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Microsoft retail store gets odd viral marketing buzz - Page 2

post #41 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:21pm
Pizza Hut, may be. Microsoft store, so wacky. When you have nothing to sell, I guess you make a fool of yourself.

Such a waste! How long did it take them to practice for this crap. May be Microsoft should add a dance studio to their stores.

If I see such a thing at an Apple store, I swear I will never visit that store again.

I feel sorry for these company. Let's see how long they plan this stupid dance to go on.
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post #42 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maestro64 View Post

It truly a desperate times, they all probably has some real job they were laid off from and this was the only job they could get and they would do anything to keep their job even line dance, I would expect that in Texas but not Northern CA.

Me neither, but then Mission Viejo is in southern CA.
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post #43 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:26pm
I don't know. It gives me this uncontrollable urge to go out and buy a PC...throw away my 20 macs, 3 iphones, 6 ipods and get me one of those nice new PCs so I can be cool like them.
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post #44 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RichL View Post

Obviously not since everyone is commenting on it...

Whether the video was supposed to be cringe-worthy or not, as a viral campaign it has worked. It's got everyone talking about Microsoft's new store. Mission accomplished.

HHhnmmnnn... When was the last time I heard, "Mission Accomplished"? Publicity is good but only if it's positive. This is pathetic.
2011 13" 2.3 MBP, 2006 15" 2.16 MBP, iPhone 4, iPod Shuffle, AEBS, AppleTV2 with XBMC.
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2011 13" 2.3 MBP, 2006 15" 2.16 MBP, iPhone 4, iPod Shuffle, AEBS, AppleTV2 with XBMC.
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post #45 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:34pm
When I saw that, I thought that was the MS dance around one gets with a problem!

I then waited for the "Song AND Dance" video one is privilege when asking for a refund!

Ten years ago, we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash.  Today we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash.

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Ten years ago, we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash.  Today we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash.

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post #46 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:35pm
You know, I have a thought about these viral marketing campaigns:

THEY ARE FRAUD.

Anyone else?
To save time, assume I know everything.
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post #47 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:43pm
In Genius Bar???
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post #48 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:48pm
Wow... that video has changed my life. Everything I've been looking for in a computer solution, who knew I would find it in a dance.
I'm tossing my Mac Pro and getting a Windows computer... I'm a PC, and I like to dance like a baboon on crack.
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post #49 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DanielSW View Post

Well, they have plenty of room to dance around, unencumbered by customers.

You mean, "unencumbered by LACK of customers".

Quote:
Originally Posted by DanielSW View Post

My Apple Store is almost always too crowded with customers for such antics.

I think the Apple Store employees near this MS store ought to invade during their lull time, which looks to be whatever time it was when this video was taken and the Apple Retail Store Employees ought to do "The Ballmer Dance" in the MS store. You know where you go around screaming at the top of your lungs, whooping and a hollering, sweaty armpits and all, and after freaking everyone out, leave after exposing an Apple banner screaming, "I have four words for you... I Love This Company!" (but do it in a out of breath, near heart attack state of being).

Ten years ago, we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash.  Today we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash.

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Ten years ago, we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash.  Today we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash.

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post #50 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:55pm
Shhh, everyone, an announcement is coming in over the PA... "Clean up on aisle 1... er, aisle 2, er... Clean up on the whole damn store!"

Ten years ago, we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash.  Today we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash.

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Ten years ago, we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash.  Today we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash.

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post #51 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rain View Post

Wow... that video has changed my life. Everything I've been looking for in a computer solution, who knew I would find it in a dance.
I'm tossing my Mac Pro and getting a Windows computer... I'm a PC, and I like to dance like a baboon on crack.

i don't think that's fair to baboons on crack!
Tofino
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post #52 of 127
11/18/09 at 12:59pm
Quote:
I think the Apple Store employees near this MS store ought to invade during their lull time, which looks to be whatever time it was when this video was taken and the Apple Retail Store Employees ought to do "The Ballmer Dance" in the MS store. You know where you go around screaming at the top of your lungs, whooping and a hollering, sweaty armpits and all, and after freaking everyone out, leave after exposing an Apple banner screaming, "I have four words for you... I Love This Company!" (but do it in a out of breath, near heart attack state of being).

They should play that video from time to time in the store!

And, they should have minature foam chairs to throw at people!

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post #53 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:00pm
Microsoft's stores are pure imitations of Apple's stores.
I wonder how much money Microsoft payed that blogger to write what he did.

A lot of people have probably seen the opening videos of Microsoft's stores. I did, and I noticed that half the interviewees said that they came for the free tickets. Someone even walked into the store with a MacBook Pro. However, Apple's stores only give away Apple products. I was at the opening of the new Broadway store in NYC (amazing place) and the line was stunningly long. Every single person there was an Apple fan.
Microsoft can show videos of smiling people running into its stores, but most of them don't like Microsoft or its products. Apple can show videos of people running into its stores, and every single person in the video likes Apple products.
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post #54 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by drumrobot View Post

Microsoft's stores are pure imitations of Apple's stores.
I wonder how much money Microsoft payed that blogger to write what he did.

A lot of people have probably seen the opening videos of Microsoft's stores. I did, and I noticed that half the interviewees said that they came for the free tickets. Someone even walked into the store with a MacBook Pro. However, Apple's stores only give away Apple products. I was at the opening of the new Broadway store in NYC (amazing place) and the line was stunningly long. Every single person there was an Apple fan.
Microsoft can show videos of smiling people running into its stores, but most of them don't like Microsoft or its products. Apple can show videos of people running into its stores, and every single person in the video likes Apple products.

I love Apple, but the only reason I'd ever go to an opening is for a free t-shirt.
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post #55 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:09pm
When it happens in a Johnny Rockets, I'm at least mildly amused. Watching the video for the Microsoft Store was just embarrassing.

i think the problem is that Microsoft, as a company, is just blah. Bland. They're so boring. Every event of theirs just seems like a corporately whittled-down spark of whatever brilliant marketing idea that Crispin Porter Bogusky (or whoever) came up with. They take the "fun" out of fun bags.

If they want the dancing to be fun, then they need to be more spontaneous or at least SEEM spontaneous:

-Let the music come from one of the media systems that are/should be set up. Blast it loud. Loud like a rave, not the organ keyboardist in the mall.

-People should dance wherever they want - aisles, on the table tops. More fun clothing for the female staff?

- No clapping. They clap at weddings when the band plays because people have no rhythm and sense of music.

- And let them dance however they want to dance. The line dancing thing is just too organized and controlled, you know, like a big, bland, lacking-personality corporate entity.

- Seriously, line dancing to the Black Eyed Peas? How much more wrong can Microsoft get? Maybe next time they can waltz to Kraftwerk (that would at least be more interesting.)
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post #56 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:12pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyLuIY8IyO4

Oprah did it first... and better. They even picked the same song
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post #57 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:20pm
I don't know what's more amusing... the customers who quickly bolted out of the store when it started, or the look of horror on the asian girls sitting there, when they realized they can't leave.
Then there are the guys against the back wall with a 'I'd rather watch someone slap a rabbit against a tree' look on their face.
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post #58 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by skottichan View Post

How about, instead of dancing. They, y'know, help the customers?


This kinda comes across like your older uncle trying so painfully to be hip.



Hey! I'm an older uncle and I'm veryhip!
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post #59 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:28pm
what they need is some 'hip' new assistants. Not assistants that are going to 'need a new hip' in a few years!

Is everybody fat all of a sudden? Sheez! I'm going for a run!

The United States of Fried Food!
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post #60 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:29pm
Man, and the Softies accuse Apple users of drinking the Kool-Aid...

Quote:
Originally Posted by ibgarrett View Post

It is a clear Apple Store rip-off if you ask me.

MS hired one of the guys who helped set up the Apple retail stores.
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post #61 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tofino View Post

i don't think that's fair to baboons on crack!

Most guys dance like a 'frog in a blender!'
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post #62 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post

Proven again that white people in general can't dance.

Proven again that you have lived isolated from the rest of the world. You probably have never left your country. Your opinion is probably shapen by movies and tv shows. And everything what your friends tell you is true. Good luck in life.
Posted by the door post at the post office the post man posted his last post-millennial post card with a Penny Black postage stamp via the Royal Post.
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Posted by the door post at the post office the post man posted his last post-millennial post card with a Penny Black postage stamp via the Royal Post.
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post #63 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacShack View Post

Proven again that you have lived isolated from the rest of the world. You probably have never left your country. Your opinion is probably shapen by movies and tv shows. And everything what your friends tell you is true. Good luck in life.

Well I'm a white guy. And I can't dance worth nothing.
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post #64 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacShack View Post

Proven again that you have lived isolated from the rest of the world. You probably have never left your country. Your opinion is probably shapen by movies and tv shows. And everything what your friends tell you is true. Good luck in life.




dude relax, its not that serious, and actually a pretty common thing to say in the states (mostly by white people poking fun at themselves). get over yourself, he was making a joke.
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post #65 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:56pm
Ahh yes... another FAILED marketing attempt by Microsoft. I'd love to give them some credit at some point, but they just make it so hard to.

Their campaigns and this attempt at whatever it is seems pathetic. Ladies and gentlemen... welcome to TGI Fridays. How does this help you sell anything?
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post #66 of 127
11/18/09 at 1:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dlux View Post

Be sure to check out the woman in the white shirt shop-lifting an item at the 2:15 mark.

Holy shit!
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post #67 of 127
11/18/09 at 2:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post

Proven again that white people in general can't dance.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ortal View Post

dude relax, its not that serious, and actually a pretty common thing to say in the states (mostly by white people poking fun at themselves). get over yourself, he was making a joke.

And jokes are suppose to be funny.
I know it's a common thing to say on the other side of the Atlantic ocean. And a "white" guy , as you seem to call yourselves, saying this only makes it worse. In America where the black and white view still plays a big role in society. It isn't funny. It's terms and sayings have deep roots in racism and segragation (apartheid). Any well educated person should know better. The more you fuel it, yes even in (seemingly innocent) jokes, the longer the flames remain. It's just an point on my agenda to confront such remarks. People have sometimes no idea where these things come from. Just think about it.
Posted by the door post at the post office the post man posted his last post-millennial post card with a Penny Black postage stamp via the Royal Post.
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Posted by the door post at the post office the post man posted his last post-millennial post card with a Penny Black postage stamp via the Royal Post.
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post #68 of 127
11/18/09 at 2:19pm
Whats worse is how long it is, over 4 min!!!!!
I hate it when they dance or sing for 15 sec in a store.

Good God the poor employees, "Was this raise I got for leaving Apple worth the loss of my dignity?"
Forgo Looking At The Past As A Judge; Instead Be a Student.
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post #69 of 127
11/18/09 at 2:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dlux View Post

Be sure to check out the woman in the white shirt shop-lifting an item at the 2:15 mark.


I don't know what she was holding, but at the end her and the employee high five!!!!
It was a INSIDE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!............like this whole thing. hahahaha
Forgo Looking At The Past As A Judge; Instead Be a Student.
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post #70 of 127
11/18/09 at 2:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisRankin View Post

Painful to watch. Seems so forced.

The skinny guy in blue must be the dance instructor they brought in for this 'spontaneous' dancing.
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post #71 of 127
11/18/09 at 2:40pm
Really, as others have said, how embarrassing. I totally cringed when I started watching this. It's so forced... and STUPID! Do these people have no self respect?

As for the blogger thing, Microsoft again shows it just doesn't get it. The buzz and excitement Apple creates is real and authentic. As much as this fake blogging thing is a somewhat innovative idea, the implementation will backfire as the sentiments are NOT authentic. It's like Microsoft is again trying to duplicate Apple's look and feel... by paying people to fake it.

Soooo dumbass!

Thanks Microsoft. I'm not going to be able to listen to that song without seeing this video in my head. Uuuggggghhhhh.
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post #72 of 127
11/18/09 at 2:43pm
A thought about these "viral" marketing campaigns:

They are FRAUD.

They feature actors that are not identified as actors. They portray themselves as "real people," when in fact they are characters created by a company for the purpose of selling product. The difference between this and traditional advertising is that everyone knows what an advertisement is. This is deceptive, and intentionally so.

That is, unless Slavin is a "real" person? I don't think so.

Quote:
I was absolutely floored by this experience, Microsoft has made a bold move to capture new market share. I ordered a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate edition I have been a hard core Mac person for the past five years, I completely bypassed the Windows Vista experience but something is telling me that I am at a precipice looking directly into the future. Oh, and I just canceled my order for the 27inch iMac quad, I need a little time to think it over.
Its easy to see that Microsoft primarily is a software company committed to changing the world through technical innovation and that Apple is a hardware company that is changing the world through design innovations. They need each other to push the limits of their own visions.

Righto, jackasses. You just happened to mention your iMac order cancelation, the fact that you didn't know MS had a store, and that you are a "hardcore" Mac person. This has the dancing, sweating, screaming monkey-like CEO written all over it.
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post #73 of 127
11/18/09 at 2:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dlux View Post

Be sure to check out the woman in the white shirt shop-lifting an item at the 2:15 mark.

Holy crap that's hilarious!! She was right on it!

Part of me has to wonder if that was staged too, "Windows 7 is so great I just had to steal it, like totally!" Or maybe it's a statement regarding how most people will actually obtain a copy of Windows 7!

I get Windows 7 free through my work and have used it quite a bit...for work. It will never replace OS X as my primary OS, it still lacks just about everything I love about OS X (Clean, Simple, Secure, yet oh so extendable!).
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post #74 of 127
11/18/09 at 3:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

a new viral ad campaign is gushing about fun retail employees who start spontaneously line dancing to the Black Eyed Peas.

Now THAT makes me just want to get up & run straight to a MS Store.

</sarcasm>

Not sure whether to or here.

Personally, I think I'd rather be body-cavity checked by goons in MSN butterfly suits, than watch anyone break into spontaneous dance over anything MS. (Er that is anything besides a collapse & liquidation. )
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post #75 of 127
11/18/09 at 3:22pm
This is what they do at Texas Roadhouse Restaurants. I'm all for fun and enjoy dancing but can Microsoft come up with their own ideas for once. They copy Apple's stores, iPods, OS and now they copy Texas Roadhouse dancing.
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post #76 of 127
11/18/09 at 3:35pm
I think its awesome that they are trying to energetic and youthful.. The big difference is apple store reps are energetic about the actual product.. not about causing a scene.. oh well
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post #77 of 127
11/18/09 at 3:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MadIvan;

The skinny guy in blue must be the dance instructor they brought in for this 'spontaneous' dancing.

If people wanted to question the videos authenticity all you have to do is notice the skinny chick is leading the whole store. Notice they are all looking to her when they get lost.
It's like one of them Japanese workplace fitness videos. Just full of fatties.

As for the blog. Well that says it all. He is a blogger. As far as we can tell he could be some 350 pound 13 year old sitting in his mums basement Internet trolling for shitz and giggles ( as they all seem to have the need to do).

The problem with using blogs as journalistic reference material. Is they usually have no formal training and grasp of convention(and no i'm not talking the comicon kind).
But this is when credible news sources need to step up to the plate. At least with printed media there was some knowledge that the person writing the article was at least partially trained.

And don't even get me started on sites like 9to5google.... I mean mac. Seths own compterworld bio states he is a google fan etc etc but yet runs a mac blog filled with google news. What a coinsidence.
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post #78 of 127
11/18/09 at 4:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by canucklehead View Post

Really, as others have said, how embarrassing. I totally cringed when I started watching this. It's so forced... and STUPID! Do these people have no self respect?

As for the blogger thing, Microsoft again shows it just doesn't get it. The buzz and excitement Apple creates is real and authentic. As much as this fake blogging thing is a somewhat innovative idea, the implementation will backfire as the sentiments are NOT authentic. It's like Microsoft is again trying to duplicate Apple's look and feel... by paying people to fake it.

Soooo dumbass!

Thanks Microsoft. I'm not going to be able to listen to that song without seeing this video in my head. Uuuggggghhhhh.

Yep, the operative words being, 'cringed' and 'forced.' I found it very hard to watch. Had to turn it off after about 45 seconds!

Notice how many of the customers are just sort of looking and seem 'a little embarrassed' for the employees!

It's tech companies like MS (and Chucky Cheese) that make Apple look so good!

Is it just me or is MS Retail a train wreck?
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post #79 of 127
11/18/09 at 4:19pm
How absolutely pathetic.

But ya gotta love the chick in the white-colored t-shirt, who rips off a copy of what appears to be software, while the staff are too busy dancing, then gets a "high five", apparently the new form of latent acknowledgement of her five finger discount, and quietly disappears.

Simply beautiful.
Pity the agnostic dyslectic. They spend all their time contemplating the existence of dog.
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Pity the agnostic dyslectic. They spend all their time contemplating the existence of dog.
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post #80 of 127
11/18/09 at 4:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post

A thought about these "viral" marketing campaigns:

They are FRAUD.

They feature actors that are not identified as actors. They portray themselves as "real people," when in fact they are characters created by a company for the purpose of selling product. The difference between this and traditional advertising is that everyone knows what an advertisement is. This is deceptive, and intentionally so.

That is, unless Slavin is a "real" person? I don't think so.



Righto, jackasses. You just happened to mention your iMac order cancelation, the fact that you didn't know MS had a store, and that you are a "hardcore" Mac person. This has the dancing, sweating, screaming monkey-like CEO written all over it.

I know - I'm just wondering if he has been such a hardcore Mac person that was swayed to Windows greatness by a "spontaneous" line dance, he could at least run Windows 7 on that Quad core iMac, and not have to cancel the order!
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