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Microsoft has revealed its new ad platform, NUads, which will use Kinect to allow users to interact with commercials over Xbox LIVE.
“I try to avoid hyperbole,” said Microsoft’s Mark Kroese, general manager of advertising within Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division. “But in this case of NUads and Kinect, I’m here to say that it will change television as we know it-forever.”
Xbox owners will be able to interact with adverts using gestures and voice commands. They could choose to schedule a reminder for an upcoming TV show, vote for a product or service they like, or say “Xbox Near Me” to pull up a map with directions to a nearby store selling that product.
As well as this, integrated social features will allow users to share a product or brand with friends through voice commands. Saying “Xbox Tweet” will post information from that advert straight to the user’s Twitter feed.
“People are inherently interactive all on their own,” wrote Kroese in his blog. “We just needed the technology to get out of their way.”
The platform is due to launch in Spring 2012.
Whilst clearly an impressive application of Kinect from an advertising perspective – I really can’t see myself using any of these features. I don’t want to watch adverts most of the time, let alone interact with the damn things. Whilst interesting, this is clearly of more benefit to Microsoft than gamers.
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