Microsoft Strikes Back?

On Matt's birthday back in July, we went to go hang out at our friend Dann's (DAM.it) apartment to kick back with some friends and watch bad TV. Eventually I had to use his restroom and ended up having to drop the kids off at the pool, if ya know what I mean. As I was sitting on the throne, I was looking through the stack of reading material to find something to pass the time when a geniusly phrased question caught my eye - "Can This Dude Make Microsoft Cool?"

Alex Bogusky is the man behind the ad agency, Crispin Porter & Bogusky, and is the new hired gun for Microsoft's ad campaign. In a deal worth $300 million, CP&B was handed it's greatest challenge to turn Microsoft from unhip to cool in hopes of bouncing back from their not-so-friendly reputation. Fortunately for Microsoft, he's got a great track record. He's the man who brought us iconic and classic ads like the "Truth" campaign against cigarettes, the Burger King 1960's era "King" character, and Coke Zero suing Coca Cola for taste infringement.

Unless you were living under a rock for the last few years, you've seen the Mac vs PC commercials featuring a young, hip Apple and a boring, old-fashioned Windows. I've always been fascinated by the way Apple has blatantly attacked Windows with little to no retaliation at all. Over the years, Apple has simply bullied Microsoft around and become the company that everyone can trust in and depend on using hip, colorful, and sleak ads for the iPod and iPhone and opening Apple stores everywhere with the most helpful and friendly employees. I'm even typing this blog post on a Mac right now and chances are you're probably reading this on a Mac too! If you're not, it's ok because my computer at our office is a PC haha!

I read that article about Alex Bogusky back in July and now the new Microsoft ad campaigns are finally being broadcasted. You may have already seen them. It's that new commercial featuring comedian Jerry Seinfeld and the billionaire himself Bill Gates. At first, I felt like it was a little weak but I realized that it's probably the first of many in the ad campaign that Bogusky has planned out for Microsoft. I'm really excited to see if this man and his agency can really flip a 180 on Microsoft and give them a new look and reputation to finally fight back against Mac.

Personally, I don't think I'd be able to live my life without having both operating systems. I just think it's really interesting and fun to watch how companies and agencies are taking marketing and advertising to the next level. Marketing majors - keep your eyes and ears open and take notes!

And if you haven't seen the new Microsoft commercial yet, here it is:


- Vince