Xbox “Faces”

In this new Xbox branding spot from McCann’s T.A.G. in San Francisco, the childlike wonderment and excitement of Rock Band comes to life in the changing expressions that play across the face a young female gamer. The viewer doesn’t know what is causing that wide-eyed smile to stretch across her face as she watches something out of view. The camera lingers on this face, which appears more avatar than human, as a delicate soundtrack paces the action. The camera shows that the back of her head is missing, with small shoots of fireworks sparking this way and that. It’s a somewhat puzzling, unsettling image that only becomes clear when the viewer sees that the back of her head has been replaced by a concert stage — she is actually one of the miniature musicians playing a gig. The tagline encourages viewers to “Live your moment,” and the spot does a great job of capturing the 360 fantasy without showing a single screen shot. –Eleftheria Parpis