Early indicators show that three weeks since its release, Microsoft's OS Windows 7 has become a best seller. The question is, what part of its ad campaign played a role in that success?
First the stats: On November 2, NPD Group reported that Windows 7 boxed software sales over the first few days of its release were 234% higher than those of its predecessor, Vista, for the same time period.
In another measure, Net Applications said that Windows 7 has already gained a 3% OS marketshare.
Family Guy Fallout?
In preparation for the rollout, Microsoft had planned a formidable - and potentially controversial - campaign that included a high-profile sponsorship of a half-hour episode of the Family Guy on Fox Network. No commercials would run; the entire show was to be about Windows 7.
However, Microsoft pulled its support of the spot after Windows 7 was released, saying its preview of the edgy animated show was not compatible with its own vision of the Windows 7 brand. (Warner Bros. will be advertising the upcoming movie Sherlock Holmes instead).
The Tip of the Iceberg
For all its hype, the failed Family Guy sponsorship was just a small part of a larger campaign strategy for Windows 7. Microsoft is still using TV, print, online banner ads, outdoor posters and social media games to promote the theme "I'm a PC and Windows 7 was my idea." The concept acknowledges general consumer and business dislike for Vista, and promotes Microsoft's use of consumer feedback in Windows 7's development.
The Ghost of Vista
Parsing through the sparse ad metrics available for Windows 7 so far, the data appears to support the fact that Microsoft was on target with the idea that consumers and businesses would give Microsoft another chance - if not for the ghost of Vista.
Net Applications, for example, found that Apple's market share remained the same, even as Windows 7's grew. If consumers had believed that Windows 7 was a Vista-like replay, the reasoning goes, Apple's share would have bumped up noticeably as consumers threw up their hands over Microsoft and moved to a competitor.
NPD suggests that the price cuts and other relentless Microsoft promotions - executed in conjunction with brand plugs - have been partly responsible for the success.
