To celebrate the holidays, Microsoft employees, who were selected from across the country, gathered together, meeting each other for the first time, at the new Microsoft 5th Ave Store to spread some holiday wishes. Joined by a local NYC children’s youth choir, they share a message of peace and harmony with their neighbor down the street.
Here’s a video of the event.
The commercial is well done; if any of these Microsoft employees decide to quit, it seems like they would have a shot at making it as singers.
But after watching the video I wasn’t sure what to think though.
- Was it simply a matter of Microsoft wishing its competitor a Happy Holiday season?
- Was Microsoft waving a symbolic white flag and acknowledging Apple’s success?
- Was it a way for Microsoft to align itself with a better known brand, as a way of marketing itself, much like companies do with celebrities? Perhaps it could be viewed as an tacit endorsement of Microsoft by Apple, given that the Apple employees are shown hugging the Microsoft employees at the end. And they probably didn’t have to pay Apple anything for being featured in such an ad. Pretty clever if that was the plan.
Anyway, I’m going with my first thought; it’s just meant to be a heartwarming Christmas commercial, and I think it has succeeded in doing so.
But if you want to read other people’s interpretations of what the commercial means, just check out the comments section of the YouTube video of the commercial. All I can say is, you’ve been warned.
By the way, I’ve also thought that the perfect ending to the commercial would have been to have Bill Gates and Steve Jobs exchange gifts from their respective stores, hug each other while saying Merry Christmas., and then walk off together with their backs to the camera.
While I know this would have been impossible to do so (for many reasons, but one of them is kind of obvious), I think I’ll keep that image in my mind every time I see the commercial.
I wish Microsoft, and Apple, a happy, and prosperous, holiday season.
Borden's Blather 