A better Microsoft Surface ad on Youtube

[danieljhb]

I'm tired of seeing Surface Ads on TV that just show people dancing around with them. I feel like the reason the ipad has been so successful is because the Ads focus on what you can actually do with them. So I just cut up different ads and threw that song Final Countdown on in the background to try and highlight some of the main futures of the device. I like it, but let me know what you guys think. Obviously it's not professional quality and the song is a little goofy (reminds me of Gobe from arrested development), but go easy on me.Thanks.

A real Microsoft Surface Ad - YouTube

 

[NickA]

Very nice! I like it. Tweet it to @Surface.

 

[danieljhb]

Very nice! I like it. Tweet it to @Surface.

Thanks. I just tweeted it @surface earlier.

 

[anon(5345625)]

With a cuter font and appropriate music this would be the best Surface ad to date. Good job.

 

[rebornempowered]

I agree with you that it is very good.

I think that the advertising they are doing though is good also though. I used my Surface this morning while teaching Sunday School and all the students knew what it was and wanted me to click the keyboard on. That is a huge step forward. I had a Zune for years and nobody knew what it was.

 

[xFalk]

Good job on the faux ad. I can dance with any tablet. What's more important is what the thing can do and how is it better than all the rest. Hopefully, MS is listening.

Advertising on the Windows Phone is somewhat lame too. I think the Meet Your Match videos with Ben showing people how the phone is better for them than their current phone makes for much better ads than the ones just showing people and saying it's a phone that's not for everyone.

 

[stephen_az]

Someone has a bit of an ego. Self identifying something as a better ad? FWIW, I personally think it is long winded and detail heavy. That can otherwise be taken to mean it is exactly what does not sell products in the current consumer market. Whether one likes it or not, ads that require you to read something do not sell products because they exceed the attention span of the average consumer. There is a reason why everyone's ads are image driven - that is what gets attention and draws in the target market (geeks who live and breathe specs are not the target). BTW, most Apple ads are extremely visual since they were one of the companies that perfected the approach. The fact that they talk about Retina displays is because they already own the market and have the consumer attention by default. In comparison, the ads for the new mini only emphasize that it is smaller (visual in the extreme). The two best selling tablets by far are and Kindle Fires. Other than Retina, the respective ads from the two companies barely ever mention the actual devices. Sorry but while I would otherwise just ignore, since you have gone so far as to self proclaim you have done a better ad, I feel obliged to point out that it really misses the mark for everyone except geeks who already know the specs. Therefore, it totally misses the mark in terms of getting attention for a new product line.

 

[danieljhb]

Someone has a bit of an ego. Self identifying something as a better ad? FWIW, I personally think it is long winded and detail heavy. That can otherwise be taken to mean it is exactly what does not sell products in the current consumer market. Whether one likes it or not, ads that require you to read something do not sell products because they exceed the attention span of the average consumer. There is a reason why everyone's ads are image driven - that is what gets attention and draws in the target market (geeks who live and breathe specs are not the target). BTW, most Apple ads are extremely visual since they were one of the companies that perfected the approach. The fact that they talk about Retina displays is because they already own the market and have the consumer attention by default. In comparison, the ads for the new mini only emphasize that it is smaller (visual in the extreme). The two best selling tablets by far are and Kindle Fires. Other than Retina, the respective ads from the two companies barely ever mention the actual devices. Sorry but while I would otherwise just ignore, since you have gone so far as to self proclaim you have done a better ad, I feel obliged to point out that it really misses the mark for everyone except geeks who already know the specs. Therefore, it totally misses the mark in terms of getting attention for a new product line.

Thanks for the reply. I get what you're saying and you made some good points. It is a little long, but the original surface commercial with the dancing was 1:01 as opposed to this one being 1:18. Since they just danced around the whole time, I think this one is a little better. I just think that since they're trying to enter into an established market that they need to differentiate themselves from the status quo. Not a lot of people know what this thing can do, and since Microsoft stores are few and far between they can't go in and find out. Every time someones sees my surface running Word or Excel when I'm at school I get a lot of oohs and ahhs, and they ask if it's really running office. Same thing when I have a mouse plugged in with the USB port. When you enter the market with the same price point as the top dog you need to justify that price. A bunch of people dancing around might grab your attention, but if you know nothing about how the tablet is different then it's not going to make you go out and buy one over an ipad. When someone sees the dancing commercial they just figure it's Microsoft's version of the ipad, when in fact it is so much more.

 

[inteller]

I'll start to tweet/share this on my networks when the song is changed to something a little less goofy and the fonts are consistent. It is agreat commercial content wise though. If they put this on the air Surface sales would jump faster than a creepy pop locking school girl.

 

[odin09]

With a new product I believe Microsoft needed ads to grab the viewers attention. I thought the tv ad was great. As the surface begins to have an identity and a presence that will be the time to start telling people what it can do. From IE to Surface to WP8 Microsoft has done some of the best advertising they have ever done. Lets hope that it works.

 

[inteller]

this ad does a better job of reaching Prosumers who aren't going to kvetch on price and understand value.

 

[theefman]

Actually shows what the bloody device can do, instead of twats jumping around. Much better than the Microsoft dross.

 

[odin09]

This ad would disappear in the minds of the mainstream. The thing that stuck from apples old ads was either a catchy song or PC and mac characters. Until you draw them in the ignorant masses will not absorb the info. This ad is better for us who read forums and do research but not the populace at large.

 

[NickA]

This ad would disappear in the minds of the mainstream. The thing that stuck from apples old ads was either a catchy song or PC and mac characters. Until you draw them in the ignorant masses will not absorb the info. This ad is better for us who read forums and do research but not the populace at large.

Loved the PC and Mac character commercials. But I agree with what you say about drawing them in the ignorant. Reminds me of the Samsung SG3 commercials when the iPhone 5 came out.

 

[inteller]

i disagree, because MS has yet to present the core differentiators of the Surface to the masses like this does. And a LOT of people are really turned off by the electro dub step crap ads they have put out so far that really only say you can click a keyboard to it. The commercial with the androgenous mutt boy and the creepy schoolgirls is the worst.

 

[odin09]

I will agree that it is void of information. What it does is challenge the stereotype that Microsoft is boring and old. Apple has been the trendy and cool brand and some catchy music and an interesting and vibrant visual aims to change that.

 

[robl22]

It's all about image and belief. People by what you believe as a company, this is how Apple became so successful. Focusing on "what and how" your products before for the mass market will not develop faithful consumers. I do however agree that they can create a deeper commercial than the current dancing one. Nonetheless, the dancing commercial draws your attention and it separates the surface from the competition.

 

[soxoh4]

Very good visuals. The font isn't brilliant and the music is dire. But the visual editing is superb. Much better that the ads that MS are spending tens of millions on. Well done!