14 DAY TRIAL // With Windows 7 released to manufacturing since July 22nd, 2009, and set for general availability on October 22nd, 2009, the focus will soon shift on the marketing effort built around the operating system. So far, although its did start to fuel the Windows 7 fire for consumers, just as it was the case with Windows Vista, Microsoft is keeping mum on the campaign that will introduce the latest iteration of Windows to the market. However, via the video ads embedded at the bottom of the article you’ll be able to at least get a sneak peek at three video ads and infer a strategy that the Redmond-based company might opt for in the end (via Long Zheng).
Director Marty Martin shot all the three videos, and an additional two ads he did not share with the rest of the world. “Microsoft sent us out on a tight budget to shoot 5 spots in 3 days that would communicate the new approach they're taking with Windows 7 and how it resonates with college students,” Martin noted. “For 3 out of the 5 videos (this being one of the 3) we found 3 independent music artists to put together original tracks for the spots. For 2 out of the 5 videos, we embarked upon creating silly abstracts spots that indirectly communicated a feature in Windows 7.”
The abstract video advertisements are more than sufficient to properly advertise features that represent the backbone of the Windows 7 user experience. And fact is that with Windows 7, Microsoft has what to show off with, and as the video fragments prove, the correlation between the abstract ads and the operating system itself, the little that appears, is enough to communicate to consumers what the platform will bring to the table.
There’s no word from Microsoft on what exactly is the purpose of these video ads. The director himself only revealed that a Canon 5D Mark II was used, with the cuts done via After Effects, Imagineer Mocha, Shape, Motor, and FCP 7, offering some details about each ad, but with little information about what the Redmond-based company was looking for.
Windows 7 College Spots - Shake - Canon 5D Mark II from Marty Martin on Vimeo.
Windows 7 College Spots - Personalization - Canon 5D Mark II from Marty Martin on Vimeo.
Windows 7 College Spots - Catherine Feeny - Canon 5D Mark II from Marty Martin on Vimeo.