Microsoft Memo: New Windows Ad “An Icebreaker”
by John Paczkowski
Posted on September 5, 2008 at 7:55 AM PT
Not quite sure what to make of Microsoft’s (MSFT) new ad campaign? Here’s how Bill Veghte, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Online Services & Windows Business Group, explained it to the company’s employees Thursday evening in an all-hands memo: It’s an “icebreaker.”
From: Bill Veghte
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2008 5:37 PM
To: Microsoft – All Employees
Subject: Telling the story of Windows
Since it first launched nearly 25 years ago, Windows has been one of the most successful products in the history of the high tech industry. As we set our sights on the next 25 years, it is essential that we deliver incredible offerings on a great platform. We must also tell the story of how Windows enables a billion people around the globe to do more with their lives today. We must inspire consumers with the promise of what Windows uniquely makes possible across the PC, phone and web.
Telling our story means making significant investments to improve the way consumers experience Windows. To that end, we are focused on making improvements at practically every consumer touch point, from the moment they hear about the Windows brand in our advertising to how they learn more about Windows products online; from how they view Windows and try it at retail to how they use the entire range of Windows offerings–Windows Vista, Windows Mobile and Windows Live–across their whole life.
Today, we are kicking off a highly visible advertising campaign. The first phase of this campaign is designed to engage consumers and spark a new conversation about Windows–a conversation that will evolve as the campaign progresses, but will always be marked by humor and humanity. The first in this series of television ads airs initially in the U.S., and it aims to re-ignite consumer excitement about the broader value of Windows. The first television spot aired on NBC during the opening game of the NFL season and will be seen throughout the evening on various primetime programs.
This first set of ads features Bill Gates and comedian Jerry Seinfeld. Think of these ads as an icebreaker to reintroduce Microsoft to viewers in a consumer context. Later this month, as the campaign moves into its next phase, we’ll go much deeper in telling the Windows story and celebrating what it can do for consumers at work, at play and on-the-go. At that time, I’ll be back to share more information about our plans to further strengthen the bond between consumers and Windows–one of the most amazing products, businesses and brands of all time, and, with the right tenacity, passion and agility from all of us, a story that has many great chapters to come.
Comments
Only in your dreams, Microsoft!
Posted by Alan Sanders at September 5th, 2008 at 10:05 amYou can still fix this commercial, Microsoft:
Have Krusty the Clown come in at the end and say:
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!!!???
Posted by zato Gibson at September 5th, 2008 at 6:02 pmYou’re right, zato. The prose in that memo is what anybody has to fight against to get decent products — even ads — out of the huge bureaucracy at Microsoft. What clown wrote that? I wonder what his salary is? He sure doesn’t need a circus discount card for his squeaky shoes, I’ll bet.
Posted by Jim Hassinger at September 6th, 2008 at 5:29 amMy version of anti-trust: a company gets just so big, until, like Jabba the Hutt. And you don’t changed that with flackery.
“Hi, I’m a PC.”
“And I’m another operating system.”
I guess Microsoft got tired of being the butt of Apple’s campaign, and they’re trying to outcool the competition.
We’ll see. They’ve already taken most of Apple’s ideas and marketed them much more effectively.
Posted by Tommy Chuck at September 8th, 2008 at 9:18 am