14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft signed a $400 million (330 million euro) advertising deal with the NFL last year, so the company’s branding is pretty much everywhere you look during every game, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that the company itself is pleased with how things are going for its Surface lineup.
To make sure that more NFL fans find about its Surface, Microsoft has rolled out a new video to showcase the powerful capabilities of the tablet, even though the ad reveals some options that are not yet available to users, including a waterproof case that allows the device to be used when raining.
But this new commercial comes only a few weeks after NFL announcers mistakenly called the Surface “iPad-like tools,” without knowing that the teams had switched to Microsoft tablets.
So, this new video also comes with a hidden message, trying to make more people aware, including announcers that is, that the Surface is the official device in the NFL.
NFL using iPad-like tools
In a recent NFL game, commentators looked at the players gathering around a Surface with a blue case, and after mistakenly calling the tablet “an iPad” twice, one of them actually changed his mind and described the device as “an iPad-like tool.”
While this is embarrassing for the announcers themselves, it’s also a sign that Microsoft’s marketing push in the NFL isn’t quite as effective as the company hoped, so this new video could make more people aware that the Surface is there and is being used by all teams.
"In a sport where speed and performance matter, NFL coaches and players trust Microsoft Surface by using it on the sidelines of every game to help them strategize and win. But Surface is also used by coaches, players, and most importantly fans off the field to help them be more productive. See why Surface is the most productive tablet on the planet and the Official Tablet of the NFL," the video description reads.
Microsoft brings the Surface on the sidelines
As part of the deal with the NFL, Microsoft is providing the necessary technology for teams and staff, thus bringing technology on the sidelines for more information on the game itself.
Coaches can change formations, players can better understand what they need to do, and the sports won’t be affected at all, NFL representatives say.
"When you think about the sidelines, what is most important for us is how you make the game of football better, make what the coaches and players do better, using technology but preserving the competition," said Brian Rolapp, chief operating officer of NFL Media. "The challenge is how to bring technology to make it a better experience for them and for the fans.
