Xbox cannot explicitly advertise the launch of the highly anticipated first-person shooter Destiny. So, it came up with clever trick to draw attention anyway: Promote a non-existent cologne with the same name as the game.
"The new fragrance by Xbox," reads the copy on a simple ad (posted to Xbox's social channels late last week) with a blue crystal bottle labeled Destiny. The equally coy website encourages visitors to check with retailers about Xbox One offers.
Microsoft's slyness is born of necessity, and is a de facto dig at its chief rival in the console wars. Sony has the exclusive rights from Destiny publisher Activision to advertise the game, according to CNET. The title is available on Sony's PlayStation 4 with early access and bonus content, part of the console manufacturers' fierce competition for users.
The perfume theme is a particularly cheeky touch given that Destiny, the game, is about a post-apocalyptic future where players try to save humanity by battling aliens across the solar system—not the stuff of most luxury ads.
It's also nice to see that Microsoft's cattiness isn't limited to mocking Siri.