Microsoft @ Saks 5th Ave? Surely, You are Joking!

Had I not read the above for myself, and looked at a picture of the “installation” I would never have believed such a thing.

First, would the prices not have to be inflated about 30% above retail for the people at Saks to remain happy; second, should we not necessarily assume that the Saks crowd is, by design, a hardcore Mac contingent? [Could there ever be a PC with the proper design sensibilities for them?]

But, there it is, in Maximum PC, for all the world to see ...

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Look, no one’s going to claim that Microsoft has really mastered this whole retail thing. That’s not to say they aren’t trying. The software company that recently brought you a Microsoft Store in Arizona, has now stepped it up to a small PC equipped space in Saks Fifth Avenue in New York.

While the spirit of providing free internet access is certainly appreciated, the design is a little awkward. Maybe the low chairs and high tables are by design; a way to get people to move along quickly? There is also an associated twitter stream for the promotion. You can check it out at #holidaywindows. Tweets from the tag are used to populate a screen in the Saks storefront window.

Microsoft may be a bit on the reactive side, but they were smart enough to know some sneaky internet types might try to spam the tag. Sure enough, if you check the tag online you’ll likely see some pro-Mac content. But Microsoft assures us that there are filters in place so only comments in the holiday spirit make it to the actual Saks windows display.

Whatever.

It just screams, “We don’t have a clue about advertising, same as always!”

Microsoft should simply stick to selling to the corporate arena and pocket protector crowds, and let them disseminate the information to their relatives.

Nothing has a more “WTF‽” feel (including the interrobang) than people shopping at Saks for operating systems and computers. The only analog  to this I can think of is going to Pink’s in Los Angeles [famous for their hot dogs] and asking at the counter for some Head and Shoulders shampoo.

There must be a Cuil level assigned to this immediately.

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Technorati Tags: Microsoft,retail stores,retail sales strategy,Saks Fifth Avenue,non sequitur,WTF?!,FUBAR Designs Inc,Pink’s,Head and Shoulders

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the Microsoft wake up diagram…

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