There are people that will compete for anything. Michael Jordan was one of those people. It’s all about winning. Wager a button from a shirt and they’ll be convinced that they need to give one-hundred-and-ten percent so that button will be a memento of their win or the opponent’s loss, whichever matters more.
That kind of competitiveness is infectious. So when Microsoft decided to give people the chance to win a custom refrigerator, there is no doubt people were excited. Sadly, the competition dynamic wasn’t exactly about skill. It was all about chance.
Please Explain The Refrigerator Part
The context gives the refrigerator sense. Microsoft’s next-generation console, the Xbox X series, upon its announcement, was made into a meme. The joke was that it looked like a refrigerator. It’s a black rectangle, stood tall, with its disc drive looking vaguely like a handle, and it’s got enough depth for leftover pizza boxes.
A fan-made 3D animation video posted to reddit, captioned ‘since some of you asked for it, I took apart an Xbox Series X,’ showed the just-announced console sat on a surface before the camera moves towards it and the top-half opens like a refrigerator to reveal a shelf full of Monster energy drink, a banana, and an apple.
There were memes that had less production value but were as effective. Many depicted the new Xbox in a lovely, modern kitchen, resized and proudly in the nook where the refrigerator would be.
It was a popular meme.
Xbox embraced it and debuted the customer Xbox X Series refrigerator. It’s a 1:1 scale replica, and they report its over six-foot tall and four-hundred pounds. Microsoft’s custom refrigerator is not like the Fall Guy’s Christmas Jumper. It does not have a wider release. There is not a stockroom at Microsoft filled with Xbox refrigerators, looming like the monolith from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey over workers preparing it for delivery. There are only three like it in the world.
Marketing with the Unexpected
Meme marketing has been a growing strategy for media campaigns in recent years. Either by posting and campaigning with content created by the brand itself or by reposting ones made by the community. It is a very useful way to achieve continued exposure.
It proves particularly popular within the gaming industry, where creativity remains the most valuable asset for brands seeking the lion’s share. In the gambling world, for instance, only the best of the best for pokies will attract players’ attention; they are used to the usual line-up of games, just as players are used to new console releases. The only way to grab attention is to invest a great deal of time into designing new ways of standing out.
Brands will utilize the latest meme trends and caption or edit them to be applicable to their products or services. While memes are not designed to provide extensive information, they do generate awareness. American fast-food chains, particularly Wendy’s, are examples of this. They’ve been using this tactic for a couple of years with success. In some cases, customers will find out about a product via a meme before they see an official announcement.
Xbox was happy to laugh at their selves with the release of the custom refrigerator. Not only did it show the company had a sense of humor, but it, also, enabled them to bring the meme back into the light before the console’s release.
Who Else Has One?
One was given to Snoop Dog. Why? He’s an avid Xbox fan. In 2016, he once threatened to leave for PlayStation should Xbox Live go down again. Another was given to popular YouTuber and life-caster iJustine. It should be noted that both Snoop Dog and iJustine have been and are popular memes in their own right: Snoop Dog has a few but one big one is the whippet which looks like him and iJustine’s is the 300-page iPhone bill.
Giveaway
To win the refrigerator that wasn’t given to Snoop Dog or iJustine, people had to enter the giveaway. It was only live for a specified period of time and entrants have to follow the official Xbox Twitter account and quote tweet the promotional post with the caption #XSXFridgeSweeps. No skill, all chance.
