic about engaging with brand content when given the opportunity to choose how they engage; in this case through interaction rather than passively consuming content.”

Thirty per cent of those who engaged with the first tweet followed through with four videos, showing considerably usage of the new ad medium. Furthermore, it has to date recorded 7,000 engagements so far.

On using social video in such a way, Edney added: “Twitter is an important platform for discussion of video games and sharing reviews and content – a key information channel when making a purchase decision.”

To offering the branching paths, 21 unique demo videos were created, powered and accessed by hashtags tapping into Twitter’s API.

“Quantum Break’s narrative blend goes beyond the confines of traditional story-telling found in most videogames.” said Matt Groves, managing director digital, Edelman UK. “We wanted to match this with innovative uses of social media. To that end, Twitter’s conversational ad unit has provided the perfect platform to engage users and showcase the game.”

Choose your own journey below.

Dentsu Aegis’ EMT led the media buys for the campaign.

Microsoft Ads Entertainment Marketing: Movies, TV, Music and Gaming

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