JUNE 29, 2009 • Microsoft intends to bring rich media technologies such as Silverlight to Xbox Live during the next year. The move will make it easier to create the same interactive ad for the web, mobile phones and Xbox Live – making it less expensive, and more attractive, for advertisers to market on the console platform.

Impact:  It bears reminding that Microsoft was savvy enough to place Obama campaign ads into Xbox 360 titles. In better syncing its platform to existing interactive ad standards, the company seems intent on making it as easy as possible to migrate more advertising dollars in its direction ahead of Sony or Nintendo. Just as we applauded Microsoft’s early expansion into Latin America, the company is likewise exhibiting solid strategy here as well.