The New Microsoft - Zune

This will more than likely become a running theme here, as Microsoft continues to reinvent itself in efforts to keep up with Apple and continue to enjoy its overwhelmingly huge market share. They are doing a lot (the Seinfeld thing was stupid) but other than that I feel like they've pretty much rocked this out in every way imaginable. So first up on the list of how Microsoft is reinventing itself.

The Zune.
Not but a few days ago, Microsoft unveiled a new marketing campaign for their mp3 player which is a direct attack on Apple, iTunes, and the iPod. The new campaign site features Wes Moss, Certified Financial Planner. For those unaware, Wes Moss isn't some guy Microsoft invented. He's actually legit! I would have preferred Jim Cramer, but he's already on YouTube physically crushing a Zune that coupled with I don't think Microsoft wants the "loud, angry, yelling" marketing strategy. My guess it wouldn't as been as friendly/fun as this guy. Moss has been on CNBC and Fox Business News. Never the less he sells this well, the commercial sells it well, really the whole thing is put together brilliantly.

The website also features a fun iPod calculator known as the "Max'd Calculator" that lets you dial up the amount of GB you or your friends have in music and they directly reports the balance of what that would cost on iTunes. All the while continually saying "or 14.99 a month with Zune Pass." The best part is every single mp3 player size you can choose from is of course...an Apple iPod. Talk about going straight for the juggular.

Wes Moss is featured in three small web shorts. "$4 bottles of water, $5 cups of coffee, there are obvious places we can save money. One place that isn't on the radar, $1 songs." The graphics show assume we are talking about Starbucks, but certainly uses the iTunes logo as an attack. Now while I've known the math behind what it would cost to fill an iPod all along, I'm not exactly a multi-billion dollar company who can shoot these commercials in my free time. The point is these things are brilliant. Microsoft is clearly hard at work trying to keep Apple in their ever continual choke-hold. Below are all three spots via youtube, but I personally encourage you to visit the site to get the full experience (in slightly higher quality no less.) Here is the link.
http://www.zunepass.net/#/why