Can Xbox and MSN ignite the Zune music platform?
By John Pospisil
Microsoft has launched a new online promotional program, Ignition, to help artists promote their music to 30 million MSN, Xbox and Zune users. While the company says the service will benefit consumers and artists, it appears the real aim of Ignition is to help save the flagging Zune music and entertainment platform.
“The Ignition program is designed to help artists connect with a substantial consumer audience,” said Christina Calio, director of Music Marketing for Zune.
“Consumers are looking for ways to find new music, and Ignition helps connect artists with potential new fans by giving them multiple opportunities to listen to, watch or read about the artist across Microsoft’s online platforms.”
According to Microsoft, Ignition “maximizes exposure” for artists by presenting consumers with interesting content over a month long period through prominent placement on Zune Marketplace, Zune.net, MSN entertainment properties and the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
For consumers, Ignition provides a steady stream of new music through online access to exclusive content, free song and video downloads, streaming video, editorial features, and artist playlists.
It’s no secret that the Zune hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. The Zune media player was launched six months ago, and Microsoft expects to sell 1 million units by the end of June. By comparison, Apple has already sold 100 times this number of iPods during the past five years.
Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division, recently told the San Francisco Chronicle that the Zune has 10% mobile hard drive player market.
That might sound OK, until it’s pointed out that hard-disk-based media players are only a small proportion of the overall media player market, with most media players using flash memory for storage rather than hard disks. This means Microsoft’s market share of the total media player market is even smaller than it might at first appear.
What really gave away Bach’s insecurity about the Zune was when he was asked about whether the Zune was profitable:
“We feel we are on the right track, and that we are engaging with customers. I think profit will follow. It is in the near term, it is not something that is far out.”
“I think profit will follow” doesn’t sound very confident.
Let’s face it there’s only a tenuous link between music, the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, and MSN. While the company might say it is trying to help consumers and artists, it’s pretty clear that the motivation of Ignition is to ignite the flagging Zune music platform.
Don’t believe me?
Throughout June Ignition will be promoting UK band Maxïmo Park. Take a look at what that will involve:
Zune Marketplace and Zune.net
• “Our Velocity” featured as a free download on Zune Marketplace
• “Don McPhee” offered to US audiences as an exclusive track for two weeks on Zune Marketplace
• Playlist of 10 favorite tracks from Maxïmo Park lead singer Paul Smith available for download on Zune Marketplace
• Maxïmo Park’s personal commentary on “Our Earthly Pleasures,” featuring song-by-song descriptions and comments
• Maxïmo Park-specific page on Zune.net promoting the band’s current activities
Xbox LIVE Marketplace
• Promotional video download of “Our Velocity” offered at no cost to Xbox LIVE subscribers
MSN Entertainment
• Promotional video stream of “Our Velocity” on MSN Video
• Listening parties for “Our Earthly Pleasures” during the first two weeks of June on MSN Music, which will allow consumers to listen to the entire album via streaming audio for free.
As you can see most of the activity takes place on Zune Marketplace and Zune.net. The Xbox LIVE and MSN Entertainment activities are almost like after thoughts. This tends to indicate that this whole exercise is really about generating interest the Zune music platform. And Microsoft almost admits that this, when it states that “the launch of Ignition adds a powerful new element to existing Zune music programs”.
Microsoft has a history of trying to cross promote its products and services, so this approach is nothing new.
What is interesting is that the Zune situation is so dire that Microsoft is marching out Xbox and MSN to save the day. Although, personally, I think it will take a little more than Xbox and MSN to save Zune.
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Read more entries by John Pospisil.
Stumble It!
June 6th, 2007
why not? people who are opt in playing games could also enjoy listening to some new music.
June 8th, 2007
Has Apple got everyone brainwashed into thinking iPod is some kind of standard? This article is so pointed, it’s as if a liberal was writing about George Bush.
iPods are crap players, over-rated, over-priced and has been shown to have shady business practices. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod#Criticisms
Take a look objectively and see that Zune is a better quality player. And offers more features that are more useful. iPods have stopwatches? Really? Address book? Lame
And Zune is just getting started. Everyone scoffed at the Xbox and comparing it to Playstation. Now look what’s happened. Xbox 360 is outselling Playstation 3.
Go buy an iPhone you CRApple whore…