Clearification: Microsoft does something hip
Written on December 06, 2006 by Josh Pigford and 18 people have commented
I rarely can find cool and innovative things that Microsoft pulls off, but geez…huge props on this. One of their new ad campaigns for Vista is Clearification.
There’s so much cool content on the site. It’s really just a marvelous execution of an ad campaign. I highly suggest you take a look around. If anything, just leave it on the opening page and listen to the kid talk…it’s hilarious.
The artwork is done by Michael Gillette.
Codepope on December 6th, 2006 at 3:47 pm
Kid talk? Er, that’s the brilliant Demetri Martin.
Basically, Microsoft asked him to talk, then got it animated. It’s not that brilliant; it’s all down to Demetri and the animator.
JB on December 6th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
Uh I find while the website is original it is confusing and well within a few min I wanted to leave…
OM on December 6th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
i have to agree with you codepope. and i’ll even say that it’s a pretty bad ad campaign because a) you have no idea (aside from the vista logo in the lower left corner) that this is a microsoft ad and b) he keeps telling you to click off the site. and after about 30 seconds i obliged.
i’d prefer 10 more mac/pc ads to this one.
om
Petey on December 6th, 2006 at 5:39 pm
Gag me with a spoon.
mikelite on December 6th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
yeah, the only thing ms did was approve this site. ms ordered it up from their interactive agency and the marketing guy said “Dunno, looks cool, the kids’ll like it, sure.”
Mantiz on December 6th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
Sorry, i just found it funny, that you guys are saying that this ad campaign was all down to the creators and then praise the mac/pc ads as wonderful apple creations, the apple ads were not made by Steve Jobs you know.
I would believe it if you would just say you don’t like the site, but you are probably way too negative about m$ to even see things clearly when they are involved.
Even though it’s not one of the best sites/campaigns i’ve seen, i like it, and the fact that there are no big logo’s and banners that say vista i think is a good thing.
Justin Kistner on December 6th, 2006 at 9:35 pm
I like the relaxed conversation style and the Brechtian approach.
Steve on December 6th, 2006 at 9:43 pm
The purpose is…? Is it supposed to make me want to buy Vista? It’s an “ad campaign”? Mostly it makes me want to punch the dork and call him a sissy. He has that Will Ferrell gay thing going that definitely makes me dislike MS even more.
Grant on December 6th, 2006 at 10:44 pm
Hate to break it to ya, but this is not an ad campaign for Microsoft. It is an advertisement for Demetri Martin, whos is currently on tour and created this website to promote his tour. Vista just paid for promotional consideration and go to tag the site. There is no Vista advertising going on here beyond that.
FUDsucker Proxy on December 6th, 2006 at 11:13 pm
whatever…
Gruff on December 7th, 2006 at 9:03 am
> Hate to break it to ya, but this is not an ad campaign for Microsoft.
Actually, it is. Vista is featured in a minor role starting in Episode 2, and its presence and use grows more obvious in each following episode as Demetri learns to “self-actualize”.
Personally, I like the site, although I’ve herd from others that they’d gotten lost in the monologue and didn’t notice the navigation ribbon at the top (looking for something more obvious, I suppose). The site’s audience seems fairly specific, certainly not for your typical IT manager. These people grown up with the hard sell and are somewhat jaded and immune to it. A softer, targeted, “back-door” approach (similar to what Apple does) is needed. You’ll likely find that Microsoft opens several sites with different targets and tactics.
I daresay that if those responsible for this site had been in charge of the Zune, Apple would have truely had something about which to be concerned.
ulysseshead on December 7th, 2006 at 11:33 am
Hmmm. I likey but a bit too close for me to Max Fisher of Rushmore, who’s maybe one of the best characters of all time.
Nick on December 12th, 2006 at 9:21 am
OK, so MS must have liked Garden State or the appeal to this generation… MS feels like they are still trying to be hip and in, but frankly said after barely a minute I finally did “click off”.
I guess in the end, MS had to pay for someone to do this whereas with Apple, people do it on their own because the product really warrants it.
Iain Wall on December 12th, 2006 at 11:41 am
The site is good. As they say, “free yur mind”
Most of the commenters here dislike the site, purely becasue microsoft made it, and that goes against “St. Steve”.
bob on January 15th, 2007 at 11:19 am
Anything to help Demetri Martin to jump the shark is a good thing. He is going the way of Howie Mandel…
Ben on April 18th, 2007 at 9:54 am
“Hate to break it to ya, but this is not an ad campaign for Microsoft. It is an advertisement for Demetri Martin, whos is currently on tour and created this website to promote his tour. Vista just paid for promotional consideration and go to tag the site. There is no Vista advertising going on here beyond that.”
the videos have alot of product placement, showing off vista, so yeah, it is kindov a vista ad campaign