I have been very impressed with microsoft's mac office banner ad campaign. It is human, engaging and unavoidable on a page.

Of particular note is the soft sell. Microsoft isn't trying hard to sell me something, it is trying hard to make me smile, and really that is best way to approach me and any consumer.

I only wish the rest of microsoft could learn to be this charming.

Labels: banner ads, illustration, Microsoft, Microsoft Office

For years now we have seen ads and product placements in video games. And it makes sense too, gamers spend more time playing games than watching TV. This market space is projected to grow to over a billion by 2010. Sony recognizes the potential and it is opening up a division dedicated solely to selling ads on PlayStation games. This aligns well with Microsoft’s recent affinity towards becoming a media channel.

The latest trend was sparked-off by Burger King last year when they developed and sold a series of Xbox games featuring the BK mascot. They grossed about $14 million on this adventure. Toyota recently got on the “Advertgame” bandwagon and released free Toyota Yaris videogame for download.

The advertising landscape continues to change. This is just another example in many. The three things that remain consistent are repetition, integration, and targeting of message across several channels and outlets. For example, BK ran TV ads in conjunction with the videogame release, and Toyota is showing up to music festivals and comic book conventions to pound and reinforce their messages.

Read the full Washington Post article that sparked this post.

Labels: advertising, marketing, Microsoft, Sony, video games, xbox

Halo 3 is quite a sensation.
I haven't played it yet but I am looking forward to it. But there is a series of three commercials which are really exciting, and well done. These are called the Halo "Believe" campaign.



One of the impressive steps that have been taken with the marketing for this new version of the game is to give a sense of how vast and momentus it is. Microsoft is trying to push the story almost as much as the gameplay. This may seem strange when talking about a first person shooter, but the riveting and still developing Half Life series has shown that a substantive story can really evolve in these games.



Bungie and Microsoft are pinning their hopes on this world of conflict in which the main character, Master Chief, fights and then fights some more.

Here is the best:



These commercials are notable because they do not involve gameplay and are slow paced, quiet and almost reflective. They are excellent because they really do make me want to play the game.

the 90 second spot (less compelling but still powerful):

Labels: advertising, commercials, halo, Microsoft

The most compelling attribute about the iPhone is the touch screen and gestures that control it. Why? Because interfacing with this device is different, and some argue, more natural than other devises.

User experience and usability will continue to only see marginal improvements until onscreen interfaces can receive a different and more engaging form of input, as demonstrated by the iPhone.

As it turns out, the touch screen taping, dragging and gesturing are not all that unique or new. It’s known as “Surface Computing” which uses multi-touch and multi-users input and has been around since the 80’s.

This technology and interface is good for photos, videos, maps, etc… basically, anything that requires a simple command in order to do something, such as “play” or “pause”. More complex applications are sure to follow, especially in the military.

Microsoft has been working on something similar since 2001. However, their approach is more encompassing and integrated – it is its own software/hardware platform.

Microsoft Surface is a “me too” technology – for the most part, until you take into consideration the multi-device interface. Imagine putting your digital camera on the Microsoft Surface tabletop, and immediately seeing your pictures display on the screen. And then imagine dragging some pictures to your mobile phone – which you had also placed on the Microsoft Surface tabletop. No wires. Phones and cameras are just two of the devises that the Microsoft Surface tabletop will recognize… it will also recognize credit cards, music players, PDAs, etc.

I am really excited about all this because it allows for people to work together and simultaneously on the same computer, use fingers and gestures and all is done around a table – which has many positive socio-psychological attributes.

As with anything, it’s worth keeping an eye on any potential “gothas,” especially for the really young, really old, and those with low hand-eye coordination. Also, the gestures might be hard to learn – and maybe even frustrating.

Regardless, Microsoft Surface releases this winter. I want one.

Labels: Apple, iPhone, Microsoft, usability, user experience

If you care about usability, and why good ideas go bad, and read nothing else on the subject, please read this: Clippy and User Experiences.

This is a (kind of) insider account of how Clippy got made, and the author evidences the same perplexity we all have when good ideas go wrong:

"There was a lot of research at the time around how many people interact with computers by anthropomorphizing them - that is, treating them like a person rather than as a tool. I guess the theory was that if you could provide an interface for the computer that expressed emotion and that you could interact with, you would be less likely to develop animosity toward your PC (much like the impassive camera lens of HAL9000 caused tension), and would actually be encouraged to learn and interact."

Look, we all know Clippy was the hallmark of usability research gone wrong--but no one can quite say why. Here's what I see:

"There was a lot of research at the time": Yes, lots of research, lots of big ideas. Long tail, anyone? Portals maybe?
"if you could provide an interface for the computer that expressed emotion"--Interfaces do not express emotion. People STILL want them to do this in one way or another, but they don't. Look, even Lt. Cmdr. Data is annoying after five seconds, and he's way more advanced than a PC. People want their machines to be--well, machines.
"you would be less likely to develop animosity toward your PC"--Did it EVER occur to anyone that developing animosity towards one's PC had more to do with the Blue Screen of Death than, I dunno, ctrl+F+S?

I came across this article when I was looking for an example of over-reverence of "usability" for my project management class, because I have the (sinking) suspicion that many bad ideas come from charismatic, flighty project managers. I don't think I'm wrong, either--Clippy was *definitely* the brainchild of someone who prided him or herself on "strategy" and "usability". No doubt he or she is still a millionaire now, but Clippy--not so much. He's back to working at Staples, organizing the other paperclips into little cardboard boxes, wondering--like all child stars--what happened. "I coulda been a contender!" Clippy says, while hustling the other paper-clipping devices into a staff meeting.

Labels: Microsoft, Microsoft Office