 In 1999, Microsoft made the decision to consolidate its marketing efforts with a single advertising agency, after several years of partnership with different agencies for each of its product line. They entertained pitches from each of the agencies on their roster, and ultimately assigned the global account to McCann Erickson. McCann was assigned the task of promoting what would become the killer app of the Xbox, the video game Halo: Combat Evolved. The launch campaign was hugely successful, selling over five million copies of the game worldwide. The success of Halo: Combat Evolved led to a series of sequels and tie-in merchandise including books and action figures.
