REDMOND, WA: Microsoft has named Kovert Creative as AOR for its lifestyle marketing and Xbox’s partnership and lifestyle teams.
Kovert started working with the units at the start of last month after an RFP process that began in May. Its work includes talent engagement and relationship management across the entertainment industry, as well as partnership, activation and creative ideation for the company in pop culture.
"We are helping to develop and cultivate partnerships for them," said Joseph Assad, co-CEO of Kovert, adding that the firm is supporting event-based activations, but not producing events.
Microsoft’s lifestyle marketing team, the center of talent outreach at the company, is responsible for guiding its engagement with Hollywood. This includes providing industry expertise on talent engagement, securing celebrities for marketing and promotional activities and driving long-term authentic relationships with bold-face names who use Microsoft technology in their personal and professional lives.
"The lifestyle marketing team at Microsoft touches everything within the parent company," said Assad.
Xbox’s partnerships and lifestyle team is responsible for marketing deals between Xbox, which is owned by Microsoft, and consumer and entertainment brands. It works with products including Xbox One consoles, first-party game titles and services such as Xbox Game Pass.
Kovert’s Joanna Cichocki -- staffers at Kovert do not have titles, according to Assad -- is leading a team of eight on the account. Budget information was not disclosed.
Microsoft’s Xbox Live multiplayer online service has 65 million monthly active users, according to Statista. Microsoft unveiled a folding smartphone known as the Surface Duo at its New York City event on Wednesday. The company handily beat expectations in its fiscal Q4 2019 earnings, with revenue up 12% to $33.7 billion.
