This is where it could get tricky and where it *could* be subverted by groups wanting some of the Blue Monster “kool aid”. If that happens I for one will be disappointed but I honestly don’t see any groups within Microsoft ready to take the risk and use this in any mainstream way. Thankfully Hugh made it too off piste else it would have drowned by now in some cheap shot marketing gig.

This started at the grassroots and will grow bottom up, not top down. As I’ve said in many other blogs, I keep waiting for the brand police to call me and ask me “wtf” about this. It’ll be a shame if it comes to that but it’d be more of a shame if it gets bastardised for some quick, cheap, new age coolness for some group or other within Microsoft. I’m a little sad that it was used in the way it was at Web 2.0 Expo and will guard against that but given the cartoon is freely available and not owned by me (or Hugh actually) we run the risk of it being mis-used. I’ve already stopped a few of those efforts in the hope that it’s growth will continue to be organic, bottom up by people who actually take the time to understand the message behind it.

This thing was born out of a few people wanting to see a change. Some internal, some external. I hope it continues that way and it’s essence doesn’t drown in marketing. I don’t work in marketing…never have, probably never will so I have a vested interest in that not happening.

Thanks for raising the discussion Tara – it needed to be aired now to help keep the Blue Monster untarnished. For as long as we can anyway.

My observation have just finished 30 years with one such organization (a Bank) is that the problem lies in organizational inertia. Every day going to the work with the same people, getting the same memo’s (yes paper memo’s) from the same HQ. When new and disruptive things don’t fit within the realm of that space, everyone resorts back to what they know, and what they know, is what they have been told.

Everyone is smart in isolation, and many know the the answer, yet everyone acts collectively as the organisation expects them to … groupthink.

Microsoft will only be changed from the inside, by people with no stake in the old ways, and who are sufficiently knowledgeable about the new. Oh, and a mind transplant to Ballmer might help – not the most open minded chap in the world

Link: ::HorsePigCow:: marketing uncommon » Subversion as a Marketing Tool. Comment left at Horse Pig Cow: (this is just a general rant, not addressed to anyone in particular) This is a game that’s been going on since the beginning of…

This is a game that’s been going on since the beginning of mass media. Check http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/259919.html from 1997 for an overview from the 1960′s to now.

The problem with subversion, is that it is always subverting the mainstream. So, it’s always too complex, complicated, and cutting edge for the majority to make use of in any form except a watered-down myth used for marketing mainstream goods and services.

One lesson that I’ve taken away from the study of Calre W. Graves’s theories about human nature http://clarewgraves.com is that people can only change in ways that they are ready for, and only when they are ready for change.

Most of “mainstream” developed world society is not ready for the type of change that would allow them to adopt social norms, technologies, and mediums that resemble those used by cultural “subversives”. However, I think there is evidence that many people in “mainstream” developed world society are partially ready a change that partially resembles the technology, social norms, and mediums of cultural “subversives”. Microsoft realizes this, and they use it to capitalize on this readiness for change. But, microsoft offers the technology, mediums, and social norms of the existing “mainstream” as a it’s catalyst for change in it’s realm of media/technology. This can fool some people for a while, but eventually the picture becomes clear.

So, how do people who are not just trying to capitalize on “mainstream” societies readiness for change help contribute to something that affects real change?

* Recognize the existence of unique local conditions

* Figure out what types of change people on local levels are ready for.

* Realize that the biggest catalyst for change will not be a technology, nor even a medium, but rather a new set of social norms that people will use to voluntarily co-govern how they will use those technologies and mediums

* Create you technologies and mediums in ways that are flexible enough to allow people to easily use them within their unique context, in ways they are ready for right now, to solve problems they actually care about.

If you really need a macro trend to look at, then realize that the social norm that is emerging in many areas is that people are starting to trend to recognize more and more natural and human created resources as a “commons”. And, they are starting to apply voluntary rules to co-govern these commons. And, perhaps most importantly THIS is a type of change that a huge amount of people ARE ready for, NOW….

Microsoft realizes there is some truth in there, and RATHER THAN TAKE IT AS A WEAKNESS, they turn it around and USE IT AS A STRENGTH.

in other words, they acknowledge the truth of occasionally acting monstrous, perhaps a bit evil, perhaps a bit lumbering goliath, the “800-lb gorilla” label that has become so much cliche… much the same Leviathan as the IBM they tricked out of hundreds of billions of market cap over 15 years ago.

and yet, for those of us geeks who’ve been through the times when Microsoft was so incredibly dominant — and to some extent still is — there actually is some unshakeable & demonstrable brand recognition and value there.

i mean, who WOULDN’T be a little afraid of Microsoft, if they decided to go after your market / niche / platform? they DO have a history of inexorable extend-embrace-devour — RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED — whoops, sorry, an inexorable BORG-ishness that is… well, hell i’ll say it… admirable.

i love the campaign. it’s great. it’s honest. it’s powerful. it reminds me of how fierce a competitor Microsoft can be, and how significant its impact once it focuses on a target.

is that bad? not completely.

is it funny or humorous? you bet. i snicker each time i see it.

is it accurate? absolutely.

is it memorable? utterly.

nice job hugh.

You do know there was a fourth point that you completely overlooked, right?

All will be revealed, fret not

Microsoft isn’t fooling that many folks. “Why sure, I’ll take the free swag…” and go hunt down an Apple or install Linux

…though, they may be fooling themselves. Which is totally their prerogative. Ah, well, they were alerted. (Me too. I see a massive sea change coming.)