The Windows XP ad included images of people flying

Feb 7, 2020 12:28 GMT  ·  By

Windows XP was one of Microsoft’s most successful operating systems, there’s no doubt about it, and while the world’s now struggling to give up on Windows 7, it’s the 2001 version the one that that’s being remembered as the first “modern” Windows.

Launched on October 25, 2001, Windows XP was released to manufacturing on August 24, 2001, at which point Microsoft’s marketing staff started the critical task of preparing a massive campaign supposed to show the world what the new OS was all about.

The Windows XP marketing push also included a commercial showing flying people and featuring Madonna’s Ray of Light as the soundtrack, but Microsoft’s leadership team decided to pull it some two months before the launch of Windows XP.

The reason was as simple as it could be. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, Microsoft believed that a commercial with flying people wouldn’t be the right way go, so it decided to create a new commercial with a different theme.

The marketing department at Microsoft then started the work on a new Windows XP commercial, but continued to use Madonna’s hit for the soundtrack. Parts of the original video without any flying people were used for other Windows XP ads. The soundtrack, however, didn’t make much sense given the updated campaign, but Microsoft’s staff just wanted to get this done as fast as possible in the remaining time before launch.

The Redmond-based software giant originally said that Madonna’s song was specifically picked because it aligned with the marketing campaign and thanks to its optimistic message. It’s not known, however, how much Microsoft paid for the rights to use it. Previously though, Microsoft paid no less than $12 million for Rolling Stones’ Start Me Up, which was used as the theme song for the launch of Windows 95.

Yes, you can!

Microsoft originally announced that it wanted to spend no less than $1 billion on the marketing campaign for Windows XP, and the first commercial was playing a key part in this. The company first planned to use the “Prepare to fly” tag line for the campaign, but eventually decided to switch to “Yes you can” after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Both were supposed to highlight the improvements that Microsoft introduced in Windows XP, as the new operating system was equipped with a long list of new features, but also with notable performance improvements versus its predecessors.

However, due to the September 11 attacks, Microsoft replaced campaign slogan without changing the song, while also turning to other marketing stunts to tell the world that a new Windows operating system was coming. Microsoft said it specifically abandoned the initial version of the tag line to avoid criticism.

For example, on August 24 when Windows XP reached the RTM phase (this was before Microsoft abandoned the commercial and dropped the slogan), the company placed RTM copies of the operating system in briefcases, which were then handed over to officials of PC manufacturers and Microsoft partners. These representatives then left the Microsoft Redmond campus using helicopters that were decorated with Windows XP marketing materials.

At some level, all these efforts really paid off, as Windows XP eventually became a super-successful Microsoft operating system. Living proof is its market share today, nearly 19 years after its launch, as some devices out there are still running the 2001 operating system. Windows XP officially reached the end of support in April 2014, but given its features and improved hardware support, it continues to be used by agencies and organizations out there, especially in closed networks.