Microsoft apparently planning to offer custom-painted MacBooks in new retail stores
Faithful Macenstein reader Brooks writes:
“I was for whatever reason looking through the slides leaked of the new Microsoft retail store and came across something I found rather odd. In the slide about the personalization of products that can be done at the Microsoft store they use some interesting products. I wonder if they’ll be selling Blackberry Pearls (which don’t run Windows Mobile) and Colorware’d MacBook Pros.”
[via Gizmodo]
Microsoft fail
You have to admit that you’d be drawn into a store full of items like that. If only to discover new color combinations to avoid.
That, my friends, is what we call a ‘moodboard’…
The slides were made by Lippincott, a consultancy that specialises in brand strategy. As such, they probably felt using Blackberrys and Macs in their presentation woud better convey the message they are trying to get accross, since these are *much* stronger brands — at least in the hardware space — than Microsoft itself or any combination of “Made for Windows” products. Kind of ironic, come to think of it.
Interesting, designers don’t really seem to have much experience with Microsoft products. Of course, it doesn’t help that Microsoft doesn’t even advertise anything they actually make.
I imagine that some design group was asked to find images of “techie-stuff” to clutter the backgrounds of images. The designers, generally being bored and ironic, decided to add products that M$ would NOT show off in a retail environment. Some art director then said the pictures were too colorless and to liven them up but didn’t catch on to the fact of what exactly the products were. So they were colorized, cropped to not be too obvious and sent to the client. Check cashed, hilarity ensues.
MS has somebody who approves all copy, so if this is an authorised release, they know about it.
Besides, MS makes MORE money on a copy of Windows run on a Mac than they do on a comparable Dell. You and I shell out a lot more than the 35 or 40 bucks they pay. I doubt Apple will offer any bulk discount to an MS store, but they can’t decline to authorise them if they meet the requirements established for others . i.e. Best Buy. Antitrust issues, and all. By adding the color MS gets the mark up they need.