Microsoft plans anti-Apple marketing blitz for Vista
Having lost its patience with Apple's "Get a Mac" advertising campaign attacking Windows Vista's public perception, Microsoft will spend hundreds of millions of dollars trying to prop up the standing of its operating system.
The company's VP of Vista marketing, Brad Brooks, told attendees at a Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference on Tuesday that the next few months will see a major advertising push that promises to "free the people" through what Vista has to offer and that Microsoft wouldn't take Apple's repeated attacks on Vista reliability without a fight.
"You thought the sleeping giant was still sleeping, well we woke it up and it's time to take our message forward," Brooks warns Apple. "There's a conversation going on in the marketplace today and it's just plain awful. We've got to get back on the front foot."
He acknowledges, however, that Vista's rough launch has cost the company significant ground and that the ads will as much be about damage control as touting the brand. In a rare glimpse into Microsoft's own view of the launch, Brooks recognizes that Vista "broke a lot of things" and triggered "a lot of pain" in partners trying to support the newer Windows edition.
According to the executive, difficulties with new operating system launches are common and a similar pattern emerged with Windows XP in 2001, which eventually smoothed out as patches and gradual acceptance made it the dominant operating system. Recent updates to Vista have ironed out similar wrinkles, he argues.
By contrast, Apple is said to be "noisy" in controlling the message on Vista. The Mac maker has regularly pointed out flaws and stressed that many users are looking to downgrade to XP after sour experiences with Vista. To Brooks, though, Apple is pitching an all-or-nothing message for its products that Microsoft can counter with perceived choice.
"They tell us it's the iWay or the highway. We think that's a sad message," he says. "Software out there is made to be compatible with your whole life."
Whether or not Microsoft will succeed in its mission, however, is less than clear. Businesses have commented that they consider it impractical to upgrade to Vista due to compatibility problems and may wait until Windows 7 to update past Windows XP, a move that would delay any purchases until at least 2010.
Also, in the prelude to Microsoft's ad campaign, Apple is still believed to be stealing away those Microsoft hopes to win over: a Bank of Montreal estimate has as many as 2.5 million Macs shipped in the current quarter based partly on users opting for Apple's platform rather than face the concerns raised by Vista.
The company's VP of Vista marketing, Brad Brooks, told attendees at a Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference on Tuesday that the next few months will see a major advertising push that promises to "free the people" through what Vista has to offer and that Microsoft wouldn't take Apple's repeated attacks on Vista reliability without a fight.
"You thought the sleeping giant was still sleeping, well we woke it up and it's time to take our message forward," Brooks warns Apple. "There's a conversation going on in the marketplace today and it's just plain awful. We've got to get back on the front foot."
He acknowledges, however, that Vista's rough launch has cost the company significant ground and that the ads will as much be about damage control as touting the brand. In a rare glimpse into Microsoft's own view of the launch, Brooks recognizes that Vista "broke a lot of things" and triggered "a lot of pain" in partners trying to support the newer Windows edition.
According to the executive, difficulties with new operating system launches are common and a similar pattern emerged with Windows XP in 2001, which eventually smoothed out as patches and gradual acceptance made it the dominant operating system. Recent updates to Vista have ironed out similar wrinkles, he argues.
By contrast, Apple is said to be "noisy" in controlling the message on Vista. The Mac maker has regularly pointed out flaws and stressed that many users are looking to downgrade to XP after sour experiences with Vista. To Brooks, though, Apple is pitching an all-or-nothing message for its products that Microsoft can counter with perceived choice.
"They tell us it's the iWay or the highway. We think that's a sad message," he says. "Software out there is made to be compatible with your whole life."
Whether or not Microsoft will succeed in its mission, however, is less than clear. Businesses have commented that they consider it impractical to upgrade to Vista due to compatibility problems and may wait until Windows 7 to update past Windows XP, a move that would delay any purchases until at least 2010.
Also, in the prelude to Microsoft's ad campaign, Apple is still believed to be stealing away those Microsoft hopes to win over: a Bank of Montreal estimate has as many as 2.5 million Macs shipped in the current quarter based partly on users opting for Apple's platform rather than face the concerns raised by Vista.
Comments
"Software out there is made to be compatible with your whole life."
WTF does that mean?
Get a PC
I have no idea what that could be, and I say this having used Vista at home for the last months. It's not horrible, but it's not clearly superior to XP, either.
Well if done right they might be able to get out a successful ad campaign but lord save em if they screw it up... Someones A$$ in on the line with this one, thats for sure...
Dave
According to the executive, difficulties with new operating system launches are common and a similar pattern emerged with Windows XP in 2001, which eventually smoothed out as patches and gradual acceptance made it the dominant operating system. Recent updates to Vista have ironed out similar wrinkles, he argues.
I really don't have a whole lot of sympathy. They had five years to get Vista right, a year long beta cycle, offered in a confusing and unnecessary variety of versions, AND they gave Intel an undeserved "pass" in saying certain computer chipsets were Vista ready when they aren't. Vista's poor reputation may be a bit of a stretch, but it really doesn't have much of a value proposition to give users other than it's included with a new computer.
+++
Well said.
"Software out there is made to be compatible with your whole life."
WTF does that mean?
It was a misquote.
He meant to say, "Software (and maintenance of the system) is made to be your whole life."
and rather than fix Vista, Ballmer touts how great it is by allowing users to downgrade to XP.
C'mon. Buying the upgrade to Vista, then being "allowed" to reinstall XP? That is a sure sign of a superior operating system marketing strategy.
Brooks recognizes that Vista "broke a lot of things" and triggered "a lot of pain" in partners trying to support the newer Windows edition.
I don't get it - he is basically agreeing with the Apple ads here - so what's his problems with the ads?
Hmmm... I think Micro$oft wants some of that too now. They would have to hire the same Ad agency that did commercials for VW and APPLE.
Can't wait to see first ad against Apple. I wonder what they gonna pick on. Hmmmm
Maybe that OS costs $129.....Too cheap to be real maybe because Vista is $599.
I like the iWay!
Apparently, he's never heard of iLife...
hahaha, thats a good one.
I just had a customer bring in a $350 computer yesterday and agreed to pay another $100 for an OEM copy of XP Home to install because he just can't stand Vista? When I told him it was finished, he was ecstatic. So far I've not had anyone ask me to install a ten year old copy of Mac OS on their new Mac. So far out of the hundreds of computers I've serviced in the last year the response to me from people is "Well, Vista came installed...I didn't really want it, and still don't like it."
Look evwee buddee Micwosoft is scawoed
This should be interesting.
"Apple's done a really good job of repositioning Microsoft. We're mercenaries. You can pay us to go after anybody."
Alex Bogusky, co-chairman of Crispin Porter and Bogusky (mac user) and new ad agency of Microsuck !
"Try Vista, over 500 less bugs than XP had at launch!"
Vista....... runs faster on a MAC so buy it for yours!
Vista... it's crap, but Bill's retired now!
Vista... Schmista.... just buy it already, we've planted a fatal bug in XP anyway!
Vista... buy it or your grandmother will be taken seriously ill!
Vista.... Never in the field of human computing has so much been done by so many to sell so few...
Buy Vista and we'll donate half the proceeds to Bill's foundation to educate kids so they can lean code and come and fix this monumental ??ck up!
This should be interesting.
"Apple's done a really good job of repositioning Microsoft. We're mercenaries. You can pay us to go after anybody."
Alex Bogusky, co-chairman of Crispin Porter and Bogusky (mac user) and new ad agency of Microsuck !
"There's a conversation going on in the marketplace today and it's just plain awful. We've got to get back on the front foot."
I fear that says it all. (Attempt to) change the conversation, instead of changing their products.
One rule of advertising is that a dominant company should not even acknowledge its smaller competition--that only legitimizes the smaller options. If Microsoft really does make anti-Apple ads, and those ads are truly well done (doubtful) then it will STILL help Apple sell more Macs than if Microsoft had just advertised Vista with no Mac comparison at all. Microsoft should be keeping Macs OFF the consumer's radar as long as they can, if it's not already too late. (See also: iPod and iPhone halo effect.)
Microsoft would be sending the message, "Nobody really used to use Macs, but they do now and we're worried! Here's why you should switch to our new thing, Vista, instead of their new thing: Vista's not as bad as it was before, honest!"
A smarter message would be Apple-free: "Nothing but Windows exists. You love that! Shiny happy flying freedom!"
Sure, spend millions of dollars *marketing* Vista. THAT's the problem...not the fact that it's a piece of useless shit. Whatever you do, don't spend all that money, oh, I don't know, FIXING THE STUPID OS. You know. The one that even Windows people hate and don't use.
Oh Microsoft. You sad, stupid, senile old man. I think it's time we took you to a place that can take better care of you, for your winter years are waning.