Microsoft has put out a video (that’s supposed to go viral) for Microsoft Office 2010 and several times in the video you can clearly see the actors using BlackBerry devices. Ordinarily this wouldn’t be a big deal because a lot of people use BlackBerry devices, however, when you create a competing device, one that for years has been hammered by the BlackBerry, you would think someone might have thought to use a mobile device running Windows.
The video, which is supposed to play like a preview for an upcoming series of 24 or a trailer for a Jerry Burckheimer movie, although kind of cheesy, is actually quite well done. There is no doubt that Microsoft paid a pretty coin for this . Too bad for Microsoft, however, that Reasearch in Motion will get as much if not more publicity out of this for the BlackBerry as they themselves get for Office 2010…
To put it simple the ad/production company should not be paid a dime for this. These type of careless mistakes are beyond unprofessional.
Why would RIM get any attention from this? Only Blackberry Fanboys would even know its the back of BB. And an old one to boot. If anything, people will be mostly scratching their heads over how this crappy commercial is supposed to be selling an Office Suite?
It blows my mind how much money companies have to waste. Tom is right, most (if not all) people wouldn’t even notice the guy was using a BlackBerry, you have to be a big BlackBerry fan to identify it right away.
Why would Microsoft use blackberry devices over windows in an office 2010 video? SIMPLE. To increase the chances of the video going viral. Using a blackberry device in a windows ad pretty much guarantees gadget sites will blog about it (and of course include the microsoft video for all to see). I, for one, have read about this “mistake” 3 or 4 times in different blogs, and have watched the video twice. No doubt I would never have seen it had microsoft not “accidentally” shown a blackberry device. Good work Microsoft!