By: John Davidson, Singapore

Singapore – Xbox is putting more money into online advertising as it prepares to launch a slew of new games, products and features.

Erik Ford, regional senior marketing manager, SEA entertainment & devices division at Xbox, told Marketing that the brand is spending more online, and recently it started its own Facebook group in Singapore and it has a strong Twitter presence. Ford said online and in-store are key components to Xbox’s marketing mix, along with CRM.

“We’ve had a lot of success with online marketing,” he said.

Xbox’s Facebook group ‘Xbox 360 Singapore’ has 943 fans. The brand runs a lot of in-store promotions, working closely with retailers like Courts and Comic Connection.

Ford said despite the recession Xbox “grew last year” and he thinks “we’ll have another good year this year”. The company doesn’t reveal its exact numbers and Ford declined to reveal the size of its marketing budget.

Xbox is launching new games Halo 3: ODST, worldwide on 22 September, Forza Motorsport 3 in October and Alan Wake which will be available early next year. It has also expanded  its LIVE Community Games platform, renaming it Xbox LIVE Indie Games, and updated Xbox LIVE with several new features.

Ford said part of Xbox’s marketing strategy to actively engage with its dedicated fan base who become brand ambassadors.

“We speak to them often and stay in touch,” he said.

Ford said the brand is also trying to expand its audience by reaching out to a wider demographic.