20-04-2005 01:52									#1
	Microsoft's New $100 Million ad Campaign Increase Your PM Length

Sorry: this is retarded. $100 million dollars to advertise a 4 year old piece of software. Why don't they advertise for Win 98 while they're at it?

Why don't they just get off their asses and deliver the new OS?

Telling people how great it is to buy something that they in all likelihood already own is simply daft.

quote: Microsoft 'starts' Windows XP ad blitz 15-month campaign will cost $100 million, says report; delivery of Longhorn replacement unclear. April 18, 2005: 3:14 PM EDT SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. launched a 15-month advertising campaign on Monday to boost sales of the Windows XP operating system, while the world's largest software maker prepares its next version of Windows, code-named Longhorn. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft declined to say how much it would spend on the global television, print and online marketing effort, or how the duration of the campaign might reflect the delivery schedule of Longhorn. Advertising trade report Adweek estimated the cost of the campaign at about $100 million, including production of more than 50 versions of television commercials for 11 countries. Advertising agency McCann Erickson, part of Interpublic Group of Cos. Inc. (down $0.06 to $12.94, Research), created the campaign. Scott Lennard, director of advertising for Microsoft's consumer marketing group, said that Microsoft wanted people to "rediscover" Windows XP, currently its flagship operating system, which runs on more than nine out of 10 personal computers. The massive ad campaign comes three years after the debut of Windows XP and urges people to use the programs to pursue any of more than a dozen different interests, including music, science, art and sports. In the main print ads, a window is displayed over a person's heart, with various images connected to the themes flowing out of the window. Microsoft's renewed advertising effort also comes as Apple Computer Inc. (up $0.16 to $35.51, Research) prepares to ship the latest operating system for its Macintosh PC later this month. Apple's software, which it calls "Mac OS X Tiger," is being described by the Cupertino, California-based company as a feature-rich operating system that already delivers many of the features promised by Longhorn. Microsoft is expected to talk about Longhorn in greater detail next week at its annual hardware and engineering conference in Seattle. Microsoft is planning to release a preliminary test, or beta, version of Longhorn this summer. Shares of Microsoft (up $0.19 to $24.65, Research) rose .9 percent in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/18/tec...s.reut/?cnn=yes

	20-04-2005 01:54									#2
	Got spare money?

LoL

	20-04-2005 02:00									#3
	Suffering from ads?

Anyone who was going to buy it would already have it. Microsoft should have just given me 100 million.

	20-04-2005 02:04									#4
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

No. They should have given it to me.

	20-04-2005 02:09									#5
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

I could spend it on a copy of Longhorn and a new 30" monitor to play Duke Nukem Forever on it.

	20-04-2005 02:18									#6
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

people actually pay for Windows XP?

	20-04-2005 02:21									#7
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

The industry expected Microsoft to launch an ad campaign for XP due to expected delays on loghorn, and the launch of Mac OS X Tiger... but 100 million...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!

When I read this in Ad Age, I couldn't believe it. This is just plain silly. It makes you think that loghorn isn't on schedule

	20-04-2005 02:36									#8
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Why would they bother with the Tiger release? Apple never advertises its OS X releases (they thought about it once, but never went through with it).

I hope you get some of the money, Ming.

	20-04-2005 03:19									#9
	Put an end to popups!

While Apple usually doesn't advertise their releases... they do put on a heavy PR blitz to the trade... since it's new, it will be picked up. Microsoft can't do the same, because nobody gives a crap about XP anymore so any "awareness" has to be on a paid basis...

And no... we don't do any work for Microsoft or Apple.... bummer

	20-04-2005 03:49									#10
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I gave no idea about computer advertising. I think all the ads suck now. The only good ones were the Apple ones with Jeff Goldblum in them -- and then only because he's funny.

Shows what I know though -- those "dancing cretin" ipod ads have been really successful.

I wonder why Apple doesn't advertise their OS releases though. A few snippets of CoreImage in action would be a pretty cool ad.

	20-04-2005 03:59									#11
	Inflate your Upload Space

A better campaign imo would be to give away a $100Million worth of XP copies.

This sure is wasted money.

	20-04-2005 04:01									#12
	Remove this text

What do you think this is? Linux?

	20-04-2005 04:26									#13
	Increase Your PM Length

I'm suing M$, Longhorn is my name, and for good reason too

	20-04-2005 04:39									#14
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: I'm suing M$, Longhorn is my name, and for good reason too

Girls don't like the way you smell?

	20-04-2005 04:47									#15
	Put an end to popups!

I don't think anyone goes out and buys XP. They just get it preinstalled on every new computer that they buy. Linux will never be anything more then nitch player since it has to many competing standards while MAC OS only sells to an ever shrinking number of MAC devotees.

It's a waste of money to advertise but I guess MS has money to burn.

	20-04-2005 04:49									#16
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

quote: Originally posted by Agathon quote: I'm suing M$, Longhorn is my name, and for good reason too Girls don't like the way you smell?

What?!

	20-04-2005 04:55									#17
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

I believe LongHorn is a type of cow. He was hinting that you smell like a cow.

	20-04-2005 04:56									#18
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Talk about vague...

	20-04-2005 04:56									#19
	Inflate your Upload Space

quote: Originally posted by Agathon Shows what I know though -- those "dancing cretin" ipod ads have been really successful.

I would agree with you, but it seems like the "industry" is in love with them, and they will probably win lots of awards...

quote: I wonder why Apple doesn't advertise their OS releases though. A few snippets of CoreImage in action would be a pretty cool ad.

Might be a cool ad... but it would be stupid for them to advertise their OS releases... why waste money on broad based advertising when direct mail is a ton cheaper to reach their very small and limited user base... Most computer users just don't give a damn about Apple

	20-04-2005 05:07									#20
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

"When I read this in Ad Age, I couldn't believe it. This is just plain silly."

I take it they're not using your agency?

	20-04-2005 05:11									#21
	Support Apolyton

As I stated earlier... we don't work for either. But I can proudly say that if they asked us to do something like this, we would recommend they don't do it... and then after they disagreed, we would have taken their money to the bank in a second

	20-04-2005 05:12									#22
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

quote: Might be a cool ad... but it would be stupid for them to advertise their OS releases... why waste money on broad based advertising when direct mail is a ton cheaper to reach their very small and limited user base... Most computer users just don't give a damn about Apple

Well.. that doesn't make any sense. They use to advertise their software and it helped them out (especially after Jobs came back), and they always used to advertize their hardware. I guess all the money is going on the ipod ads.

Yet mac sales are up by almost half. Weird.

	20-04-2005 05:15									#23
	Got spare money?

quote: Talk about vague...

You seriously thought that Microsoft named its new OS as a sexual boast?

	20-04-2005 05:16									#24
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by Agathon Well.. that doesn't make any sense. They use to advertise their software and it helped them out (especially after Jobs came back), and they always used to advertize their hardware.

They have only advertised when they were under the illusion that they could actually take a big chuck from the competitors... now, they know the truth.

quote: I guess all the money is going on the ipod ads.

Exactly... they are least advertising something that can make a difference in the market...

quote: Yet mac sales are up by almost half. Weird.

Half of nothing is still nothing...

They are still very small fish in a very big pond... and all their dreams have coming crashing down... they are an insignificant player... and they now know it.

	20-04-2005 05:19									#25
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

"As I stated earlier... we don't work for either. But I can proudly say that if they asked us to do something like this, we would recommend they don't do it... and then after they disagreed, we would have taken their money to the bank in a second "

Wow, that's great.

	20-04-2005 05:20									#26
	Full PM-box? Change here!

quote: They are still very small fish in a very big pond... and all their dreams have coming crashing down... they are an insignificant player... and they now know it.

They don't compete in all markets -- in the ones they do compete in they don't do too badly. If I had 3-4% of global computer sales I'd be pretty pleased. Dell only has slightly less than 20% IIRC. That's a fair bit of cash.

	20-04-2005 05:40									#27
	Inflate your Upload Space

quote: Originally posted by Agathon They don't compete in all markets -- in the ones they do compete in they don't do too badly. If I had 3-4% of global computer sales I'd be pretty pleased. Dell only has slightly less than 20% IIRC. That's a fair bit of cash.

True enough... but so much more was expected from them... and they failed. And many of their failures can be attributed to stupid decisions on their part...

They make money, so I guess they are happy

	20-04-2005 05:44									#28
	Increase the size of your Attachments

I don't think they can expect more than say, the average niche car maker. Apple doesn't make cheap boxes for business, and that is a large chunk of sales.

But that is quite a bit of cash. Plus they punch far above their weight in publicity. I still can't work out why that is.

Still, they've spent a fortune on their new shops, and those seem to be raking it in.

	20-04-2005 05:58									#29
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

Apple is a loser in the computer hardware business so they're trying to expand into other areas like music. Good for them if they can but I won't be buying an IPOD since it is an over priced under performer.

	20-04-2005 06:02									#30
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Apple is doomed!!! DOOMED!!!

People have being saying that for 25 years.