News
Microsoft strikes back
Matt Grainger Jul 22 2008, 12:49pm
Comments (4)
Firm extols the virtues of a Vista upgrade with $300 million campaign
Microsoft has committed itself to spending $300 million on a new advertising campaign to push the benefits of Windows Vista.
In the face of increasing antipathy from some quarters towards its new operating system, it would seem that the software giant has initiated its fight back. Adverts that feature a tall ship at sea with the slogan “At one point, everyone thought the earth was flat” have been spotted on Microsoft’s homepage. Clicking on the advert leads to a webpage entitled “Windows Vista: Look how far we’ve come”.
Likening Vista sceptics to the religiously narrow-minded, protesting at the concept of progress is consistent with previous Microsoft campaigns – users who remained sceptical about Office 2003 were portrayed as dinosaurs.
The campaign is, however, a new direction for Microsoft and seems to open with an apology: “We know a few of you were disappointed by your early encounter.
Printers didn't work. Games felt sluggish. You told us—loudly at times—that the latest Windows wasn't always living up to your high expectations for a Microsoft product.”
The site then goes on to list the virtues of Vista, outlines plans for the withdrawal of XP and includes a much-maligned 100 reasons to upgrade.
However, its not just consumers who are sceptical about Vista, much of the business sector is sticking to XP – the new Sony VAIO business range includes full downgrade rights – and US federal agencies have banned the use of Vista citing compatibility problems.
With $300 million behind the project, Microsoft is certainly investing the money in trying to change these views.
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Comments
“Eventually...”
Posted by: Gerry Wilson - Jul 22, 1:42pm
Step in the right direction if you ask me. Eventually we're all going to have Vista, might as well get used to it.
And its not actually as bad as everyone says IMO...
“Re: Eventually...”
Posted by: Bob Dylan - Jul 22, 2:35pm
@Gerry
"Step in the right direction if you ask me. Eventually we're all going to have Vista, might as well get used to it.
And its not actually as bad as everyone says IMO..."
Couldn't disagree more, we don't have to have it and telling people to get used to it is too defeatist. MS themselves have announced Windows 7 in a few years and the fact that they are spending 300 USD on the advertising doesn't show how good it is, merely that they need a push to get people buying it.
MS dropped the ball on Vista and I will happily stay dual-booted with Linux and XP until a beta of 7 comes out and we can see if they pick their game back up.
Regards peeps, happy computing.
“Re: Re: Eventually...”
Posted by: tony - Jul 23, 11:24am
i have a dual booted pc with xp and vista on
i have to say the default boot is to xp
i am mcp and mcdst qualified and still find that there are to many nags to run vista as my default boot
i only use vista to help resolve other peoples issues when using vista
lets hope they do a better job with windows 7 when it comes out in 2010
“Re: Re: Re: Eventually...”
Posted by: Chi - Jul 23, 2:40pm
I followed the link and I was unhappy with microsoft. Im not stupid like people who think the earth is flat. I just want a OS that works.
Vista was released too early. Everybody else would call it beta. Too much code, too many problems.
I will wait for windows 7 - hopefully they keep it simple next time.