Although a few brave brands have dipped their toes into the Kinect waters, there’s yet to be widespread adoption of the interactive technology among marketers. In past articles and posts we’ve explored why that might be, including the fact that without an official SDK, Kinect is still largely the domain of hackers and that perhaps brands are wary of dabbling with technology that doesn’t have its creator’s full blessing, even if it does revolutionize interactive advertising.
If this is indeed what’s been holding brands back, then they’ve just lost their big excuse. Last week Microsoft released an official software development kit for Kinect complete with thorough documentation and a few new features that even further enhance the immersive qualities of the Xbox accessory. This new SDK is not for commercial use, but this is a stipulation targeted more at game developers looking to build on the platform, and Microsoft has stated their plans to release a commercial version in the future.
Kinect has claimed the title as the fastest selling consumer electronics device, even outselling iPad, and we are only beginning to see Microsoft’s long-term plans unfold. A few months ago, Netflix incorporated gesture and voice control into its system and Microsoft has a new project called NuAds, adding interactivity to television.
Audiences love Kinect, and the engaging viral video-worthy installations it can produce are the stuff marketers dream of. This Mutual Mobile original graphic explores some of the best practices for site-based Kinect marketing.
Click the image to enlarge, or download the PDF
Design by Eric Celedonia, Research and information by Ryan Engle
