Burger King sells Windows 7 Whoppers as Microsoft begins Guru training

***AppleInsider*** · 10-22-2009, 10:19 AM

In concert with Thursday's release of Windows 7, Burger King in Japan has begun selling a Whopper with seven patties of meat; and a Microsoft Store "Guru" has been spotted in person.

Windows 7 Whopper

In yet another bizarre bit of promotion, Burger King in Japan is selling a seven-pattied Whopper hamburger to commemorate the launch of Windows 7, Microsoft's new operating system. As first reported by Electronista, the new burger measures 5.1 inches tall and costs 777 yen, or $8.53 U.S.

Microsoft has embraced some alternative manners to promote the launch of Windows 7 operating system, including the widely ridiculed Tupperware-like house party. The launch party promotion included the distribution of party packs, and a video demonstration that showed participants how to host a successful get-together.

Microsoft has also paid for a Windows 7-centric special episode of the Fox animated comedy "Family Guy." Entitled "Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show," it will air commercial-free on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 8:30 p.m. EST and PST.

Overseas, Microsoft has enacted a number of promotions related to the number seven, including a free giveaway of the operating system to residents of the Dutch village Zevenhuizen, which translates to "Seven Houses." Apple's rival to the north also reportedly decorated parts of the Spanish village Sietes, which translates to "Sevens."

Thursday's launch of Windows 7 also marked the opening of the first Microsoft retail store in Scottsdale, Ariz. Microsoft plans to open a number of retail locations to compete with Apple. The brick-and-mortar stores will sell Microsoft software and first-party hardware, such as Zunes and Xbox 360 consoles.

Microsoft also intends to mimic Apple's Genius Bars with its own Guru Bars. At a recent Windows 7 training seminar, one AppleInsider reader spotted a Windows Guru in his outfit. The person in attendance was reportedly believed to be a contracted agent who does not work for Microsoft directly.

The Windows 7 training session gave people the opportunity to go hands-on with the new operating system. Microsoft provided customers with demo books that people could use to show customers different features.

The seminar also portrayed the PC as a superior platform to the Mac, noting that 32 of the top 100 programs for users are available for the Mac.

"The Guru was really just there to help out if we had questions," the attendee said. "He made no special presentation and from listening to him as he walked around, he really didn't sound all that knowledgeable about Windows 7. I would liken him more to a Geek Squad Agent at Best Buy than an Apple Genius."

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

anantksundaram · 10-22-2009, 10:21 AM

"Windows 7. Preview your indigestion here!"

iphonedeveloperthailand · 10-22-2009, 10:25 AM

That's such a bad symbolism. Eat it and throw up?

teckstud · 10-22-2009, 10:26 AM

YEEKS, Ballmer on the Today Show this morning and now this. Who let him out of his cage?

msantti · 10-22-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

I would liken him more to a Geek Squad Agent at Best Buy than an Apple Genius."

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

Thats funny.

theGAR · 10-22-2009, 10:29 AM

Burger King, Whopper, ... Really fits MS' classy image.
C-students and mediocrity rule the world !

teckstud · 10-22-2009, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGAR

Burger King, Whopper, ... Really fits MS' classy image.
C-students and mediocrity rule the world !

And Ballmer's waistline. He needs to view the AI flash ads for Hollywood abs.

anonymouse · 10-22-2009, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teckstud

And Ballmer's waistline. He needs to view the AI flash ads for Hollywood abs.

There are ads on AI?

Wayfarer · 10-22-2009, 10:43 AM

This marketing blitz is repulsive. Oh well, as long as it puts money in SOMEONE's pocket.

tundraboy · 10-22-2009, 10:45 AM

Training for Windows Gurus, ha! What a joke. How much training do you need to say "that's a hardware issue, you need to talk to your PC manufacturer"? Four times in my whole life I've called Microsoft tech support and that's all they ended up saying. Fooled me four times, shame on me.

By the way, they turned out not to be hardware issues. The techies were just numbskulls.

machei · 10-22-2009, 10:49 AM

There's some definite visual correlations between that burger and software bloat. I'm sure eating that would make me feel about as good as I do when I use Windows. Yeesh.

SpamSandwich · 10-22-2009, 10:51 AM

Burger King and Microsoft... Both will give you intestinal cramps and severe diarrhea. Yay!

Quadra 610 · 10-22-2009, 10:53 AM

MS lost the Premium market big-time.

This isn't the way to get it back. Sad.

This Windows 7 advertising is all over the map - Family Guy, burgers, vague commercials, you name it. Says a great deal about the software, though. And it's not all good.

Dlux · 10-22-2009, 10:58 AM

Quote:

In concert with Thursday's release of Windows 7, Burger King in Japan has begun selling a Whopper with seven patties of meat

So what did they do when Windows 95 was released?

walshbj · 10-22-2009, 11:05 AM

Ballroom computer presentations - people still do that? Having taught MCT courses in the 90s that last photo gave me shivers.

IQatEdo · 10-22-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teckstud

YEEKS, Ballmer on the Today Show this morning and now this. Who let him out of his cage?

Notice that most of the demonstration phase of the interview was spent looking at hardware, including a Dell notebook that looked like a MacBook Air though wider in the hips and a significant part of the discussion involved Apple.

At least no one could accuse AI of orchestrating the interview (could they?)!

digitalclips · 10-22-2009, 11:08 AM

My turn for a cheap shot lol ... I guess this shows where they think their base hangs out!

sheff · 10-22-2009, 11:08 AM

That whopper is ridiculous, is it Japan only?

teckstud · 10-22-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anonymouse

There are ads on AI?

Yes, you're missing out on so much with your limited Click2Flash. Too bad.

teckstud · 10-22-2009, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheff

That whopper is ridiculous, is it Japan only?

What does the Japanese hot dog champion have to say about this? besides Barf?

mcmlxix · 10-22-2009, 11:11 AM

Family Guy as advertainment?!?!?!

Has Seth MacFarlane sold himself to the lowest denominator? Brian and Stewie would have had choice things to say about this, but now I'm sure their tongues will be tied.

teckstud · 10-22-2009, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IQatEdo

Notice that most of the demonstration phase of the interview was spent looking at hardware, including a Dell notebook that looked like a MacBook Air though wider in the hips and a significant part of the discussion involved Apple.

At least no one could accuse AI of orchestrating the interview (could they?)!

Matt Lauer and Al Roker are bigtime Apple fans. I've seen Lauer in the Apple store. Roker loves his iPhone.

monstrosity · 10-22-2009, 11:16 AM

seen this earlier , made me laugh..
http://www.funnyordie.co.uk/videos/e...rrenting-party

Rot'nApple · 10-22-2009, 11:20 AM

Burger King, huh?

Maybe MS can get the MS choir of past commercials and sing the new and improved BK MS song...

It goes something like this...

"Hold the Malware, Hold the Viruses,
Win 7 Registrations will just mire us.
All we ask is that you let us
c:/ crash it our way
Call a Guru, call them today.
Call a Guru, call them today...."

MS Gurus available at all two MS stores...

durin oakenskin · 10-22-2009, 11:22 AM

Is it just me or does this Windows guru look a bit like Kim Jong-Il?

macmondo · 10-22-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Microsoft has also paid for a Windows 7-centric special episode of the Fox animated comedy "Family Guy." Entitled "Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show," it will air commercial-free on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 8:30 p.m. EST and PST.

commercial-free??? so promoting W7 is what?

doyourownthing · 10-22-2009, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dlux

So what did they do when Windows 95 was released?

become an official IT cancer

Drow_Swordsman · 10-22-2009, 11:24 AM

Ballmer actually seemed pretty tame on the Today Show!

teckstud · 10-22-2009, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drow_Swordsman

Ballmer actually seemed pretty tame on the Today Show!

Right? but you could see he's holding back- ready to let loose. Can you imagine him today at 3pm? then happy hour? what an animal!

NasserAE · 10-22-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iphonedeveloperthailand

That's such a bad symbolism. Eat it and throw up?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Burger King and Microsoft... Both will give you severe diarrhea.

And I thought only me and my son get food poisoning every time we eat at Burger King!

Jerseymac · 10-22-2009, 11:32 AM

I just watched the Steve Ballmer interview on MSNBC with Matt Lauer. They pulled out the Dell version of the MacBook Air and Ballmer went on about how light it was.

I would have given anything if someone could have asked him if it had a DVD drive after Ballmer pissed on the Air at MIX.

hypoluxa · 10-22-2009, 11:41 AM

I have a new catch phrase for that ad. "Windows 7, take a bite into the bloat!"

Shivas Irons · 10-22-2009, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by durin oakenskin

Is it just me or does this Windows guru look a bit like Kim Jong-Il?

Or maybe the illegitimate love child of Kim Jong-Il and Mt. T.

OriginalG · 10-22-2009, 11:46 AM

I actually wouldn't mind trying that Whopper..... whoppers are so good...

wouldn't mind trying out Windows 7 either. Will probably upgrade my XP install on the desktop to 7 to keep up with the times (now how many years behind OS X?). Not sure what to do with my XP partition on the MBP, but I haven't booted in there for over a year because of Windows authentication issues.

I suspect Windows 7 will be a success for MS regardless of how good/crappy it is. There is a mentality building for people that "it's about time to upgrade my windows", just have to get them to think OS X instead

auxio · 10-22-2009, 11:53 AM

Microsoft - the fast-food vendor equivalent in the software world:

Software which satisfies your immediate needs, but leaves you with indigestion due to poor usability, frequent (sugar) crashes, and eventual clogging of the arteries requiring bypass surgery (the need to reinstall your OS due to eventually bogging your computer down to a crawl/causing system instability).

mn3416 · 10-22-2009, 11:54 AM

Clearly the person in charge of the Windows 7 marketing program is a complete dolt or hates Microsoft and is trying to sabotage the product. Windows "Parties", Whoppers and Cartoons??? Seriously, what the hell is going on at Microsoft?

Is this "marketing" supposed to influence business owners to dump XP?

Rot'nApple · 10-22-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mn3416

Seriously, what the hell is going on at Microsoft?

Ballmer and crew are the real "The Men who stare at Goats"!

"This story is about what happened when a small group of men - highly placed within the United States Military, the Government, and the Intelligence Services - began believing in very strange things" - see link

http://books.google.com/books?id=2ht...age&q=&f=false

auxio · 10-22-2009, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mn3416

Seriously, what the hell is going on at Microsoft?

I think Steve Jobs dumped some bad LSD in the Redmond water supply.

buceta · 10-22-2009, 12:11 PM

The Whopper: The best in junk food!
Windows 7: The best in junk software!

mcmlxix · 10-22-2009, 12:30 PM

Can you imagine having to sit next to a sweating, screeching, and poo flinging Balmer on a flight from Seattle to NYC? What is that, like 5 hours?

Since I'm sure he travels by corporate jet, fortunately we'll never have that experience.

10-22-2009, 10:19 AM	#1
*AppleInsider* Kasper's Automated Slave Join Date: Nov 1997 Posts: 6,151	Burger King sells Windows 7 Whoppers as Microsoft begins Guru training In concert with Thursday's release of Windows 7, Burger King in Japan has begun selling a Whopper with seven patties of meat; and a Microsoft Store "Guru" has been spotted in person. Windows 7 Whopper In yet another bizarre bit of promotion, Burger King in Japan is selling a seven-pattied Whopper hamburger to commemorate the launch of Windows 7, Microsoft's new operating system. As first reported by Electronista, the new burger measures 5.1 inches tall and costs 777 yen, or $8.53 U.S. Microsoft has embraced some alternative manners to promote the launch of Windows 7 operating system, including the widely ridiculed Tupperware-like house party. The launch party promotion included the distribution of party packs, and a video demonstration that showed participants how to host a successful get-together. Microsoft has also paid for a Windows 7-centric special episode of the Fox animated comedy "Family Guy." Entitled "Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show," it will air commercial-free on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 8:30 p.m. EST and PST. Overseas, Microsoft has enacted a number of promotions related to the number seven, including a free giveaway of the operating system to residents of the Dutch village Zevenhuizen, which translates to "Seven Houses." Apple's rival to the north also reportedly decorated parts of the Spanish village Sietes, which translates to "Sevens." Thursday's launch of Windows 7 also marked the opening of the first Microsoft retail store in Scottsdale, Ariz. Microsoft plans to open a number of retail locations to compete with Apple. The brick-and-mortar stores will sell Microsoft software and first-party hardware, such as Zunes and Xbox 360 consoles. Microsoft also intends to mimic Apple's Genius Bars with its own Guru Bars. At a recent Windows 7 training seminar, one AppleInsider reader spotted a Windows Guru in his outfit. The person in attendance was reportedly believed to be a contracted agent who does not work for Microsoft directly. The Windows 7 training session gave people the opportunity to go hands-on with the new operating system. Microsoft provided customers with demo books that people could use to show customers different features. The seminar also portrayed the PC as a superior platform to the Mac, noting that 32 of the top 100 programs for users are available for the Mac. "The Guru was really just there to help out if we had questions," the attendee said. "He made no special presentation and from listening to him as he walked around, he really didn't sound all that knowledgeable about Windows 7. I would liken him more to a Geek Squad Agent at Best Buy than an Apple Genius." [ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

10-22-2009, 10:25 AM	#3
iphonedeveloperthailand Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 42	That's such a bad symbolism. Eat it and throw up? 80 million iPhones by 2012. That's only 15% of the market. http://www.iphonethailand.net

10-22-2009, 10:26 AM	#4
teckstud Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6,115	YEEKS, Ballmer on the Today Show this morning and now this. Who let him out of his cage? Once you go Mac, you never go back!

10-22-2009, 10:51 AM	#12
SpamSandwich Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 8,453	Burger King and Microsoft... Both will give you intestinal cramps and severe diarrhea. Yay! "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield, and government to gain ground." —Thomas Jefferson Proud AAPL stock owner. Last edited by SpamSandwich; 10-22-2009 at 02:04 PM..

10-22-2009, 10:53 AM	#13
Quadra 610 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2,055	MS lost the Premium market big-time. This isn't the way to get it back. Sad. This Windows 7 advertising is all over the map - Family Guy, burgers, vague commercials, you name it. Says a great deal about the software, though. And it's not all good. (Formerly LTD on Neowin.net) (currently *LTD* on Macrumors.com) Mac OS users have made a conscious technology choice and are therefore typically better informed than their peers. -- Paul Thurrott, winsupersite.com, December 06, 2004

10-22-2009, 10:21 AM	#2
anantksundaram Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,218	"Windows 7. Preview your indigestion here!"

10-22-2009, 10:29 AM	#6
theGAR Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Material World Posts: 92	Burger King, Whopper, ... Really fits MS' classy image. C-students and mediocrity rule the world !

10-22-2009, 10:43 AM	#9
Wayfarer Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 12	This marketing blitz is repulsive. Oh well, as long as it puts money in SOMEONE's pocket.

10-22-2009, 10:45 AM	#10
tundraboy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 240	Training for Windows Gurus, ha! What a joke. How much training do you need to say "that's a hardware issue, you need to talk to your PC manufacturer"? Four times in my whole life I've called Microsoft tech support and that's all they ended up saying. Fooled me four times, shame on me. By the way, they turned out not to be hardware issues. The techies were just numbskulls.

10-22-2009, 10:49 AM	#11
machei Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Posts: 64	There's some definite visual correlations between that burger and software bloat. I'm sure eating that would make me feel about as good as I do when I use Windows. Yeesh.

10-22-2009, 11:05 AM	#15
walshbj Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 502	Ballroom computer presentations - people still do that? Having taught MCT courses in the 90s that last photo gave me shivers. File Encryption Tools Built Into Your Mac

10-22-2009, 11:08 AM	#17
digitalclips Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South West Florida Posts: 1,584	My turn for a cheap shot lol ... I guess this shows where they think their base hangs out! Used all Apples from Apple][ through 8 Core Mac Pro http://www.digitalclips.com

10-22-2009, 11:08 AM	#18
sheff Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 121	That whopper is ridiculous, is it Japan only? --SHEFFmachine out

10-22-2009, 11:11 AM	#21
mcmlxix Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 32	Family Guy as advertainment?!?!?! Has Seth MacFarlane sold himself to the lowest denominator? Brian and Stewie would have had choice things to say about this, but now I'm sure their tongues will be tied.

10-22-2009, 11:16 AM	#23
monstrosity Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: England Posts: 557	seen this earlier , made me laugh.. http://www.funnyordie.co.uk/videos/e...rrenting-party

10-22-2009, 11:20 AM	#24
Rot'nApple Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 659	Burger King, huh? Maybe MS can get the MS choir of past commercials and sing the new and improved BK MS song... It goes something like this... "Hold the Malware, Hold the Viruses, Win 7 Registrations will just mire us. All we ask is that you let us c:/ crash it our way Call a Guru, call them today. Call a Guru, call them today...." MS Gurus available at all two MS stores... Global Warming, Carbon Dioxide, Greenhouse Gases, Shrinking Ice Caps, Carbon Neutral, Carbon Credit, Generation Investment Management - Al Gore - "Beware the Prophet seeking Profit!" - Dennis Miller

10-22-2009, 11:22 AM	#25
durin oakenskin Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: http://tinyurl.com/lumlm Posts: 196	Is it just me or does this Windows guru look a bit like Kim Jong-Il?

10-22-2009, 11:24 AM	#28
Drow_Swordsman Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 36	Ballmer actually seemed pretty tame on the Today Show!

10-22-2009, 11:32 AM	#31
Jerseymac Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 85	Msnbc I just watched the Steve Ballmer interview on MSNBC with Matt Lauer. They pulled out the Dell version of the MacBook Air and Ballmer went on about how light it was. I would have given anything if someone could have asked him if it had a DVD drive after Ballmer pissed on the Air at MIX.

10-22-2009, 11:41 AM	#32
hypoluxa Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Portland OR Posts: 407	I have a new catch phrase for that ad. "Windows 7, take a bite into the bloat!" "An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." "Those who would give up essential liberties to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither." -Ben Franklin

10-22-2009, 11:46 AM	#34
OriginalG Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 19	I actually wouldn't mind trying that Whopper..... whoppers are so good... wouldn't mind trying out Windows 7 either. Will probably upgrade my XP install on the desktop to 7 to keep up with the times (now how many years behind OS X?). Not sure what to do with my XP partition on the MBP, but I haven't booted in there for over a year because of Windows authentication issues. I suspect Windows 7 will be a success for MS regardless of how good/crappy it is. There is a mentality building for people that "it's about time to upgrade my windows", just have to get them to think OS X instead

10-22-2009, 11:53 AM	#35
auxio Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 421	Microsoft - the fast-food vendor equivalent in the software world: Software which satisfies your immediate needs, but leaves you with indigestion due to poor usability, frequent (sugar) crashes, and eventual clogging of the arteries requiring bypass surgery (the need to reinstall your OS due to eventually bogging your computer down to a crawl/causing system instability). It's a world full of people Last edited by auxio; 10-22-2009 at 12:07 PM..

10-22-2009, 11:54 AM	#36
mn3416 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 7	Wtf Clearly the person in charge of the Windows 7 marketing program is a complete dolt or hates Microsoft and is trying to sabotage the product. Windows "Parties", Whoppers and Cartoons??? Seriously, what the hell is going on at Microsoft? Is this "marketing" supposed to influence business owners to dump XP?

10-22-2009, 12:11 PM	#39
buceta Banned Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 139	The Whopper: The best in junk food! Windows 7: The best in junk software!

10-22-2009, 12:30 PM	#40
mcmlxix Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 32	King Kong in the Big Apple? Can you imagine having to sit next to a sweating, screeching, and poo flinging Balmer on a flight from Seattle to NYC? What is that, like 5 hours? Since I'm sure he travels by corporate jet, fortunately we'll never have that experience.

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