Xbox launches Nowstalgia campaign
Introducing Xbox’s new Spokes-Plushie... and its friend Jimmy O Yang.
Entering an established core community like Xbox can feel daunting, so to welcome new players to the Xbox Series S this holiday season, Xbox created a campaign all about the nostalgic memories Gen Z will create playing their favourite games on the console…before they’ve actually made them. They call it “Nowstalgia.”
To give us all “Nowstalgia,” Xbox created a series of ads that treat playing your favourite games on the Xbox Series S in the style of the classic toy ads from Gen Z’s childhood. To launch the campaign, Xbox created a custom Xbox Series S in the style of a classic talking Plushie toy to star in its own commercial. Of course, every talking Plushie needs a human best friend. And the Game With Me Series S found one in actor and comedian Jimmy O. Yang. In the film, Yang finds an unlikely friend in the talking plushie version of the Xbox Series S who comes to life on his couch with a very specific purpose.
Xbox also created a limited run of physical Game with Me Series S Plushies that will be sent out to a variety of gaming and pop culture influencers. Each Plushie comes in a collectable graphic box just like a real talking toy. When squeezed, each Plushie will come to life on its influencer’s channel by delivering a personalized message crafted for its chosen influencer.
Credits
powered by- Agency 215 McCann/San Francisco
- Production Company Pomp & Clout
- Director Ryan Staake
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Unlock full credits and more with a Source + shots membership.
Credits
powered by- Agency 215 McCann/San Francisco
- Production Company Pomp & Clout
- Director Ryan Staake
- Chief Creative Officer Scott Duchon
- Creative Director Brad Meyers
- Associate Creative Director/Art Director Kyle Johnson
- Associate Creative Director/Copywriter Zack Johnson
- Copywriter Ian Forsyth
- Copywriter Amy Char
- Art Director Maddy Thompson
- HP Whitney Ferris
- Producer Nina Ulbrich
- Executive Producer Ryen Bartlett
- Line Producer Kevin Staake
- Post Company Pomp & Clout
- Music Company Squeak E Clean Studios/USA
- Sound Design/Audio Post Barking Owl
- Sound Designer/Audio Mixer Elizabeth McClanahan
- Audio Mixer Mikayla Petersen
- Executive Producer Ashley Benton
- Creative Director Kelly Bayett
- DP Kristian Zuniga
- Line Producer Doug Smith
- Executive Producer Stefani Kouverianos
- Executive Producer Dwight Phipps
- Producer Jeff So
- Editor Jay McConville
- Producer Misha Kozlov
- Creative Director Aaron Vinton
- Cel Animation Stephanie Simpson
- Compositing Lead Jesse Newman
- Producer Heath Raymond
- Color Producer Evan Bauer
- Colorist Fergus McCall
- Colorist Ayumi Ashley
- Talent Jimmy O Yang
Credits
powered by- Agency 215 McCann/San Francisco
- Production Company Pomp & Clout
- Director Ryan Staake
- Chief Creative Officer Scott Duchon
- Creative Director Brad Meyers
- Associate Creative Director/Art Director Kyle Johnson
- Associate Creative Director/Copywriter Zack Johnson
- Copywriter Ian Forsyth
- Copywriter Amy Char
- Art Director Maddy Thompson
- HP Whitney Ferris
- Producer Nina Ulbrich
- Executive Producer Ryen Bartlett
- Line Producer Kevin Staake
- Post Company Pomp & Clout
- Music Company Squeak E Clean Studios/USA
- Sound Design/Audio Post Barking Owl
- Sound Designer/Audio Mixer Elizabeth McClanahan
- Audio Mixer Mikayla Petersen
- Executive Producer Ashley Benton
- Creative Director Kelly Bayett
- DP Kristian Zuniga
- Line Producer Doug Smith
- Executive Producer Stefani Kouverianos
- Executive Producer Dwight Phipps
- Producer Jeff So
- Editor Jay McConville
- Producer Misha Kozlov
- Creative Director Aaron Vinton
- Cel Animation Stephanie Simpson
- Compositing Lead Jesse Newman
- Producer Heath Raymond
- Color Producer Evan Bauer
- Colorist Fergus McCall
- Colorist Ayumi Ashley
- Talent Jimmy O Yang
In addition to the Game With Me hero film, Xbox is bringing the “Nowstalgic” feelings of playing Fall Guys and Overwatch 2 to fans in a series of short social videos, reminiscent of the toy commercials players saw in their youth. Each spot showcases the experience of playing games such as Fall Guys and Overwatch 2 on the Xbox Series S, built especially to give Gen Z the nostalgic feeling they love for a console that they haven’t even bought yet.
Xbox also partnered with social action figure photographer @PlasticAction, aka Jax Navarro, to create custom “Nowstalgia” hero stills for Falls Guys, Rocket League, Forza Horizon 5, Overwatch 2, and Minecraft. Each still brings the fun of the IP to life through crafted miniature sets, toy props, and cinematic photography. These stills will be featured on Jax’s own channels as well as Xbox’s owned and operated channels and across an OOH buy in Los Angeles.
The campaign, created with agency 215 McCann and directed by Ryan Staake, will run through the holiday season with digital, social, and out of home components.
Credits
powered by- Agency 215 McCann/San Francisco
- Production Company Pomp & Clout
- Director Ryan Staake
-
-
Unlock full credits and more with a Source + shots membership.
Credits
powered by- Agency 215 McCann/San Francisco
- Production Company Pomp & Clout
- Director Ryan Staake
- Chief Creative Officer Scott Duchon
- Creative Director Brad Meyers
- Associate Creative Director/Art Director Kyle Johnson
- Associate Creative Director/Copywriter Zack Johnson
- Copywriter Ian Forsyth
- Copywriter Amy Char
- Art Director Maddy Thompson
- HP Whitney Ferris
- Producer Nina Ulbrich
- Executive Producer Ryen Bartlett
- Line Producer Kevin Staake
- Post Company Pomp & Clout
- Music Company Squeak E Clean Studios/USA
- Sound Design/Audio Post Barking Owl
- Sound Designer/Audio Mixer Elizabeth McClanahan
- Audio Mixer Mikayla Petersen
- Executive Producer Ashley Benton
- Creative Director Kelly Bayett
- DP Kristian Zuniga
- Line Producer Doug Smith
- Executive Producer Stefani Kouverianos
- Executive Producer Dwight Phipps
- Producer Jeff So
- Editor Jay McConville
- Producer Misha Kozlov
- Creative Director Aaron Vinton
- Cel Animation Stephanie Simpson
- Compositing Lead Jesse Newman
- Producer Heath Raymond
- Color Producer Evan Bauer
- Colorist Fergus McCall
- Colorist Ayumi Ashley
Credits
powered by- Agency 215 McCann/San Francisco
- Production Company Pomp & Clout
- Director Ryan Staake
- Chief Creative Officer Scott Duchon
- Creative Director Brad Meyers
- Associate Creative Director/Art Director Kyle Johnson
- Associate Creative Director/Copywriter Zack Johnson
- Copywriter Ian Forsyth
- Copywriter Amy Char
- Art Director Maddy Thompson
- HP Whitney Ferris
- Producer Nina Ulbrich
- Executive Producer Ryen Bartlett
- Line Producer Kevin Staake
- Post Company Pomp & Clout
- Music Company Squeak E Clean Studios/USA
- Sound Design/Audio Post Barking Owl
- Sound Designer/Audio Mixer Elizabeth McClanahan
- Audio Mixer Mikayla Petersen
- Executive Producer Ashley Benton
- Creative Director Kelly Bayett
- DP Kristian Zuniga
- Line Producer Doug Smith
- Executive Producer Stefani Kouverianos
- Executive Producer Dwight Phipps
- Producer Jeff So
- Editor Jay McConville
- Producer Misha Kozlov
- Creative Director Aaron Vinton
- Cel Animation Stephanie Simpson
- Compositing Lead Jesse Newman
- Producer Heath Raymond
- Color Producer Evan Bauer
- Colorist Fergus McCall
- Colorist Ayumi Ashley