A number of us have been talking about how poorly Windows Mobile is marketed in other threads. It seems to be the consensus that Windows Mobile could have done a lot better and could still do a lot better if it was marketed properly.

So what would you do if you were Mircosoft?

Would you suggest "Pulling an Apple" and start trash talking your competitors?  Would you make commercials showing people how to use Windows Mobile and all the cool stuff it's been capable of for almost a decade? 

What would be the smartest move that Microsoft's Windows Mobile marketing team could do?

Adam Z Lein:

So what would you do if you were Mircosoft?

I think they should definitely steer clear of trashing Apple. That is for products which really can't compare with the rivals.  If they stick to showing just how great WM is, that will be te best route.

There a superb Microsoft advert, Your Digital Lifestyle ("Girl From Mars"), which shows off all of the Microsoft range for the gadget literate all to a really funky music track. This works so much for me!

If they can run an advert which centres on the Windows Mobile, but still includes the sync features, that would work great.

But, I think that they should wait until just before the release of WM7 and then advertise large.

WM7 is going to be a whole new experience, so if they can advertise the new face of Windows Mobile, people will be more likely to embrace it. WM6 is great, but people will see the UI and make the assumption that nothins changed. If they tried it before and never got to grips to with it, they probably won't give it a second chance. If they a whole new interface and are then shown all that Windows Mobile has been able to do for decade, plus the advancements that Microsoft are making for the new release...

I think that the 20 million projected licences could be smashed. 

Thanks for starting this thread, Adam! And, just a reminder/incentive for anyone reading and thinking of posting: We (MS) are really listening, and you can be certain that your feedback will be forwarded to the right people on the marketing and product development teams.

There seemed to be quite a few really good ads on the internet over in U.S. MSNBC.COM was running it for quite a long time - don't see it now.

I worry that we're in danger of the word 'blackberry' and 'blackberrying' becoming genericized trademarks. But how do you name a mass of different devices all running the same OS - Windows Mobile.

Laura Rooke:

I worry that we're in danger of the word 'blackberry' and 'blackberrying' becoming genericized trademarks. But how do you name a mass of different devices all running the same OS - Windows Mobile.

I remember back in like 2000-2004 or so, my friends would often refer to my phone as an iPAQ even after I had switched to the HTC Himalaya and Magician.  They'd say, "Look it up on your iPAQ."  By the time they started calling my devices "Pocket PCs", Microsoft had changed the name to something like Windows Mobile 2003 Pocket PC Phone Edition and then Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition for Pocket PC Phones.  The "Pocket PC" and "Smartphone" monikers were much easier for consumers to understand.  Now we've got "Windows Mobile Powered Devices" in "Professional" and "Standard" flavors, but that's still way too many sylables and way too complicated.  I think that naming change reduced the popularity after the original iPAQ and Pocket PC craze.

Are we supposed to refer to these devices as "Windows Mobiles"?  That doesn't sound very good. It's even difficult to say.  Maybe we need a name like "Xbox" or "Zune".  Although manufacturer's are starting to learn about making good names.  "Touch Diamond" is a really nice name.  Touch Cruise, Mogul, Advantage, Blackjack, Dash, Shadow, Omnia...  all very cool names, but there's nothing tying them together.

It's a difficult one because I've always felt that ads trashing the competition are really low blows and leave a bad taste in the mouth. That said there's a thin line between showing your product is better as opposed to trashing someone elses. 

I think they could do something on the lines of the Duracell bunny add where you have someone with a WM device, and then other people with BB, Apple, Nokia etc. The folks are walking down the street in a row all making a phonecall. Then they all get a "you have mail alert" and the Apple guy sits down on a bench looking sad and the other guys carry on walking. Then the WM guy and the Nokia put on bluetooth headphones and the BB guy site down on a bench and the other guys carry on walking. Finally they come to a cross roads and the Nokia guy sits down, flip to a screen shot showing TomTom and the WM guy strolls off into the sunset with Queen's "Don't stop me now" playing in the background.   

Dave Parker MVP:

The folks are walking down the street in a row all making a phonecall. Then they all get a "you have mail alert" and the Apple guy sits down on a bench looking sad and the other guys carry on walking. Then the WM guy and the Nokia put on bluetooth headphones and the BB guy site down on a bench and the other guys carry on walking. Finally they come to a cross roads and the Nokia guy sits down, flip to a screen shot showing TomTom and the WM guy strolls off into the sunset with Queen's "Don't stop me now" playing in the background.   

I think you've definitely missed your calling.

Laura Rooke:

I worry that we're in danger of the word 'blackberry' and 'blackberrying' becoming genericized trademarks. But how do you name a mass of different devices all running the same OS - Windows Mobile.

Dear Microsoft: Remember what you do VERY WELL??? Do we remember Bill Gates saying years ago that every household would have at least one PC???? OK! so since WM runs on numerous devices!!! Which is awesome! Make Owning and Having a WM Device a LIFESTYLE! make it a necessity item that compliments lifestyles....integrate it into everything a person can do throughout the day: Need I say more?

One the best points about Windows Mobile is that it has the expandability through 3rd party apps.

A vanilla Windows Mobile has great functionality especially when it comes to fitting in with the enterprise model. But a Windows Mobile device loaded with rd party apps is near limitless in its possibilitie.

You could have advert following 5 people from differenet professions from a Doctor to an Architect to a Florist to a regular person on the street. The advert shows the professionals needing something urgently and then downloading an unnamed 3rdPA and then immidiately being able to complete their job. You end on the person on the street, having a great time, then turning to their Windows Mobile and extending that fun with another 3rdPA.

You could even edit in fragments of the install process to show just how easy it is to do.

I think there is so much usuabilty to WIndows Mobile that you could only do it justice by have a series of adverts bestoling its virtues.

I think the testimonial-style commercials could work too... similar to that stupid pilot commercial.

Maybe something like...

"It was such a revelation when I first held it in my hands and touched that screen. I could listen to all my MP3s, make phone calls, watch videos, surf the internet, do emails, and manage my contacts, appointments, tasks all in one amazing little device.  It even told me how to get places using GPS.

That was five years ago, and today I'm still using Windows Mobile"

At first I wrote for the tagline, "Find out what Windows Mobile can do today," but the functionality really hasn't changed a whole lot.  It still does all those things it has been doing for a long time, just in smaller packages with more form factors basically.  That's why I'm wishing for a killer feature, that no one else has come close to offering.

As Shane Robison of HP said - and all those who saw last weekend's quiz know this

"The true power of the cloud happens when you have continuous interaction between your device — your smartphone, laptop, TV — and the network, and they jointly act on your behalf. Here’s a simple example: say it’s 2 p.m. and your calendar shows you’re booked on a flight to Toronto at 6 p.m. Your device should have the smarts to anticipate what information you’ll need for this trip and then proactively gather it for you — a weather forecast for the Toronto area, a status update on your flight, a recommended route to the airport based on up-to-the-minute traffic conditions, and so on. In this scenario, the big step forward is the pervasive, proactive and highly personalized nature of cloud services. "

Laura Rooke:

As Shane Robison of HP said <snip>

NOW we're talking about innovation!   Who cares about this finger-friendly touch stuff?  None of that improves mobile device functionality anyway (it can actually reduce usability if you look at trying to launch programs on the Touch Diamond or find contacts on the iPhone).

Adam Z Lein:

Who cares about this finger-friendly touch stuff? 

Yes - I'm not too sure I like this finger touch screen stuff. Just today my son's phone rang while he was outside - I knew who it was and that he would want me to answer it. So I picked it up and tried to do that slide thing with my thumb to answer the call - I really don't think that I have an unusually short thumb, but about 7 times out of 10 , I cannot slide the bar across enough to answer the call. By the time I try the two handed approach, I missed that call. And I remembered at that point how frustrating the iPhone can be and why mine has sat collecting dust for the last few months.

Adam Z Lein:

It still does all those things it has been doing for a long time, just in smaller packages with more form factors basically.  That's why I'm wishing for a killer feature, that no one else has come close to offering.

I agree - it's almost as if WM does TOO much, and isn't easy enough for consumers to identify with on an aha! level that compels them to want to buy RIGHT NOW. This is essentially what Robbie Bach said in his interview that I posted about  - he mentioned "iconic" devices, in which (I assume) it's not about ALL the features, it's about a single amazing experience, or an incredibly appealing form-factor experience.

Bill Fisher:

"iconic" devices, in which (I assume) it's not about ALL the features, it's about a single amazing experience, or an incredibly appealing form-factor experience

People (or consumers, whatever you want to call them) seem to look for that one unique thing in certain products so that they can show it off in public "in the shortest period of time". If you can "WOW" me in less than 5 seconds, then you certainly got something worthy.

Moto RAZR example: Take it out of your pocket, flip it open with one hand, show its super thin design. You certainly got my attention the moment you got that small thin phone out of your pocket.

iPhone example: Take it out of your pocket, unlock with a swipe, flick through home screens, flick scroll through contacts. By now you WOWed me enough to want to look deeper into it.

And those are just two examples. I am sure there are lots more. Microsoft came out with Windows Vista and thought its 3D tabbing would WOW people. Honestly, how many of you use it? I know I don't.

Microsoft, we totally support Windows Mobile. But if you want to attract other audiences besides business users then you need a WOW feature that people will notice right away and must use every time they take out their Windows Mobile device. We've seen dozens of WinMo device manufacturers trying their best to attract people's attention with their cool form factor but in the end it's all about the software. Therefore the WOW factor has to come from Microsoft's software (Windows Mobile) and not the hardware.