Battle of the Hipsters - by Nate Haustein

I’ve found that writing an entry on Sunday night is rather relaxing, so join me tonight in my observations as I look at two marketing strategies from Microsoft–one I think that works, and one I think isn’t quite as effective.

Several years ago, Apple Computer began a sort of reinvention of itself, possibly one of the most notable in recent history. One that upped the computing power of its hardware and marketed its proprietary operating system, OS X, as one of the utmost simplicity. A hit series of “I’m a Mac” commercials featured young, hip Justin Long representing Mac computers, continuously antagonizing John Hodgman, acting respectively as a PC. Still running strong years later, the commercials highlighted all the features available only on a Mac.

Likely sick of being poked fun at, Microsoft needed to come up with a plan to battle these incredibly successful ads. The solution was (uninterestingly enough) the “I’m a PC” campaign. At first, the campaign focused primarily on the supposedly real people who use the Windows operating system. A human interest approach that exposed a good deal of talented and interesting characters and how they use their computers. So far, so good. In the last year or so, however, Microsoft has gone to a new sort of commercial. In these 30 second ads, so called Laptop Hunters are “found” in the parking lot of a big box computer retailer such as Best Buy, and offered $1500 or so to buy any computer they want. If it costs less, they keep the difference. Participants usually walk around, see some features they like in a few laptops, bash the Mac computers for price or performance, and then settle on an offering from HP or Dell.

Lauren is a redhead. Read more about that here. Oh, and EDIT: it seems like Lauren isn't really a random person. She's an actress. Oh well, I almost expected it.

Ok, hang on a sec. Who’s paying for these commercials? The branding says Microsoft, but these ads are selling computers. Microsoft is just making the software that runs on them. In the end, it seems like the take home message is “I got a insert PC manufacturer name here, and not a Mac.” In fact, it’s more like, “Anything is better than a Mac.” Since Intel chips became standard on all new Macs, they can run Windows too. I know I do on mine from time to time. But when it comes down to it, more PC-only models sold means more guaranteed Windows licenses for Microsoft. With a valid competing pre-installed operating system like OS X, it likely cuts the percentage of Windows purchases to the single digits.

Now lets get this straight, I’m not necessarily critiquing the Windows operating system, or any PC manufacturers in particular. I believe that Windows, and it’s associated PC hardware is extraordinarily valid in many situations. Then again, as market shares continue to shift across operating systems, this divide in application may very well change. I do think that Microsoft should rethink it’s marketing strategy to something more original, and perhaps one that actually markets their product for its own quality, rather than relying on the prices of the hardware it runs on.

There’s the bad, now for the good.

Another piece of software that Microsoft holds an incredible market share on is Microsoft Office. Completely integrated in the majority of business and educational establishments, Microsoft needs to find a way to peddle its latest revision of the program suite every couple years or so. We’re all sick of hearing about a program that allows us to do, usually, work. So updates have been, more or less, lackluster. Microsoft needed a way to advertise it’s money-machine as something, well, cool.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is it...

The trailer appeals in every way a viral video should. It’s funny, it’s exciting, it looks good, and it’s short enough for anyone to watch. Another key to the video is that it doesn’t take itself seriously, at all. Nothing is spared from being ridiculed, most notably the help-giving paperclip from years ago and an extensive list of fonts. At the end we all ask ourselves how on earth do infiltration teams and helicopters relate to Microsoft Office, but it really doesn’t even matter. The sheer awesomeness carries the trailer and the productivity suite on its own. Maybe all of this will be explained in 2010...