Making Microsoft Cool

If you get the chance, pick up the latest issue of Fast Company and read about advertising guru Alex Bogusky and his firm's quest to help Microsoft connect with its market and become "cool." It's a fascinating read into a monolith trying to steer clear of the iceberg and change its image. I don't agree, however, with the controversial F.C. website comment of "All Microsoft needs to make products like Vista and Zune cool is better advertising" (Hello? Have you used Vista? Maybe if it didn't freeze up every 5 seconds, I might think it's, like totally hellacool, without needing any ads featuring funny Daily Show comedians, thank you). The print article is a voyeuristic journey into a company's high school insecurities and how they are taking on the bullies with their checkbooks:

MSFT: Mom, all the kids want to play with Apple and they picked me last for dodgeball again.

MOM: Well, dear, let's go to store and buy you some new clothes and pricey sneakers because I hear that's what all the cool kids are doing.


MSFT: You mean, all I have to do is change my clothes? Don't I need to be more user-friendly, less prone to viruses and hacking, not need to be restarted so often, and play obscure European indie musicians in my ads to get attention?

MOM: (laughs) Don't be stupid, dear. This is America. Just look the part.

In all seriousness, I am proud of MSFT for taking this $300 million look at their reputation and attempting to finally get their branding house in order. For too long, each group within MSFT has acted like a completely different company, even those targeting the same audience groups (One of the article's treats is it's timeline through MSFT's bad advertising). Now, stepping across the aisle, I don't think any company can "buy" their way to cool with sexy advertising. And part of what makes Apple great is what is at it's core (pardon the pun) - the advertising is just a representation, an extension of that inner soul. You can't glam up even the worst products - what is that famous quote that good advertising will just make a bad product fail faster?

But again stepping back over the aisle, bad product is not all together MSFT's problem. This company has a lot of smart people making amazing products. Indeed, companies have been built and serve the masses based on MSFT products, and even this blogger runs her life on Outlook and Vista. But the company's problems to date can be summarized as follows:

1) lack of cohesive brand
2) lack of cohesive messaging
3) lack of thinking that any of that is important for growth

It's like the smart kid in class who stubbornly scoffs at others, saying, "I'm smarter than all of you so that should be enough to bag the prettiest girl in school" and yet, the Homecoming Queen will settle for a guy of average intellect is he takes a shower and smells nice. Sometimes, you just have to try a little bit, you know? I'm also haunted by visions of Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies. While trying to endear himself to his son, Scott, he says, "Look, I'm cool" and proceeds to do a robotic version of the Macarena. Scott rolls his eyes and storms out. Most likely to pour out his angst onto his iBook.

MSFT does has glimmers of genius in the branding world. Just ask any gamer about the marekting blitz for Halo 3. It included mockumentaries with "interviews" of the war "veterans" and the story of a monument to those killed to create an even more realistic and intricate world for fans. You can't fake that kind of cool. Unfortunately, I think it was a purposeful decision to create an "XBOX" brand that separated itself from the MSFT brand for a reason. I mean, that rebellious Goth kid doesn't want you to know his dad's really a preacher and a pretty boring, stable guy.

Even as a branding and marketing consultant, I would never advocate that "all it takes" is good advertising. I'm just saying branding in general (which BTW goes beyond just advertising) can and will make a difference if you get the core of your house in order. You can't just buy cool - you have to walk the talk. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it. And I'm thinking MSFT's own worst enemy in the branding war is itself; when asked for a comment for the article on this exciting effort to really connect with its market, all MSFT would say, from an undisclosed spokesperson, was "They understand our company and where we want to take it." Seriously? A whole article on how MSFT is trying to overcome it's "out of touch", nerdish, self-conscious and self-absorbed image and one bland sentence of ink is all you can spare for the reporter? Ladies and gents, actions speak louder than words. MSFT has a ways to go to creating a rabid fan base - and understanding how brand needs to permeate everything you do.

The new branding efforts are due to arive in July. I can't wait as I really do want them to finally get it. The most humorous quote in the article was from Rob Enderle, an influential advisory analyst for tech companies. He said, "Nobody messes with anyone in the tech industry the way Apple messes with Microsoft. It's the first time I've seen a major national campaign that disparages a competitor, and the competitor just sits back and takes it. If somebody tried to do that to Oracle, you wouldn't be able to find the body."

Let the games begin.

**In full disclosure, I am a consultant on a MSFT project - unfortunately, not the branding one.