Australia adapts XP tagline for launch

<p>SYDNEY: Microsoft has kicked off its largest-ever Windows campaign </p><p>in Australia to promote its latest operating system, Windows XP. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The rollout of the global campaign has not been without its </p><p>difficulties. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The original tagline "Prepare to Fly" was pulled out of respect for the </p><p>victims of the attacks on the US. Microsoft quickly changed the tagline </p><p>to "Yes You Can", posing difficulties for Australia since the new </p><p>tagline was too similar to that of telecommunications firm Optus, which </p><p>uses "Yes". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Instead, Australia will be using "Surprise Yourself". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Microsoft group manager of marketing communications, Inese Kingsmill, </p><p>said the XP campaign was worth more than US$250 million globally. </p><p>Australian marketing spend is said to be in the millions. "Globally, the </p><p>campaign will be equivalent to the first nine months of spending behind </p><p>the Volkswagen Beetle relaunch and the first two years of ad support </p><p>behind Apple's iMac computer." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The campaign was co-ordinated by Microsoft's global agency, </p><p>McCann-Erickson. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Five senior creative teams from the UK, US, Brazil, Canada and Sweden </p><p>took charge of the campaign, but each regional office was also </p><p>involved. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The first phase targeting consumers commenced at the end of October and </p><p>runs until the end of November. The second push, to begin early 2002, </p><p>will target IT professionals. Kingsmill said Microsoft would be using </p><p>the "usual media suspects" for the consumer marketing campaign - free to </p><p>air and pay TV, in-flight television, print, outdoor, radio, online and </p><p>events. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>