Oh deary me.
By all accounts, Microsoft have made themselves a nice little smartphone OS in Windows Phone 7, but alas, they are shooting themselves in the foot with a very clever, very slick, very expensive, but ultimately horribly misguided ad campaign. I’m sure you’ve seen these ads all over the place. The message in them is clear: Buy Microsoft phones, so you’ll never get distracted by how cool your phone is.
Now, I know that there is a greater message that everyone can get behind: Don’t ignore your loved ones or walk blindly across the street because you are engrossed in your handset screen. Yes, that’s a great message, but you know what? This isn’t a public service announcement. Microsoft is trying to sell you on a new phone, and instead of emphasizing its unique UI or features and overall sexiness, they are asking you to part with your hard earned money for a phone that is just adequate at doing what a smartphone should minimally do.
It’s as if Apple is in the game of selling a delicious ice cream sundae with caramel, sprinkles and a cherry on top (the iPhone), and Microsoft is trying to convince people that they should buy hearty, bitter vegetables (Windows Phone 7).
The reason why people are so engrossed in their iPhones is the dazzling retina display, the tens of thousands of powerful apps and games, and the simple clean UI of iOS. If people are paying hundreds of dollars upfront, and thousands of dollars in recurring monthly services, they want a desperately sexy phone that they can admire and fondle as often as they want.
It’s really a shame that Microsoft made such a nice OS in Windows Phone 7 and they are paying millions of dollars to make sure no one buys it.
Really, Microsoft?!?!?
Sigh…
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I *think* the idea of the ads is meant to be about how smooth the OS is and how easy to use the phone is – that you can dictate when you use it and not the other way around.
But I agree that it’s badly done and doesn’t seem to ‘sell’ many handsets.
Then again, they’re clearly targeting the demographic that thinks that everyone else is just too obsessed with their iPhone – is that because they know the WP7 phones aren’t as good?
I think that’s the point though, there is no market for people who think that others are too obsessed.
Or, to look at it another way, these people are the entire market, because everyone thinks that OTHER people are too obsessed with THEIR phones “but not ME”.
And to extend my vegetable/ice cream analogy, we all know that veggies are better for us than ice cream, but we’d rather have ice cream and it’s easier for us to aspire to getting some ice cream. So at best Microsoft is fighting an uphill battle with these ads, and at worst, they are telling people not to buy their phones.
You know what I have the HTC HD7 here on the desk and it is a very good
looking phone!
yea, until you turn it on…
I love my HD7, it has the best call quality I had an Iphone 3gs and Nexus one and my wife always saying that the call quality is amazing. I love the Music and Video player, The email app. There is still some work to do in The Map and App market but I really think it’s a good OS.
I agree that the ad sucks.
Oh come on Michael, it’s a gorgeous screen and whatever you say about
Windows Phone 7, it is at least unique and distinctive!
Love the ad. the OS is great to use. Amazing design. I recently upgraded to the htc 7 Trophey, but as it didnt have a slot for the memory card I had to send it back and pick another htc cos 8GB just ain’t enough. They’ve done a fantastic job. But… they have missed out a few important things. [to me anyway] Can only have a qwerty keyboard when typing a txt, which makes it difficult. cant set own ring tone or message tone. as soon as u set up facebook, it adds every sodding contact to my phone contacts. That really rattled my cage along with when i deleted my msn contacts from my own phone contacts it acctually deleted them from my msn account too. Not a happy boy. At least the Android Desire HD gives the optin. So Windows needs to sort themselfs out. Am gutted I did have to give it back though. Maybe in 20 months…
sorry, I was confused. I thought I was dissing the rubbish earlier version which had WinMo 6.5 will the HTC UI trying desparately to hide that fact.
What I got from the ad is that the phone guy can hold his pecker with one hand while the guy next to him needs both.