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Yo ES, I'm Happy For You And I'mma Let You Finish, But Microsoft Has The Worst Marketing Of All Time

Hubbs

By Hubbs
in The Tailgate

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Hubbs

Hubbs

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So you've probably seen this new "to the cloud" campaign, featuring a woman who tries to pull off the arched-eyebrow look when she says "to the cloud," but fails because nothing in the commercial shows anything at all that would be even barely interesting, and then goes on to apparently point out that Microsoft's new software allows you to... um... use Photoshop.

What in the world is Microsoft thinking when it pays these people? I get that Microsoft has developed a cloud-computing version of Microsoft Office, but so has Google for Google programs, and they did it first, for God's sake. Plus, plenty of people couldn't tell you what "cloud computing" actually is if you gave them a million dollars.

This comes after one of the worst ad campaigns in the history of the world for Windows 7, featuring people who would say things like, "Windows 7 makes your computer go faster!" Really? I would hope so, if Microsoft is spending years to make a new OS. Your entire campaign is based on this? As if they expect us to think, "Oh, hey, a new OS! I bet it's a whole lot slower! That's what I would expect from years of work by one of the biggest companies in the world!"

That, in turn, came after the extremely awkward Seinfeld/Gates campaign, which spent an absolutely enormous amount of money on ads which were created by people who never seemed to ask, "Hey guys, uh, should we try to make sure these makes some sort of point?" Or, "Wait, should we care about making these funny or entertaining in some way?"

Dear Microsoft: Please stop making ads. They suck.

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chipwhich

chipwhich

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Hmmm? Buzzword? Cloud computing is a real advance in technology. Microsoft is just seemingly incapable of explaining why.
''

Uhhh no cloud computing is a buzzword for technology we already have. But OK.

I build "cloud" systems. It's a buzzword. Would you like to elaborate?

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Hubbs

Hubbs

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''

Uhhh no cloud computing is a buzzword for technology we already have. But OK.

I build "cloud" systems. It's a buzzword. Would you like to elaborate?

Okay, I understand you probably know more about cloud computing to me. But in addition, my understanding of cloud systems is that they essentially can be described by the SETI@Home program, which I would guess you know about. How is the expansion of that idea to all sorts of things not a technological development?

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chipwhich

chipwhich

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Okay, I understand you probably know more about cloud computing to me. But in addition, my understanding of cloud systems is that they essentially can be described by the SETI@Home program, which I would guess you know about. How is the expansion of that idea to all sorts of things not a technological development?

Cloud computing is a dummy buzzword. It's about sharing resources to provide a service to an end user. The service could be as simple as providing an additional CPU on demand or more memory based on a customers needs.

SETI@Home is a whole other issue.

Cloud computing is nothing more than sharing computer resources, which was really brought about by virtual machines.

BUZZ WORD.

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drtdrums

drtdrums

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Certain city governments use cloud computing with open-source software, allowing them to operate at less than a tenth of the cost (scaled to size) of their software-licensing, hard-driving brethren. Some European countries are going the same route, and the door is wide open for many more to follow.

Buzzword or not, it's changing the game entirely.

Oh, and Hubbs, MS's adds do suck. =).

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Hubbs

Hubbs

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Cloud computing is a dummy buzzword. It's about sharing resources to provide a service to an end user. The service could be as simple as providing an additional CPU on demand or more memory based on a customers needs.

SETI@Home is a whole other issue.

Okay, hold on, can you explain to me why Seti@Home isn't "sharing resources to provide to an end user"?

Cloud computing is nothing more than sharing computer resources, which was really brought about by virtual machines.

BUZZ WORD.

I think we're talking about degrees of definitions here. Yes, computers have shared resources for a long time. Hell, I would call that the Internet. I don't consider cloud computing to be the same thing, because as I understand it, cloud computing is about sharing computer resources to achieve a specific thing, not just something as broad as sharing information or resources. Would you disagree?

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Hubbs

Hubbs

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Certain city governments use cloud computing with open-source software, allowing them to operate at less than a tenth of the cost (scaled to size) of their software-licensing, hard-driving brethren. Some European countries are going the same route, and the door is wide open for many more to follow.

Those cities are the future.

Buzzword or not, it's changing the game entirely.

Oh, and Hubbs, MS's adds do suck. =).

They suck so much. So, so much. "To the cloud"? What the hell does the average person on the street know what you're talking about?

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TMK9973

TMK9973

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Hubbs - your incorrect. the cloud IS basically the Internet.

Heard a google guy put it the best way - IT guys LOVE cloud computing because for years the cloud was used in a diagram to represent "Not my problem". Meaning they would show Data going from one server, to another, to the cloud, to the end user.

Most people in the IT field have been using Cloud computing for years. At its most simplistic form, it's using software that is not located on your computer, but located on the web. So yes- Photo shop on the web as opposed to on your computer IS cloud computing. Google apps is cloud computing, etc...etc...

And the ads are great because, as you said, most people don't know what cloud computing is, and don't really care. They want to know "What is in it for me". My GF watched that ad and said "Wow -I want to be able to do that". Never mind she has Picasa and uses it - Now she thinks she needs windows 7 to do that (BTW - The feature is a little better then what is in Picasa and little easier then photo shop).

It makes the avg person say "Ooh- THAT'S what it can do".

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Homercles82

Homercles82

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The funny thing is that the promo videos for Windows Phone 7 on the AT&T website are better than any commercials they have on TV right now for any MS product. They are straightforward with only slightly annoying music in the background that show off the main features of the operating system; Hubs, Ease of Access to hubs, one touch Bing search, simple yet stylish menus, and real time menu changes. I think a neat feature is being able to place a bookmark to a website right on your home screen.

Why they can't do this simplicity in all commercials instead of trying to be "funny" in most TV ads?

If I were to design a Windows 7 commercial it would be like this. Commercial starts with the Windows 7 load screen. Then goes right to the desktop, shows off rotating backgrounds, snap feature, jump lists and highlights how all files are automatically compiled into Libraries. No idiotic "spokesman" or dumb stories. Use some of your billions in liquidity and license a popular but not totally annoying song. The song by OK GO comes to mind but I can't remember the name of it now.

Every Windows 7 commercial should start with a black screen and the load screen popping up.

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nycskinsfan

nycskinsfan

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Cloud Computing is not so much a buzzword as it is a blanket term. Microsoft is advertising one flavor SAAS, or software as a service. The larger imact your going to see is in the reduction of servers, space etc. a company will require, as well as the capital needed to complete most projects. If your in production or testing of an apllication you can simply turn up as many servers as needed and shut them down when your project is completed. Rather than purchasing additional hardware you may only use for a short period of time.

The cloud in cloud computing is not neccassarily the Internet, but it is the typical end users access to the given service.

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Springfield

Springfield

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Microsoft should just make random, strange commercials. People will still buy their software anyway. Don't even worry about putting the Windows logo anywhere in the commercial. It's one of the advantages of having a strangle hold on the market. Hell, people would still buy their stuff even if they didn't advertise.

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The 12th Commandment

The 12th Commandment

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Microsoft should just make random, strange commercials. People will still buy their software anyway. Don't even worry about putting the Windows logo anywhere in the commercial. It's one of the advantages of having a strangle hold on the market. Hell, people would still buy their stuff even if they didn't advertise.

That might be so for OS's but they're trying to expand into some new markets and they have had some spectacular failures (both in advertising and product) in the recent past. The Kin is a commonly used metaphor for combining a lousy product with lousy advertising.

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DjTj

DjTj

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Microsoft should just make random, strange commercials. People will still buy their software anyway. Don't even worry about putting the Windows logo anywhere in the commercial. It's one of the advantages of having a strangle hold on the market. Hell, people would still buy their stuff even if they didn't advertise.
They are really missing the smartphone boat though. They have owned PC operating systems for two decades, but there are a lot more phones running iOS, Blackberry, or Android, than there are running Windows. As the line between PCs and phones starts to blur (netbooks, iPads, tablets), it's going to start hurting Microsoft's core operating system business.
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