Microsoft picks ad firm for "Pink" phone
updated 11:00 am EDT, Wed July 1, 2009
MS Picks Ad Firm for Pink
Microsoft has picked the ad firm that will represent its "Pink" smartphone interface, sources said Wednesday. AdWeek hears that a contract bid has been won by McCann Erickson's TAG group, trumping others. The leak doesn't include any details of what "Pink" involves but adds that McCann already handles advertising for Windows Mobile, supporting the phone connection.
The project is currently assumed to be a superset of the upcoming Windows Mobile 7 platform that would add elements of the Zune interface and significantly improve the operating system's support for music and video. Microsoft has openly signaled that it intends to spread the Zune concept to smartphones and is under pressure to close a large gap between its own software and Apple's. Much of Windows Mobile 6.5's media foundation is still based on software dating from Windows Mobile 5 and has led companies like HTC to build their own replacement apps.
It's now suggested by a leak to ZDNet, though, that Microsoft has just one phone maker tapped to produce phones based on the initiative and that it's likely to be either Motorola or Sharp, either of which has worked with recent Microsoft acquisition Danger on producing Sidekick messaging phones. "Pink" may involve interface choices similar to what exists on Sidekicks today.
A launch for the specific interface still hasn't been dated, but Microsoft is still understood to be rushing Windows Mobile 7 in an attempt to avoid the delays that also hurt Vista and could have shipping devices in stores by April.











hopefully...
07/01, 11:40am reply
Hopefully, it will feature Ballmer and Jason Alexander in a 5 minute discussion about traffic jams, panda bears, pudding pops and the real estate market.
eldarkus
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Joined: Feb 2004
The Only Thing Worse
07/01, 11:51am (1 reply) reply
The only thing worse than Microsoft taking years to release its kludgy, clunky bug-infested software is Microsoft rushing to release its kludgy, clunky bug-infested software.
But hey, Baldmer successfully managed to kill the iPod, so why not kill the iPhone and complete Apple's utter demise?
Foe Hammer
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Joined: Feb 2005
LOL
07/01, 11:52am reply
I'd love to see Ballmer in pink.
jarod
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Joined: Apr 2005
LOL (2)
07/01, 12:20pm reply
"I'd love to see Ballmer in pink."
She wouldn"t
garmonbosia
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Joined: Aug 2002
alright!
07/01, 01:37pm reply
Now we've got 'sources' who claim to know an ad group has been picked to run a campaign for an unknown device that will be released at an unknown time, if it exists at all.
Next up, more information on Apple's "Asteroid" project, and what Apple is really going to do with 'mammals.org'.
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001
Pink
07/02, 12:16am reply
Rhymes with "stink".
slapppy
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Joined: Mar 2008