REDMOND, Wash. — June 6, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the appointment of Jeff Bell as the new corporate vice president of Global Marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business, reporting directly to Peter Moore, corporate vice president for the overall Interactive Entertainment Business, effective June 12, 2006. The Interactive Entertainment Business includes the Xbox® and Games for Windows® businesses and is part of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division. Bell joins Microsoft from DaimlerChrysler, where most recently he served as vice president of product strategy for the Chrysler Group.
“Jeff brings a unique mix of consumer experience and innovation to the Interactive Entertainment Business,” Moore said. “His accomplishments at DaimlerChrysler, including the creation of its owner loyalty program, his track record in driving automotive video game strategies, and his influence on urban marketing plans, are indicators of his expertise and leadership.”
Bell holds a master’s degree in international economics from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. As an innovator in brand marketing at DaimlerChrysler, Bell led the launch of the Dodge “Grab Life by the Horns” tag line and its associated advertising, including the Hemi campaign and the Dodge and Aerosmith music alliance. He drove the formation of other key strategic alliances including Jeep and HBO’s “Band of Brothers,” Jeep and “Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life,” and Chrysler, Hypnotic and Universal Pictures, which created the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival. Bell also pioneered new approaches to urban marketing, providing multicultural agencies with greater opportunities in the general market arena.
History of Innovation
Bell is largely credited with helping to turn around the Jeep and Chrysler brands during his tenure at DaimlerChrysler, and for pioneering Chrysler’s video game and online marketing strategies. Bell’s aggressive use of games as marketing tools resulted in the creation of more than 40 online games with a registered user base of more than 3 million. His work in games led to Chrysler being named Interactive Marketer of the Year in 2005 by Advertising Age.
Bell received the Mediapost Online All-Star award in 2005 and was recently named one of the 21 Most Intriguing People in Marketing by Min Magazine.
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360™ is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox Live® online gaming service, and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around gamers. The system was first launched in North America, Europe and Japan in 2005 and then in Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan in 2006. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.
About Games for Windows
Microsoft Windows is the most popular operating system in the world for games, delivering the widest range of titles, the most gaming hardware choices, and advanced gaming technology for players of all types. With Windows as the cornerstone, the Games for Windows platform offers publishers and gamers the most enjoyable and innovative gaming experiences available on a PC. More information can be found online at http://www.gamesforwindows.com.
About the Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division
Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division was created in September 2005 to support the company’s software-based services vision and drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. The Entertainment and Devices Division is composed of four main businesses: the Interactive Entertainment Business, which includes both the Xbox and Games for Windows businesses; the Entertainment Business, which focuses on Microsoft’s digital entertainment efforts in music, TV and video and includes the MSTV and the Windows XP Media Center Edition products; the Consumer Productivity Experiences Business, which includes the mice and keyboards business, the Macintosh Business Unit, and consumer productivity applications including Encarta®, Money and Digital Image Suite; and the Mobile and Embedded Business, which drives the Windows Mobile®-based devices business and focuses on the embedded market for Windows CE, Windows XP Embedded and the Automotive Business Unit.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Microsoft, Xbox, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Encarta and Windows Mobile are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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