Microsoft sees brand buzz jump

Microsoft’s marketing investment to support its Windows 7 operating system seems to have paid off with YouGov’s BrandIndex figures rocketing upwards.

Windows 7

Microsoft’s “Buzz”, a measure of whether people have heard positive or negative statements about the brand, jumped from 5.2 on 9 October to 23.7 last Friday (9 November).

The campaign, which features the strapline “I’m a PC and Windows 7 was my idea”, launched on 22 October, but anticipation surrounding the brand meant that the Buzz rating rose to 10.5 the day before launch.

Microsoft is keen to establish Windows 7 as unassailable before Google launches its Chrome operating system.

At the time of launch, Mike Fischer, consumer online marketing officer at Microsoft, said the campaign was designed to be “more honest and humble” than previous advertising and represented a change in Microsoft’s strategy to be about the consumer. The activity was created by Crispin Porter & Bogusky.

Microsoft’s other YouGov ratings have also risen, with the Recommend score moving from 30 on 9 October to 37.5 last week and the Corporate score, which asks “If you did your current job for this brand, would you be proud or embarrassed to work for it?” rising five points in the past month to 44.4.