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Microsoft offers $300m for web-washing ad campaign

29 Nov 2007 13:08

Marketing 101: If you can't innovate, advertise

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How about... 

By Rob Mossop
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 13:42 GMT

"We're shit and we know you know that we know we are but how about you buy stuff anyway?"

Seems to have worked out pretty well for them so far...

Do no Evil 

By Paul
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 13:49 GMT

No. Wait. Someone already has that. Don't do to much evil, or at least try not to be noticed.

More to come soon. Just need the ritalin to kick in.

I know the one they'll chose 

By Insectecutor
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 13:49 GMT
Coat

'Live Live(TM)'

How clever is that. If they don't come up with that one for $300m i'll feel let down.

Live search 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 13:52 GMT
Paris Hilton

Live search. Like the name says, it takes as long to get a good result as if you, a live being, were searching by hand!

Slogan attempt 

By g e
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 13:53 GMT

Just when you thought Microsoft Works was an oxymoron.

WINDOWS LIVE SERVICES

Waiting to Service YOU

Windows live: 

By Paul
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 13:53 GMT

Not just the rubbish site that comes up when you type a URL wrong.

What happened to The Beast 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 13:55 GMT
Coat

Since when did you stop referring to M$ as The Beast. This over sight is unsettling, we should never forget who the enemy is.

Jinglelicious 

By b shubin
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:02 GMT
Pirate

Microsoft Live...

[a] We're not dead yet! (a la Python)

[b] Not as bad as you heard.

[c] Quite useable, really.

[d] A compelling solution for...forrr...ummm...

[e] Like almost using Office!

[f] You have to admire our nerve for pushing this stuff...

[g] Exciting product with a name more accurate than "Works".

[h] We take your money more slowly (giant sucking noise now a pinhole leak).

Be all you can be 

By Jonny Calcutta
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:05 GMT
Jobs Horns

To paraphrase Karen Dunbar -

"Windows LIve - Its the Best We Can Do"

Sums it up for me

OK, how's about... 

By Adrian Waterworth
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:08 GMT
Gates Horns

"Windows Live Services - now the Internet can be just as f***ed up as your PC."

or

"Windows Live Services - trying to flog the pointless to the clueless."

or

"Windows Live Services - finding innovative new ways to miss the Internet boat all over again."

or

"Windows Live Services - all your shit are belong to us."

or

"Windows Live Services - too incompetent to do any evil."

or I'll get me coat shall I?

Slogans 

By BKB
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:19 GMT
Alert

Here are some exciting slogans:

"Microsoft Live Services - better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick"

"Microsoft Live Services - live today, pay tomorrow"

"Microsoft Live Services - not dead services"

"Don't give me no jive, give me Microsoft Live!"

"Microsoft Live, so good you'll want five!"

"Man alive, it's Microsoft Live!"

"When you're micro and soft and half-alive, jazz up your life with Microsoft Live!"

Lose the name 

By Giles Jones
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:25 GMT

Don't brand it MSN. Windows or Microsoft

Cut the bloat, make it simple and user friendly.

Don't overload it with adverts.

Use a clean simple look, concentrate on the features and making things easy to use, not how it looks or use it as a technology testing ground (ie. Passport).

Don't spam users or disable the ability for them to mark your irrelevant news as junk.

Microsoft ad. 

By Finn
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:25 GMT
Gates Horns

Microsoft Live and let die.

iLive uPay 

By Billy Goat Gruff
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:31 GMT

weSuffer

Buy Vista...... 

By Eponymous Cowherd
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:33 GMT
Jobs Horns

Or the chair gets it!

I am sorry 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:34 GMT
Unhappy

even for three million can't think of a thing.

How about ... 

By Andy Jones
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:43 GMT
Paris Hilton

How about ...

"Just use us. You know we will destroy the competition anyway so you might as well."

or better still:

"Microsoft Paris Hilton Gets Her Tits Out Live".

on a mac, you can install live? 

By Stephen Gazard
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:46 GMT

I tried looking at live.com (a near rip-off of google.com), and was told I could install Windows live on my machine. Great. I've got a mac. Let's see how far you can go with this one.

Select files, otherwise agree to everything under the sun, and you can download the file. Clever Microsoft. Install windows live messenger etc. on a mac via a windows download?

No browser checking. shame on them. Wait, this is microsoft who thinks windows rules the world...? never mind...

Microsoft Live Services 

By GettinSadda
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 14:49 GMT
Gates Halo

Yoof version:

Microsoft Live Services - It sort of, y'know, "does stuff"

What PR thinks is yoof:

Microsoft Live Services - How Cool is That?[TM]

Realistic version:

Microsoft Live Services - Like Google, but from Microsoft!

My opinion version:

Microsoft Live Services - Who gives a shit!

Please post $300m cheque to... 

By Spleen
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:01 GMT

Windows Live Search - the unspeakable in pursuit of the unreadable.

Windows Live - Swindle, I vow.

Windows Live - we paid $300m for this shit so you'd better visit us... or we'll /cry/.

Windows Live - not just for Bill Gates' mother anymore!

Windows Live - you know that pointless dungheap you get inexplicably dumped to when you log out of Hotmail? That's us.

Windows Live - do no evil. Hey, Google gets away with it, and we don't even spend our spare time merrily throwing Chinese journalists to cattle-prod wielding Thought Police.

Wrong name, implys blame 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:06 GMT
Coat

Should have called it something catchy and hidden the branding like find.com, iwant.com or gimmie.com

then the video marketing campaign of a man in front of a screen with the site open, cursor blinking in the search box.

thinking of all the possibilities the web has to offer he finally types ... 'porn'

his little face lights up as the results come back and the tag line reads

'we know what you really want today'

Installation 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:12 GMT
Alert

Microsoft Live: Now please restart the internet to complete the installation.

Windows Live 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:16 GMT

Windows Live - Shocking!

Ode to Windows Live 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:23 GMT
Go

They'll suck you in with happy spin

Website photos of smiling bozos

New Windows toy will bring you joy

You can share, connect anywhere

But under the surface, it's just worthless

Think about it, something's funny, Billy Gates must want more money

He'll be happy when you're tied in, then Windows Live starts slowly dying

Then you pay the upgrade cost, cough up dollars to Micro$oft

It doesn't work, you'll look a jerk

It's useless crap, for stupid saps

Don't use this trash, you'll lose your cash

Computer virus, our boss'll fire us

Windows Live, you're better off dead

You must incetivize 

By Steve
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:23 GMT

"Windows Live: Use it - we have your family!"

"Windows Live - because Google like to drown puppies."

cashback 

By garry
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:33 GMT

cashback for search... and i'll use M$ search, half revenue to end users...

Hand me the cash now please... 

By Dave Bennett
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:38 GMT
Gates Halo

How about:

Windows Live - It may be difficult to use, but at least it's slow.

:)

Slogan 

By Tony Chandler
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:45 GMT

Windows Live: Like Xbox Live, Only Not Fun.

Use the huge windows installed base to get 

By Thaddeus Aid
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 15:55 GMT
Gates Horns

Windows Live - More Porn for Windows Users!

campaign slogan 

By Curtis W. Rendon
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:00 GMT
Happy

Windows Live, when AOL isn't sufficiently useless!

And the winner is 

By Andrew Brooks
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:01 GMT

Windows Live - The service you deserve!

$300m please. 

By Anthony
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:02 GMT
IT Angle

Windows Live - it's what your PC has been waiting for.

(Literally.. ever since we installed a sneaky trojan on your machine during a Windows Update last year, a clock has been ticking. We = teh sneakeh)

Windows Live - Get it before we install it on your machine anyway as an upgrade.

Windows Live - now with added Facebook.

Windows Live - how do you use yours?

Windows Live - better than Windows Dead.

Windows Live - we spent $300m advertising this, ogle the models and buy into the spin or the next $300m we spend might have to go on actually producing a decent product.

live, its better than altavista 

By tim chubb
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:04 GMT
Pirate

live, fashion victim 2.0

Live, the comedy version of your desktop apps now appearing at weddings, birthdays and bar mitzvahs!

How about: 

By TeeCee
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:04 GMT
Coat

"Windows Live. It's crap, you don't want it, but it's bundled with the O/S and YOU CAN'T TURN IT OFF!!!!! BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"

"Windows Live. We didn't really want to make this, but Intel give us a shed-load of cash to come up with things to sell faster CPUs."

"The Internet. Some people think it could be safer. Some people think it could be better presented. Some people think that it could be easier to find what you want. We agree. But we only had fourpence and twentyfive minutes to spare. Windows Live."

WOW 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:14 GMT

Waste of Wonga.

No sorry that was the Vista strapline.

419er 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:17 GMT

Dear My good friend,

My name is Mr B Gates. The sum of $300000000 (Three Hundred Million Dollars) has come in to my posetion. I am wishing to move this out of the country. Due to our banking laws I am unable to do this myself. All you must do to gain a share of this money is use Windows live for 1 (One) week.

Regards

Mr B Gates

Having thought about it I think most people would trust the boys from Nigiria.

They might try ... 

By thomas k.
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:25 GMT

"It's alive!" Windows Live - it's not just another pretty face.

Superimposed on the appropriate still from James Wales' Frankenstein.

Yoof version 

By Spleen
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:28 GMT

There's a tagline which would work for all Microsoft products, and also be a good contemporary yoof slogan.

"Buy Windows - it's standard!"

Cash... and in small bills, please... 

By Mike Moyle
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:31 GMT

Windows Live - Sucks slightly less than Vista!

Windows Live - You want to go *WHERE* today?!!?

Windows Live - Click here to add the Brooklyn Bridge to your shopping cart.

Windows Live - BWAAA-HAA-HAA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!

Windows Live - We've also got some land in Florida that's above mean sea-level!

Windows Live - "Live"... Ye-e-e-a-a-a-h-h-h... "Live"... That's the ticket... (Note: Get Jon Lovitz to voice this one.)

Windows Live - Because we know that you'll buy anything!

Windows Live - I'm Ming the Merciless, and I approve this message.

How about 

By Mike
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:53 GMT
Gates Horns

Windows live - crapping in the hand that feeds IT.

Windows live - now you can wipe with both hands.

Windows live - Lets shake on it.

Windows live - I promise I won't cum in your mouth.

"Windows May Be Broken ... 

By Andrew Heenan
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 16:54 GMT
Coat

... But that makes us a Breath of Fresh Air"

Honesty in advertising?

I doubt it!

Maybe not... 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 17:02 GMT
Gates Horns

Windows Evil - deals with typos

Like Smokin a Phatty 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 17:03 GMT

You gotta market to the younger generation!

Windows Live - Just like Smokin a Phatty (Seems like a good idea at first, then leaves you paranoid and craving something substantial)

How about... 

By Crossbow
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 17:11 GMT
Gates Horns

Resistance is futile, you WILL be assimilated (Win XP and 2000 only. Vista support soon(ish). Win 98 not supported. iMicrosoft iLive ifor iMac iavailable ivia iTunes. *nix version carefully compiled to cause kernel panic in 100% of *nix and Linux variants.)

No warranty supplied or implied. Unauthorised copying will result in demonic possession of your children (Effects of this are not apparent in teenagers)

Something more apt 

By Paul Brandon
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 17:23 GMT

Windows Brown Wire - Quality Sh*t on Demand.

(P.S. For those who've never wired a UK plug - Brown Wire = Live)

Windows 419 

By Nick
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 17:28 GMT

Virtual Lagos

On a screen of blue.

Fu*ks up your mind,

And your computer too.

why? 

By Danny
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 17:38 GMT

Windows Live - Why?

Windows Live - Don't even think of visiting using Linux

Windows Live - When we suck, you suck too.

Windows Live - The world is not enough.

Windows Live - Assimilate and extend.

Windows Live - We are not a commodity.

Windows Live - Better dead than Windows.

Windows Live - You'll wish you were dead.

Windows Live - You'll wish M$ was dead.

Windows Live - Spam, not content.

Windows Live - Only one ActiveX plugin away...

Windows Live - Where clear thinkers dare to tread.

Windows Live - A World of Pain.

Windows Live - Abandon all hope.

Windows undead 

By Colin Millar
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 17:46 GMT
Go

Windows Undead is here (and as soon as SP1 arrives it might even work)

You must restart your computer to complete the downloading of your search results

Slogan 

By Will Hill
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 18:14 GMT
Jobs Horns

M$ Live - The Interweb Searches You.

M$ Live - Because we will break everything else.

M$ Live - Extending the WORD.DOC monopoly again.

M$ Live - Because "Good Enough" is what we say it is.

Has anyone tried it yet? 

By Guy
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 18:22 GMT
Jobs Horns

Windows Live - When someone sends you a message you can view it without having to install some stupid application to your page first, allowing third parties access to your private data, which you can't delete

Windows Live - Might look boring but it does work

Windows Live - Hey at least it's not Apple

Windows Live - We only use your information internally unlike other services we could mention

Windows Live - Be Different, everyones on those other sites

Windows Live - No ones ever been invited to be turned into a zombie on live

Windows Live - Unless your a Mac user, you'll find the apps / interface really easy to use, if you are a Mac user look over there, it's shiney, look at it sparkle, pretty

Windows Live - Has anyone actually tried using it?

Windows Live - Allows grandma to see photos of their grandchildren

Windows Live - For people with real friends who don't need to have 200+ fake online pals to play with

Windows Live - It's like Radio 2, all the services you used to get from that trendy Radio 1 place, but for grown ups

I think a Jingle would help 

By joe
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 18:33 GMT
Pirate

Remember that great song from Opus in the 80's?

Live is Live

na na na-na

Going to F!@# you Life

na na na-na

Can't find shit on Live

na na na-na

And we all have the power

to resurrect the dead

Every minute of an hour

We'll remind you what we said

And you all get the power

When you find the results are dead

When everyone gets nothing

And every song Billy sings

Live is Live

na na na-na

Going to F!@# you Life

na na na-na

Can't find shit on Live

na na na-na

I think they should spend the $300M on improving the existing software they force down consumer's throats

Just Do Evil... 

By Piers
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 18:47 GMT
Thumb Up

There - that'll get past trading standards ok.

Windows Live 

By Ian Ferguson
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 19:12 GMT
Gates Halo

We can spend $300,000,000 on a new slogan for an old product. Now think about how much we probably spend on lawyers. Don't badmouth us.

Why not go with the tried and trusted slogans 

By Flocke Kroes
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 19:14 GMT

Use Microsoft Live Services or we will sue you for patent infringement.

Use Microsoft Live Services because soon you will have to pay for them even if you do not want them.

Use Microsoft Live Services or someone else will put up a shoddy site in your name.

We spent $300,000,000 on advertising Microsoft Live. It's that good.

Microsoft Live - we will not let your customers go anywhere else.

Microsift Live. It is not like you have a choice.

Microsoft Live. Who cares if it is crap. We are the monopoly.

Trust Microsoft Live. Microsoft Live is your friend.

Microsoft Live shreds your e-mails at the first hint of a law suite.

(Picture a lion scratching himself and knocking over a chess board) Microsoft Lice has the beast spilling chequers.

How about... 

By OpenSorce Phreak
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 19:14 GMT
Jobs Horns

Windows live! We've patented brainwave technology, so you're going to be using it one way or another. And be sure to check out our newest product line: Windows Live JediMind trick! Well, nevermind... you're going to be using that one way or another too...

I wish Live would just die 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 20:00 GMT
Gates Horns

Windows Live .. Looks like google but works like shit

All I've got 

By peter
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 20:12 GMT
Gates Horns

Windows Live: It's live Jim, but not as we know it.

Should be able to get a monkey joke in here somehow ... 

By David Haworth
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 20:40 GMT
Jobs Horns

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Just do it.

give them confidence 

By Seanie Ryan
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 21:29 GMT
Thumb Down

Windows Live : Built on Vista Technology

based on that, it bound to go down a treat

OneCare... 

By James Robinson
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 21:37 GMT
Joke

Windows Live (W)OneCare - more than just a knuckle shuffler...

First, we need five live offerings 

By Jim
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 22:14 GMT

Windows Live Home - you can get email but you can't send it.

Windows Live Home Extreme - send email but can't get email

Windows Live Home Extreme Pro Extra Strong - send and receive email, free botnet with activation

Windows Live Executive - search the web using only nouns

Windows Live Enterprise Extreme - We slowly suck the data out of your enterprise, then charge you $50 per seat to get it back, renewable every year.

Windows Live: the future of search!* 

By Steve P
Posted Thursday 29th November 2007 22:47 GMT
Gates Horns

* We'll be bundling it in the next service pack so you won't get a choice.

Windows Live: Silverlight is almost not ActiveX 

By John
Posted Friday 30th November 2007 02:20 GMT
Heart

Windows Live: Silverlight is almost not ActiveX

Not really relevant but I still haven't figured out Silverlight yet and I just pray it's not activeX so I thought I throw it in to be stupid... MS should not be too upset about that!

Windows Live: No more desktop, just a Silverlight Pane - yay!

Windows Live: Silverlight, the death of the desktop, yay!

those last 2, because someone at MS will eventually say it!

lipstick, meet pig 

By skeptical i
Posted Friday 30th November 2007 03:24 GMT

* Everywhere you want to be ... and some places you don't.

* Be seeing you.

* Total Information Awareness? No, ahh, it's Total Information Availability. For you. The customer. Information, totally available. Really.

* Do the monkey dance!

* Welcome to the new birth of Microsoft mach two.

Thumbs up for Andrew's "The service you deserve!"

Yet More... 

By peter
Posted Friday 30th November 2007 10:30 GMT
Coat

Windows Live: Search for dummies^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H Search-ing for dummies.

Windows Live: Seek and ye shall....▓◊♫≠ž䇷㓪øʰsX⅓¶ 404 NOT FOUND

Windows Live: An import paradigm shift in the redefinition of paradigms.

Windows Live: Bult by Copper Nanotubes.

And finally, with apologies to C.F. Gellert and Frances E. Cox:

1.

Windows Live! Thy terrors now__

can no more, O Page, appal us;

Windows Live! by this we know

thou, O Brin, canst not enthral us.

Alleluia.

2.

Windows Live! henceforth h-refs__

are the gate to Redmond's portal;

this shall calm our trembling breaths,

when we see ol' Google's stock fall.

Alleluia.

3.

Windows Live! for us Bill Gates__

indexed all the seedy content;

VISA in hand may we dictate

payment to his chosen extent.

Alleluia.

4.

Windows Live! our hearts know it;

Microsoft's our search provider.

Life nor death nor Torvald's shit,

tear us from their page-rank spider.

Alleluia.

5.

Window Live! to them the pit__

of the deepest hell is given;

may we go where they are gone

if we dare their algorithm.

Alleluia.

(The messianc imagery was too hard to resist.)

Hrmm 

By Anonymous Coward
Posted Friday 30th November 2007 13:21 GMT
Pirate

"When locked in, we will cash in"

(posted anonymously so they won't cancel my windows using WGA)

The Best Idea for Microsoft's Marketing Strategy 

By Bryan Haddock
Posted Monday 3rd December 2007 21:57 GMT
Alert

First of all, Microsoft needs way more than a friggin' slogan... they need to recreate their entire public image... and they're not going to do that by instituting a new slogan, they're going to do that by changing the way people perceive them from the ground up.

OK... think about it... what is "it" in regards to the Internet? Creativity, humor, opinions, insights... things provided by the little man. YouTube is more popular than ever and it's because of the input of average webizens... same concept with MySpace, and any other kind of blog website. People need a place and a way to express themselves and that is why MAC is so damn successful... the Mac marketing campaign is simple... it shows an "average guy" who just wants to be himself and do his own thing (a la the television campaign)... that's the Internet market.

So, Microsoft, until you start to begin to understand your market, you'll never get back on top... and my guess is that you won't, because you see it ONLY as a market and not as the individuals that make it up.

Here's an idea at a solution, if they're interested in one that challenges their paradigm... throw out all your high-dollar marketing bull crap and take the money and invest it in something that will show the little guy (that all of us miniscule components of this great, wide Internet market). Find some ways that you can encourage our creative spirit that aren't only fueled by your profit motive and see that when you encourage us to create and speak out and laugh and express ourselves, we grow to love you. That's why Mac users are so hardcore... we feel like Mac gets us.

So take 10,000 bucks and split it up in bundles of $500 and have some contests... get us to create or express ourselves or whatever... get us to make videos or put together funny Photoshop pictures or cool ass 3D renderings... award those who embrace the technology to express themselves... then we might not see you guys as a bunch of corporate suits, but, instead, someone who gets us.

GIVE IT UP, MICROSOFT... THERE IS NO SLOGAN THAT CAN REPAIR THE DAMAGE DONE TO YOUR PUBLIC IMAGE... YOU NEED A PARADIGM CHANGE!!!

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