Microsoft breaks global Windows campaign
By Adnews Staff
Software maker Microsoft of Redmond, WA began a new global awareness campaign yesterday to promote Windows XP to consumers. The campaign, called "Start Something," is intended to illustrate how people can pursue their passions with Windows technology. According to the company, the 15-month initiative will be one of the largest and longest marketing campaigns in the history of the Windows brand. The global campaign will consist of 51 television ads, 39 print ads and 250 online ads, created by McCann-Erickson in association with several other McCann Worldgroup agencies, including MRM Partners and Momentum Worldwide. The effort will span 11 countries. The campaign broke in the US on April 18. The English-language Canadian campaign will begin during the week of May 2, while the French-language ads will be released during the week of May 9. The campaign will also take place in Australia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands and the UK. The creative makes use of 13 themes: education, science, music, sports, family and life management, gaming, photography, cooking, travel, entertainment, work, productivity, and entrepreneurship. Each execution uses illustrations or animation to portray Windows as the pathway to the activities about which people are passionate. Examples of the copy include "Start something curious," "Start discovering lost cities" and "Start feeding your brain." The ads use an image of a window over a person's heart. Viewers are directed to a website at <http://www.windows.com>. "The campaign celebrates how people can follow their dreams and pursue what they are passionate about, from creating an in-home music studio to starting a new business or becoming the family photographer," said Will Poole, senior vice president of Windows Client at Microsoft.