Microsoft made such a big buzz over the $125 million Halo 2 made 24 hours after its launch that it is only natural for them to go all out with Halo 3. We have seen Monday Night Football commercials, internet buzz, and even cross product deals with Pepsi for Halo 3 branded Mountain Dew and Doritos. So far, Microsoft has supposedly spent over $10 million in this marketing campaign. With one million preorders its September 25 launch is one of the most anticipated for Xbox 360.

"We're well ahead of where we were with Halo 2," said Chris Di Cesare, director of creative marketing at Microsoft, Redmond, Wash. "In the year of the summer blockbuster 'three-quel,' the biggest one is going to be one you don't go to a theater to see."
Marketing is definitively an important tool and over at Brandweek they have a pretty accurate wrap up of Microsoft's marketing campaign for Halo 3. Although all you avid Halo fans have probably been following every step of the process, it is quite an interesting read.