Microsoft Goes Viral with the Help of Brickfish – Part One

This is the first part of a three-part series about Microsoft and Brickfish teaming up to get the "I’m a PC" campaign all across the Internet. This part focuses mainly on the campaign itself and on the nature of how Brickfish scores a viral medium. The additional two parts will be interviews, one with the CEO of Brickfish talking about their previous and current campaigns as well as how they run the system. The other interview will be with Microsoft's Group Marketing Manager for Digital Marketing (what a mouthful), focusing on this specific campaign, and the probable campaigns in the future, as well as what Microsoft is doing to recapture the college market.

Breaking News 

Brickfish, the social media advertising network, joined up in early December with Microsoft to promote a new advertising campaign as part of Microsoft’s "Life Without Walls" overall campaign. The two companies combined to offer an online competition, mainly geared at college-aged Windows users, but accessible to any age. The contest is designed to show cases the individuality of each Windows user. The campaign calls for each person to submit either a picture or a video (preferably one created using a Web cam) and a statement as to why “I’m a PC.” The four winners will be receiving at least a new laptop, along with various other items. For more information about the campaign please visit their Web site where you can look at the official rules, the prizes, and the already-submitted competition.

Microsoft’s Goal

In a time when Microsoft’s biggest rival Apple is making gains in market share with college students, and the long-time free OS Linux is slowly grabbing more people (thanks in part to a growing netbook trend), Microsoft is attempting to recapture their once-dominated market. For years, Apple has been casting Windows as the operating system of corporate-stiffs and of the conforming masses. Microsoft has finally decided to strike back.  As Marty Collins, Microsoft Group Marketing Manager for Windows, puts it, "'I’m a PC’ is about celebrating the individuality within the global Windows community and the pride we all have in our own unique passions — and how technology can help us further these interests."

The battle for the college-age demographic is now under way, with both sides putting out their best attacks.  

Microsoft is using the "Life Without Walls" campaign to show that Windows is not only essential in every household and business, but fun and easy to use, too. This competition is designed to showcase that every user is different, and that they all use Windows for a different reason. Combine this with the recent Mojave Experiment, which showed the useful (for parents) controls in Windows Vista and also showed how easy it was to use, and you have a killer combo. Frankly, I believe that these two campaigns should help revitalize Windows; I feel that the campaigns will fulfill their purposes and show that Windows is actually a fun, and diverse, operating system. I mean, who better to sell something than your friend, your co-worker, or the girl next door?

Article Author: Robert M. Barga

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