The Future of Interactive Marketing – Kinect Comes Calling for @AdBuzzCanada

The Final Demo Microsoft had at Advertising Week was for Kinect previously known as Project Natal. Kinect is a peripheral for the Xbox 360 that removes the controller from the equation entirely. Like the Wii before it Kinect is meant to expand the gaming audience even further for the platform.

It launches November 4^th 2010 in North America (for more information on Kinect click here) and Mark Young the General Manager of Microsoft Advertising gave everyone a live demo of the technology using Kinectimals. If you think a game couldn’t give you a toothache this might be the game to change your mind.

Mark was able to play with a virtual baby Bengal tiger named Skittles. It was too cute for words but I bet 8 year olds will be in love the little baby tiger. They will also have plushies of the animals just to make you go into cardiac arrest from so much cuteness.

With an audience of advertisers and agencies Mark showed how some brands were already preparing for launch. Burger King was the main culprit as they showed how external content could be brought in game.

The example Mark showed was a simple toy that could be brought into the game world by pointing the right object at the camera. Once it is recognized it would become a part of the game world giving Skittles something new to play with. Another partner they mentioned was the Chevy Volt who would be participating in some way although details were not mentioned.

Recently at Nuit Blanche Toronto I saw a demo of Kinect out in the open and many onlookers who couldn’t wait for a chance to try it out. No doubt the marketing machine is rocking as we are just weeks away from Kinect’s launch.

The technology demo I enjoyed the most was Kinect (can you tell I am a gamer or what) because it takes the camera recognition technology to the next level. I see gaming as stone’s throw away from the underlying technology being put to use in your next generation PC.

With Deep Zoom you can see into the depth of objects while Pivot gives you have a visual way to sort and understand data. With Windows Mobile 7 Microsoft is making their next move in the smartphone market and with Kinect we are seeing the next generation of control methods that is a few steps above even multi touch.

Here is a demo done thanks to the Montreal Gazette for the video:

An impressive showing that shows that for all the flack that Microsoft gets they can still innovate with the best of them, get ready for Kinect November 4th.

Video Credit: The Montreal Gazette