Just came across this great campaign from Microsoft aimed at promoting their new operating system, Windows Vista.
As far as I can tell the aim is to produce a viral online campaign that makes Microsoft and Windows Vista look non threatening and easy going to the average consumer.
In the past personally I think Microsoft have always been seen as a hard giant in the computing world with little conversation to the general public. Over the last couple of years however I really believe they have been doing great at bridging this gap, albeit slowly.
With people like Steve Clayton actively promoting the brand and putting a face to the corporation the public is, and will continue to warm up to Microsoft as a company that they want to buy products from and feel comfortable living with, rather than just purchasing the products because they feel they have to have them to participate in the modern world.
The campaign is called Clearification, and features a series of comic videos featuring a character called Demetri Martin. The website looks great and allows you to view all the hilarious episodes as well as providing code to embed the videos in your blog etc. The humor is amazing, and very sarcastic. The clips subtly show some off the great Windows Vista features without distracting from the film, I love it, just a shame it seems to not have been promoted more.
Below I have provided links to the You Tube versions of the clips. I found them much faster to download and view as Internet in South Africa still has some way to go when it comes to affordable quick download speeds. If your in the modern world, go to their website, is a great experience.
Enjoy and if you can’t watch them all at once do come back and watch them later, is well worth the laugh.
My name is Arye Michael Bender. I am one of the heads in the viral campaign. I was duped by Microsoft, and mislead – not only about the product – but also how my response would be used.
Now, when I saw that I was in a commercial, I was shocked. I did not give them permission to use me to sell their product. Additionally, my evaluation of their product was limited. My comments were about how the product SEEMED under VERY CONTROLLED conditions. I have no idea how reflective of the real product their demonstration was. I don’t know, and I in no way endorse their product.
You can read my about my real experience on my blog, A Dangerous Mind.
http://aryedirect.blogspot.com/