Can you feel it? Windows 8 is coming. As I write this, we’re less than two weeks away from general availability on October 26, which will be preceded by a big launch event in New York the day before. With only a few days to go, Microsoft has decided to kick off the advertising campaign for its OS, which according to Forbes will cost somewhere between $1.5 and $1.8 billion.
Microsoft has teamed up with ad agency and long-time partner Crispin Porter + Bogusky – the team behind the “I’m a PC” ad campaign – to reimagine the traditional Windows marketing efforts. The first TV spot, titled “Windows 8 is Coming Soon,” focuses on the number eight and the wide range of Windows 8 experiences, from laptops and all-in-ones to tablets. Sharp-eyed viewers will notice that all of the devices shown in the 30-second commercial are from Microsoft’s partners. You won’t see a Surface in this particular ad.
This first spot, which Microsoft calls a “preview of [its] advertising campaign,” begins airing on television today.
Update 10/15: Microsoft has also started advertising the upcoming Microsoft Surface tablet. Check out the TV spot below.
