REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 18, 2008 — For the past two weeks, millions of people have watched the series of Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld television ads with the Windows logo at the end and wondered: “What’s next?”
Today, Microsoft answers that question with the next phase of a multi-year, multi-million dollar Windows marketing effort designed to reconnect with consumers. And tonight, the Bill-and-Jerry “teaser” ads give way to a new series of television ads that celebrate the diversity and passion of consumers around the world who use Windows to stay in touch with the people, information and ideas that they care about.
The new ads are just a part of this major Windows marketing initiative, all designed around connecting with consumers in meaningful ways throughout their Windows experience – whether buying a PC, using a Windows Mobile device, or living life on the Web.
“Windows is truly the shared language of creativity and connection for more than one billion people,” says Bill Veghte, Senior Vice President, Online Services & Windows Business Group. “It’s a vibrant community of individuals who are passionate about how Windows helps them express their ideas and live life on their own terms. Starting today, we want to reflect the passion and excitement of this community in how we tell the story of the Windows brand.”
Tearing Down Walls
Microsoft signaled the next phase of the Windows brand campaign with full-page newspaper ads carrying the headline: “Windows vs. Walls”. The copy in the ads lays out the driving philosophy behind the new Windows marketing approach. Veghte says: “At the core, Windows is about enabling each one of us, as individuals, to live our lives without walls … I want to work when I want to work, I want to play when I want to play. I want to communicate and share with friends and family and co-workers.”
The “Life without Walls” tagline brings another key facet of the Windows brand to life: Windows connects people not only via the PC, but also via phones, devices, and the Web. The Windows platform of Windows Vista, Windows Mobile, and Windows Live were built to work together and to expand the Windows experience beyond the PC to the phone and the Web. The campaign will reflect this holistic, connected approach.
“On our journey to make sure that Windows enables a life without walls, we’ve taken a step back, reevaluated and tuned and tweaked our approach. So you’re seeing that in the advertising, in the products, in the experience at retail and on Windows.com,” notes Veghte.
Multiple Approaches for Multiple Devices
Microsoft will extend the “Life Without Walls” campaign via billboards, digital “walkway” ads in airports and other advertising components. Additionally, new outdoor and print ads show how Windows has evolved to work across multiple devices: the desktop PC, laptops, phones and TVs.
“I’m a PC” – Community, Not Competition
Another major element of this next phase of the Windows marketing initiative is a series of television and Web ads called “Real PC”. The ads feature a diverse group of faces representing the one billion people who use Windows PCs worldwide, all celebrating the sense of power and community Windows enables by declaring: “I’m a PC.” The ads will feature green architect Edouard Francois, astronaut Bernard Harris and celebrities such as Eva Longoria and Deepak Chopra, but the main focus is on real PC users of all ages and from all walks of life, such as teachers, cabbies, designers and fish mongers.
Veghte describes how Windows users can join the community by creating their own spots. “One of the really fun things we’ve done is to create a series of ads called ‘I’m a PC’--and we’re enabling every PC user to upload their own I’m a PC spot,” he says. “So you can upload it and we’ll publish it and amplify it on windows.com … and then we’ll do better than that – we’ll publish some of those I’m a PC spots in places like digital billboards in Times Square.”
What’s Next?
The new Windows creative elements unveiled today are part of a multi-faceted campaign and long-term marketing investment for the company. Microsoft has already started ongoing programs to improve the consumer retail experience, product experience and Web experience. (See: Microsoft Kicks off new Windows Campaign with Star Power for details on how the company is working with PC manufacturers and retailers.)
“The goal is to foster an ongoing dialog with consumers about our company and the amazing things Windows can do,” says Veghte.
