Microsoft Launches “Simply Next Gen” Ad Campaign for Xbox Series S

Microsoft is launching a new “Simply Next Gen” ad campaign to promote its Xbox Series S console. For the first clip, the company has teamed up with Younes Zarou, a TikTok creator with 46.4 million followers who’s known for his creative use of visual effects in photos and videos.

“For this video, he’s brought his magic to show how he simply plays in both the real world as well as on Xbox Series S, which delivers features like faster load times, framerates up to 120fps, and Quick Resume. Providing a behind the scenes look at his use of dynamic camera tricks, Younes creates an image that makes it look like he is flying out of Fortnite’s Battle Bus,” the Xbox team explained.

Microsoft’s Xbox Series S console actually gets very little on-screen time in this first clip, but the company teased that there’s more to come. “Younes’ video marks just the beginning of this series as we will continue to highlight more talented individuals from around the world who will bring their unique expertise of ‘play’ to show us how Xbox Series S is simply next-gen,” the Xbox Wire post reads.

In many ways, the Xbox Series S has pretty much defied expectations since its release alongside the Xbox Series X in November 2020. First of all, the $299 console can play photorealistic current-gen games such as Microsoft Flight Simulator or Forza Horizon 5 just fine, and it’s a great entry point to the Xbox ecosystem for gamers interested in Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service. The console may not be as powerful as the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5, though it’s important to keep in mind that the much less powerful Nintendo Switch remains the most popular console by a pretty wide margin.

If Microsoft doesn’t share sales data for its Xbox consoles, Famitsu revealed that the Xbox Series S recently outsold the PS5 in Japan for the first time, which is quite notable in a market that’s never been an easy one for the Xbox brand. It’s also worth noting that the Series S is easier to manufacture than both the Series X and the PS5, which is why the Series S is currently easier to find across the world.

Xbox head Phil Spencer told Kotaku last year that he believed the Series S would probably outsell the Series X during this console generation, and it may well happen in the long run. In the meantime, it probably makes sense for Microsoft to try to promote the Series S in an original way by getting some young creators on board.