Xbox France shows its advertising mojo
by Blake Snow 
{ Oct 9th 2006 at 3:45PM }
Xbox France knows how to produce stylistic TV ads as seen in the above wireless controller/console spot that simultaneously pays homage to classic French films. All it lacks is a Travelocity gnome shoved in there somewhere to be considered an ad for the ages.
[Thanks, Sean]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joe A. @ Oct 9th 2006 4:36PM
it's a nice commercial. the pseudo-stop animation got a little irritating after a while (shoulda stopped after the flashback). indication of the early versions of forza 2?
matthew @ Oct 9th 2006 3:52PM
Not only is that the best 360 commercial I've ever seen, but also the best videogame related commercial I've seen. That was a long 28 year wait.
Logan @ Oct 9th 2006 3:57PM
That was the single best video game commercial I've ever seen.
Downright classy.
Crono @ Oct 9th 2006 4:01PM
That ad is awesome... way better than the in-your-face garbage we normally see! If Xbox France made the ad, why does it have english subtitles? It feels like it's in the "foreign film" idiom. Maybe we'll see this here in the states?
Zach @ Oct 9th 2006 4:00PM
Anyone else get the impression that the 2nd guy using the racing wheel may have been overexhagerating his steering?
aerial_daredevil @ Oct 9th 2006 4:03PM
I totally agree with matthew. It's an awsome commerical. I'd like to see that kind of creativity here in the states for once. American commercials seem to be based off a handfull of basic motifs - just altered some from commercial to commercial.
Example: Remember the recent Old Navy ad (I think) that people are all hanging on to a very large balloon? Now there are several commercials on TV with that same motif/idea - i.e. stuff floating in the air.
Denbowski @ Oct 9th 2006 4:17PM
@4 - Also the end part is in english as well. Maybe we will be seeing it here state side.
I really like that other Xbox commercial where it is a car chase scene, and when they "fugitives" finally get caught, they just swap posistions with the police and start again. That is my favorite one.
Spilt_Milk @ Oct 9th 2006 4:17PM
Wow, an ad that makes sense, shows the products advantages, and doesnt try to confuse the view with criptic imagery and nonsense symbols.
Sony needs to wake up and get off thier pretentious asses.
Joe @ Oct 9th 2006 6:48PM
Great ad.
And I actually understood a lot of the French.
Huzzah!! @ Oct 9th 2006 8:15PM
OMG!!!
*flies to France, buys a 360*
But seriously, why can't we have ads like that here? I was GLUED to the screen.
Mike @ Oct 9th 2006 4:27PM
that was a cool comercial next there gona show the jump rope commercial no stings attached!
BlackTye @ Oct 9th 2006 4:45PM
Wow.... Everything to say has already been said. I don't have a 360 and I still love that commercial.
Retrofied @ Oct 9th 2006 4:50PM
The commercial really really needs to be shown everywhere. It is indeed one of the best videogame-related commercials of all time.
n42 @ Oct 9th 2006 4:59PM
Ditto BlackTye. That commercial was great.
cyril @ Oct 9th 2006 4:55PM
As French, I can say this add is really annoying. the music is crappy and the voice is getting on my nerve like a psy on his patients'.
They clearly dont force the product on you but play the Stylish card : " It is beautiful... come ... join us ... join the community ... we are high ..."
Thanks to this ad, I feel jumping by the window.
Scythe @ Oct 9th 2006 5:03PM
not to be rude but that was a lousy commercial it was a little retarded. Wow we already now the 360 is wireless unless them batteries start dying left and right. That one guy needs driving lessons....
Wulkar @ Oct 9th 2006 5:47PM
pure ownage
a Master Ninja @ Oct 9th 2006 5:06PM
One of the few respectable video game commercials. I enjoyed it a lot. More need to be like this.
Theo @ Oct 9th 2006 5:11PM
Woah, there's a Zune in there! Right when he turns the console on! This is a great little ad!
BklynKid @ Oct 9th 2006 5:16PM
Travelocity gnome FTW!!
Clint @ Oct 15th 2006 2:02PM
Only on Xbox 360?! LOL
360 is the only next gen system WITHOUT wireless controllers standard. I cant wait for PS3 and Wii to hit so M$ can quit BSing about how theyre the only ones who do this or that.
Methane47 @ Oct 9th 2006 6:27PM
Ok I understand you guys are all excited about the Xbox360's commercial But how can you over look the End tag of the Commercial
"A world of Wireless Accessories
Only on Xbox 360"
WTF?! So Xbox France thinks that the only console in the world with wireless Accessories is the Xbox360? What a load of crap.. There microsoft goes again and spreading lies and rumors around the world... It's almost shamefull the amount of blatant lies Microsoft spreads but you guys don't even take notice..
Other than that Really good commercial... Really good
Will @ Oct 9th 2006 6:45PM
This really reminded me of the french film Amelie, I wish they would show this commercial in America (Obviously with an American voice over) I think it would be a great move because it would garner the notice of those who don't usually play games.
Dirtyboy @ Oct 9th 2006 6:54PM
Need that damn wheel to play TDU...
carlos @ Oct 9th 2006 7:08PM
hey there really is a zune next to the 360 cool microsoft FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ps3 and wii suck
makesevenupyours @ Oct 9th 2006 7:59PM
i did like that commercial...but i think one of the best i have ever seen was that tekken 4 commercial where they guys are turning the lights out on the guy who is shaving.
holy crap, i hate sony, but that was pure brilliance(of course it was for a game, not just for the psp...but you know).
makesevenupyours @ Oct 9th 2006 7:59PM
ZUNE!! WHERE?! I HAVE TO WATCH THIS AGAIN!!
"WTF?! So Xbox France thinks that the only console in the world with wireless Accessories is the Xbox360? What a load of crap.. There microsoft goes again and spreading lies and rumors around the world... It's almost shamefull the amount of blatant lies Microsoft spreads but you guys don't even take notice.."
...ACTUALLY, at this current time, it IS the only gaming system with that many wireless accessories.
lies huh?
FSK405K @ Oct 10th 2006 1:18AM
How much does Francois spend on batteries per month?
shiftup @ Oct 10th 2006 1:27AM
its seems like xbox 360 gets all of the good comercials.
Brooks @ Oct 10th 2006 3:53AM
This is not an add from France, this was made right here in the US of A in Seattle, WA.
Frexy Q. @ Oct 10th 2006 4:41AM
Actually Will, I think you're right :) This is based from that movie (called 'Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulin' over here)
It's a great movie, and just because of that, this makes this ad also a very good ad ^^;
And please, don't think all commercials are like that over here (Europe), this one really sticks out. Although generally, I suppose they're more than 'just' commercials :)
Poischich @ Oct 10th 2006 5:02AM
that's not a french ad
it doesn't look like one, it doesn't sound like one and more importantly, the text at the end is in english without any translation in french - and that's forbidden by french law
SageClaw @ Oct 10th 2006 6:04AM
By itself it was a meh commercial. Compared to all the faux-hip gaming crap commercials we get here in the states... it's a work of art.
My only question, why in the hell does he walk over to the 360 to turn it on? Being able to turn it on while on the couch with the controller is one of the coolest, although least mentioned, things about the 360.
Dealjobber @ Oct 10th 2006 7:33AM
Aw come on. Where's the part at the end where his mother doesn't have to trip over the wires anymore? XD
XGM @ Oct 10th 2006 8:23AM
The english subtitles didnt really make as much sense. But for those who speak french we all agree its the best 360 comercial yet.
Jules @ Oct 10th 2006 8:39AM
That was a pretty lousy commercial sorry guys. It's like Microsoft trying to sell wireless as the console's unique selling point. it may be the only next gen console at the moment that provides this (come on the gamecubes wavebird did that ages ago) but they are all going to within the next 2 months!
and then people will go -'wow the xbox 360 has wireless steering wheels, and peddles that cost extra, and the Nintendo wii prove this sort of steering for free with the controller'. maybe the advert should have sold something about the xbox360 that the other 2 consoles won't have like.....urmmmm...........
Gozan @ Oct 10th 2006 1:04PM
Dammit Microsoft, not only do your OS's go down nigh on regular'ly and your consoles overheat within minutes after I pick up the controller, but now even your commercials crash my PC! DIE!!! ò_ó
Pope @ Oct 10th 2006 2:09PM
It was nice to see no outlandish stereotyping of people in it and the stop motion style of the footage was cool.
Brooks @ Oct 10th 2006 8:41PM
Hey, everyone, it's not from France, it's from Seattle. Not France. Seattle, WA, USA.
Steve @ Oct 12th 2006 3:20PM
and then people will go -'wow the xbox 360 has wireless steering wheels, and peddles that cost extra, and the Nintendo wii prove this sort of steering for free with the controller'. maybe the advert should have sold something about the xbox360 that the other 2 consoles won't have like.....urmmmm...........
-Jules
Umm, OK? If the wii controller doesn't have force feedback. And it isn't a steering wheel. It doesn't have pedals. Some of you people are just funny. OMGzoroz! The wiimote for teh evryting! Its teh gunz and seering weehls and teh roxorzzz!!z!!1. Teh wiimot si more betterz tahn the real steering weehls! Teh steering weehls is the SUXORZ!
The wii controller has its merits, but are you that moronic that you think a standard wii controller will be better for racing games than a steering wheel with pedals?