TACO
BELL AND XBOX TEAM UP TO DELIVER MICROSOFT'S
LARGEST CONSUMER PROMOTION IN COMPANY HISTORY
Taco Bell
Announced as First Co-Marketing Partner for Xbox
Microsoft Corp.
today announced that Taco Bell Corp., America's
leading Mexican-style, quick-service restaurant
chain, has signed on as the first promotional
partner for the launch of the highly anticipated
Microsoft® Xbox™ video game system.
The companies
plan to combine their powerhouse brands in a
promotional campaign to reach their shared target
audiences across the United States and Canada.
Taco Bell will provide substantial media support
that will aggressively publicize Xbox, and the
company will host major in-store promotions to
support the Xbox launch.
"We are
excited about teaming up with Taco Bell to turn
up the volume on the Xbox excitement during the
system's launch period," said John O'Rourke,
vice president of sales and marketing for Xbox.
"Our co-marketing relationship is based on
our commitment to deliver an entertaining,
top-of-the-line promotion to our customers."
The video game
console industry is recognized as a hot form of
entertainment with a broadening demographic. Taco
Bell will build on the anticipation around Xbox
to connect to its target audience through fun and
entertaining vehicles.
"We're
thrilled to team up with Microsoft as a
promotional partner for Xbox, one of the most
exciting entertainment products of 2001,"
said Debbie Myers, vice president of media,
entertainment and licensing for Taco Bell.
"Our energetic brand personality mirrors the
edgy Xbox brand, which is already resonating with
our customers."
The marketing
alliance between Microsoft and Taco Bell was
orchestrated by GMR Marketing, a recognized
leader in music, entertainment and lifestyle
marketing. Taco Bell is the first promotional
partner to be announced in a series of strategic
co-marketing relationships that will creatively
drive brand awareness and preference for Xbox.
About Taco Bell
Taco Bell Corp.,
a division of Tricon Global Restaurants Inc.
(NYSE "YUM"), is the nation's leading
Mexican-style, quick-service restaurant chain,
serving tacos, burritos, signature Chalupas and
Gorditas, nachos and other specialty items. Taco
Bell serves more than 35 million consumers each
week in over 7,200 restaurants nationwide,
generating $5.2 billion in systemwide sales.
http://www.tacobell.com
About Xbox
Xbox is
Microsoft's future-generation video game system
that delivers new and unforeseen gameplay
experiences. With more than three times the
graphics performance of the newest generation of
game systems, Xbox unleashes game designers'
creativity to produce games that are challenging,
exhilarating, surprising and fun.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
"MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software, services and Internet technologies for
personal and business computing. The company
offers a wide range of products and services
designed to empower people through great software
- any time, any place and on any device.
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