Microsoft's Blue Monster
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Oh my, it turns out that Microsoft really is scary after all. |
Maybe just a little.
Microsoft has a new mascot, called Blue Monster--and it's not from the mass-marketing gurus that came up with the "Wow is Now" campaign for Windows Vista. Blogger Hugh MacLeod drew the creature, which he offered to buddy Microsoft employee Steve Clayton. MacLeod also is a cartoonist and marketing strategist; he doesn't work for Microsoft.
Bearing the tagline, "Microsoft: Change the world or go home," Blue Monster is supposed to represent the vision of the company's employees. If they can't make the world a better place, they should give up.
In a blog post yesterday, MacLeod explained the ongoing discussion with Clayton that led to Blue Monster's creation: "For too long, Microsoft has allowed other people tell their story on their behalf--the media, their competition and their detractors, especially--instead of doing a better job of it themselves."
I agree and not. Some of Microsoft's more than 3,000 bloggers do a good job of marketing the company in a meaningful way. As for the marketing geniuses behind the "Wow is Now" campaign, next week's Windows Vista launch will put their storytelling skills to test. Apple's "Get a Mac" ad campaign has set a high bar for Microsoft to follow.
Back to Blue Monster: The character is a clever idea, although he is ugly. I can't imagine that the marketing gurus in Redmond would ever choose a monster to represent the company. After all, many people have accused Microsoft of being a monster, given some of its business tactics. Those accusations are perhaps the best reason for Blue Monster, frightening failure to do good.
Clayton first blogged about Blue Monster in October, but MacLeod's post is generating renewed interest in the creature.
Yesterday, in response to Blue Monster, Charlie Kindel, product unit manager for Windows Server Incubation, expressed support on his personal Weblog. Kindel says he often is asked why he still works at Microsoft, after 17 years. His pat reply: "I can't imagine anywhere else where I would have a greater chance of changing the world." He added, "I love the Blue Monster and how it illustrates what we've done, what we're doing, and what we're going to do."
Most Microsoft employees that I know share sentiments similar to Kindel. Their employment is as much about making the world a better place as making money working at Microsoft. It's unfortunate that this idealism doesn't always translate into corporate business practices--although, I must admit, things are changing in Redmond. Employee Bloggers like Clayton and Kindel are forces for remolding Microsoft's corporate culture and interaction with partners and customers.
In a video discussing Blue Monster's origins, Clayton talks about Microsoft "reinventing itself. It's a new evolution of the company."
What's really scary here--at least for the professional marketers--is the home-brewed, moonshine marketing coming from Microsoft employees like Clayton. Maybe the professionals should change their marketing strategies, or go home.
Comments (12)
Tsk. The Blue Monster...he's perfect! Sweeping the board, 4 houses on Boardwalk ready to buy a hotel. And...if you don't like it, Ubuntu your self. Do not collect $200.
Little blue bastard couldn't represent Microsoft any better. Yes, go home indeed before he eats you and everything in his path.
Addicted to his own behavior, disdaining excellence for absolute power, he corrupts our souls absolutely...if you let him.
He represents all that is bad in human nature. Left to his own devices, he will corkscrew himself into oblivion. Hurry, Blue Monster. Hurry.
Posted by Mobutu Ubuntu | January 25, 2007 12:10 PM
I think that phrase sums up the problem with Microsoft. So much potential and too little follow-through on almost every front.
Posted by Chad | January 25, 2007 1:00 PM
Is the blue monster Microsoft, listening for the sentence "Change the world or go home" or is he talking to Microsoft saying "Change the world or go home" ?
I think there's no definitive answer to that, everyone can have his own reading, and that's what MacLeod's cartoons are all about.
Posted by jmdesp | January 25, 2007 1:55 PM
Hugh MacLeod can't draw real people so he draws doodles and his strategy is simple: to brownnose various bloggers and thus to get attention. This blue monster mascot is BAD for Microsoft, is shallow, yet some unimportant employee of Microsoft - Clayton - fallen for Hugh's trick.
Of course Microsoft is changing the world because it has big market share in various areas, but the questions is: for good or for bad? And what is important is "how" and not "if".
Posted by Comic Strip Blogger | January 25, 2007 2:21 PM
A shallow and badly-drawn cartoon for Comic Strip Blogger:
http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/003384.html
Posted by hugh macleod | January 26, 2007 2:35 AM
Comic Strip Blogger: can you draw real people? Well, itīs your "interpretation" of real people.
The McLeod cartoon: I think most readers and posters here donīt get the irony behind it. The cartoon rather says: "Well, Iīm Microsoft. I should start the day with a smile. Not take myself too seriously. Weīre doing good work. We believe in our work."
Itīs more about turning the monster image against Microsoft critics, because you at Microsoft just use it yourself.
Posted by Helmut | January 26, 2007 5:41 AM
Comic Strip Blogger cannot draw... he merely traces, using a Tablet PC, from the looks of things.
And all he ever writes about is A-Listers, trying to get their attention [which is a form of brown nosing, if you ask me].
Besides that, he is utterly bereft of original thought.
But I suspect he knows this already... likes having a go at me to make himeself feel better, I suppose ;-)
Posted by hugh macleod | January 26, 2007 6:29 AM
jmdesp gets is right - the cartoon is open to interpretation. For me it's about the great work that Microsoft does that I think (IMHO) can and does change the world. for others it may be a rallying call to microsoft or from microsoft. that's the beauty of it.
Moonshine marketing - I like that too Joe :)
Steve
Posted by Steve Clayton | January 27, 2007 9:26 AM
I've always been intrigued by a retailer selling me a car without an ignition key, then asking for extra cash to fit locks to the doors!
It appears that Vista takes this one step further, the used car dealer is not even permitted to change the spark plug leads!
Still, most drones accept on their desktop what they wouldn't accept in the family car....
Posted by sapper_k9 | January 28, 2007 6:00 AM
Not sure I understand the analogy sapper - can you tell me what you really mean?
Steve
Posted by Steve Clayton | January 28, 2007 6:15 PM
Well, I like it. I detest many of the Microsoft business practices, and am not enamored with much of their code, but I like the monster.
Posted by C. Conrad Cady | September 14, 2007 2:08 PM
Green Gili Monster.
Fun to say, better to draw!
Posted by Keep Calm | September 24, 2008 11:50 AM