Microsoft has been guilty of some pretty egregious marketing campaigns in the past, but a video that's making the rounds this week has to rank as one of the most appalling, and funny. And for this reason, it's getting more exposure than Microsoft probably anticipated.
Microsoft is inviting thousands of its employees, partners and fans around the globe to host Windows 7 launch parties from Oct.22 to Oct. 29, in return for which they'll receive a free copy of Windows 7. The idea sounds like an interesting way to build buzz around Windows 7, but Microsoft's video, which shows four demographically diverse party planners going over the minutiae of how to plan and hold a party, is an hilarious study in micro-instructiveness.
The video is apparently aimed at folks who've never thrown a party of any sort in their entire lifetimes, and have accumulated absolutely no knowledge of how to proceed. It includes several gem quotes from the party planners, including "In a lot of ways, you're just throwing a party with Windows 7 as an honored guest" and "Of course, the first thing you want to do is install Windows 7."
The party planners suggest that hosters first take a look at some of Microsoft's pre-taped videos which show off various activities that highlight different Windows 7 features, such as showing party attendees how to burn a CD. Once that has been achieved, the party planners' advice to hosters is to stand back and let guests experience the joys of Windows 7 firsthand.
"So for the rest of the party, you just leave your computer on and running, and then just let folks mess around with it," says one of the party planners.
Windows 7 has been a largely positive experience for Microsoft and its partners, and it looks set to wash away the bad memories of Vista. Perhaps Microsoft is aware of this, and is simply looking to offer its customers some comic relief in advance of Windows 7's official Oct. 22 launch.
