YouTube Video Promoting Microsoft
Windows 7 Launch Parties

If you’re the world’s largest software maker and an econmic bellweather for the nation, is there a wrong way to use YouTube to promote a product launch? It would seem that Microsoft, or one of its many ad agencies, has crafted several not-so-spontaneous videos to promote Windows 7 operating system “launch parties”.

One of these videos prompted independent social media consultant B.L. Ochman (@whatsnext)to tweet emphatically:

whatsnext: Microsoft! say this Windows 7 launch party video is a hoax http://bit.ly/OLeLD

Check out the video and let me know what you think.

I like the part where the guy on the left ostensibly says, “Call customer service if you have any questions.” Play the vid at that spot and you can see that a voice has been dubbed over while the other three are on screen nodding their heads. Still, is this the wrong way to do “informal”? The goal is to promote and facilitate Windows 7 launch parties.

Were social media experts involved in concepting, staging and publishing this slightly disturbing production?

In Microsoft’s defense, there are no rules about who can use social media and in what way. Why is it wrong to script a video with the intention of giving an informal feel so that it looks more natural on YouTube? You could argue that is has a much better chance of being effective. We’re not asked to believe that these are real people, or maybe they are real people. They seem sorta kinda real.

The video has been viewed over a million times. What does that tell us? (genuine question) I’m guessing the ad agency has some state-of-the-art metrics for views, discussions, links. Juicy stuff. What sorts of conclusions are they drawing? If nothing else, the video has sparked some conversations. Let’s keep an eye out for more.

One thing I can’t quite hear: (wish I had the script!) At the beginning of the video, one of the “hosts” says, “The four of us, along with hosts worldwide and you…” Did I get that right. “Hosts worldwide” is not an agency of some kind, it’s all the other hosts around the world that will be holding Windows 7 launch parties. Unfortunately, no one has invited me to one yet, and, at this point, I don’t plan to host my own.