Now Microsoft has tapped Publicis Groupe's Razorfish to handle digital consumer
marketing for both Surface and its Windows operating system as the
brands move into holiday-planning mode. Razorfish already handled
Microsoft's Xbox and Bing accounts and recently lost the Samsung business to
Interpublic Group of Cos.' R/GA, the incumbent on both the
Windows and Surface brands.
The shift follows Microsoft's move last month to centralize its
internal marketing and bundle its product offerings under a "One
Microsoft" platform.
"The decision to switch digital online advertising agencies
arose due to competitive conflicts with the previous agency," said
a Microsoft spokesman. Microsoft would not elaborate on the
conflict. But R/GA's new win from Samsung, which now competes with
Microsoft in a number of categories, seems like an obvious
suspect.
Razorfish has a tough job ahead. Surface didn't make it onto
IDC's list of the top-five tablet players in the second quarter
(see chart). Developers were reluctant to build apps for Windows 8,
instead opting to focus on the more popular iOS and Android
operating systems. The product launched without Facebook and
Twitter apps, for example, although both have since started
developing on the platform.
Yet Microsoft remains undeterred. In the last nine months, it
has expanded Surface from eight to 30 markets and announced plans
to sell the device in 17 additional markets. Nor has it toned down
its gutsy ads -- the latest is an attack ad on Apple's iPad --
supported with $84 million in U.S. measured media last year,
according to Kantar Media.
If all that can't save the tablet, what can? Possibly Xbox.
Microsoft has largely ignored its most-popular consumer product
when marketing its Windows 8 ecosystem even though the gaming
console might be the most compelling reason to buy a smartphone or
tablet running Windows 8. But is it too late to make that
connection? Forrester's Charles Golvin advises not to count
Microsoft out.
"One thing Microsoft has as a core attribute to its company is
stick-to-it-ness," he said. "Another thing they have is lots of
money."
Contributing: Tim Peterson, John McDermott