Really, Microsoft? That's Your Insight?

Microsoft is about to unleash Windows Phone 7 on the world. And they’ve already started teasing us with commercials for the world’s newest Smart Phone. There are two that I’ve seen. If you haven’t seen them, watch them HERE and HERE.

They’re beautifully shot, well executed, simple and cool. I can’t say enough about them. But in my opinion, there’s one glaring problem here. The human insight that makes these spots go, just isn’t true. Kind of makes the creative a moot point.

Here’s the rationale from David Webster, chief strategy officer in Microsoft's central marketing group. I just pulled this quote off the internet without really checking my sources. I’m not a journalist, so cut me some slack here.

“Our point is to say that the right phone design can allow you to get in, get that done and get back out, which is really what I think most people would strive to do if the phone didn't interfere with that by making them do too many steps, go down too many silos, switch paths too many times.”

Well sir, I disagree. Sure, iPhone and other Smart Phone users might be annoyed about the number of steps (by my estimate, it takes three touches just to get to the phone keypad on my iPhone). But we don’t walk around staring at our phones like zombies because they’re slow or technologically cumbersome.

We’re staring at them because we’ve never held so much information in the palm of our hands before. This is new to us. We’d rather be engaged with our new toy than the world around us. In fact, I’m most zoned into my surroundings during the 30 seconds while I’m waiting for my Scrabble app to load.

I’m surprised Microsoft would build their creative campaign around this insight. Haven’t we learned anything from the other technological advances over the years that were supposed to make our lives more efficient? They don’t make life easier, they just bring on more work, longer to-do lists and tighter deadlines.

Now that’s a strategy I would love to see a strong advertising agency tackle. Really.

Quaking in their e-Boots

Has there been enough said about the iPad? Um, yeah. Has it been mentioned that the iPad could have a drastic effect on sales of The Kindle? I’d say yes to that too. But why has there been so little chatter about how Amazon (makers of The Kindle) is advertising it? Let’s take a look at the creative for The Kindle, and see if we can answer this question.

Without digging too deep, I’ve seen their new TV spots, website, and one print ad.

The print ad version I saw is on the back cover of last week’s Newsweek. Ironically, the front cover article is titled, “What’s so great about the iPad? Everything.” Between the glowing review for the iPad and all the free media publicity, no wonder the Kindle people are quaking in their e-boots.

The visual in the ad is more or less an actual-size hand holding what I assume is a more or less actual-size Kindle with all of the links of “Madelyn’s Kindle” on its screen. I think they used this image when they introduced the product, and I still think it works. But this word-driven product distracts me with lots and lots of words in the ad. The headline is “Amazon’s #1 Bestselling Product.” Seriously? If this is where the strategy of the brief sends the writer, there are probably plenty of “bestseller” lines with a little more wit and panache. And I wonder what Amazon’s #2 selling item is…a snuggie, a Twilight poster or Bridget Jones Part III?

The ad also has a series of call-outs, such as “Long battery life. Read for up to 2 weeks without recharging.” These call-outs point out what makes the Kindle great and perhaps even life changing. But c’mon, the iPad has now pitted you in competition with the geekiest (in a good way) company out there. You need to raise the coolness factor of your product in a simple and visually clean way.

And Amazon’s #1 bestselling product knows this. Which is why they made a few new TV spots. And these I really like. Each spot uses stop-motion to tell a visual story about a person finding themselves in many different worlds simultaneously. There’s light, fun music playing and the tag at the end says, “Books in 60 seconds.” This is the differentiating message that the Kindle needs and says it all in 4 words. Plus, it has more tech appeal than the print ad, which seems to be speaking to an older crowd that’s a bit more fearful of tech or change.

Now, as a consumer I’m intrigued. So I go the website to learn more, or perhaps even order one. And here’s where it all falls apart again for Kindle. The official website is the product page on amazon.com. So let me get this straight…this product that’s going to change my life is being branded and sold on a page that looks exactly the same as the page where I bought a new vacuum cleaner? I trust the website’s ability to ship me the product, but I’m left with 13,000 customer reviews, an intro video, some product specs, and no consistent messaging.

Overall, the print ad and website are incredibly unsexy, but the TV spots are showing a little cleavage. Will this cause confusion for the average consumer? Probably not. But when you’re competing with a similar product where reading is just one of many options, you need to do a better job of putting your stake in the ground as the e-book leader.

Perhaps the reason there hasn’t been munch chatter about Kindle’s advertising, is that they’re not exactly sure themselves of what they should say or how they should say it.