Smoked by Windows Phone No More: It’s Time to Meet Your Match

A new Windows Phone 8 campaign aims to pit Microsoft's smart phone entry against the competition

It looks like Microsoft is finally ready to move beyond the highly successful “Smoked by Windows Phone” campaign. But Ben Rudolph’s next move is aimed around pointing out the same superiority that Windows Phone has over the smart phone competition. And it’s called “Meet Your Match.”

“Meet Your Match is a different take on our Smoked challenges, focusing not just on why Windows Phone is faster, but also on why it’s better, easier, more useful, and more fun,” Mr. Rudolph writes in a post at the Windows Phone Blog. “The soul of Smoked – a side-by-side comparison of us vs. the other guys – hasn’t changed, but now it’s about why our phones and features are a better match for you, no matter who you are or what you’re into.”

This theme nicely corresponds to the new Windows Phone 8 manifesto, which I love: “When we set out to make a smart phone, we didn’t make one for all of us. We made one for each of us.” You can see this in the great new ad for Windows Phone 8.

But back to Meet Your Match.

Microsoft has created a series of videos, each of which shows real people putting their smartphone—and more importantly, their idea of what a smartphone can do—to the test against Windows Phone, according to the firm. They’re pretty effective, as you can see for yourself:

And as with the previous campaign, Rudolph will be taking Meet Your Match on the road, with in-perosn challenges in malls all and Microsoft Stores all over the US, as well as in the UK, France and Germany. Love it.

Discuss this Article 17

rjohn05
on Nov 19, 2012

They seriously need to run these on TV. These are good!

Steve
on Nov 19, 2012

I agree 100%. This is what WP users are doing with their friends and family now - or at least that's I'm doing.

It would address Paul's theory on why WP isn't being adopted at a higher rate as well - education. Ok it partly addresses his article it doesn't fix the slight from grocery stores not having an app for WP.

WaddlzInMn
on Nov 19, 2012

MS definately needs to have this type of informational ad on TV for WP8 and W8. People who don't read tech blogs need to be able to understand how these products really do provide a better experience for non-tech users. It's an uphill climb becuase it has taken so long, but it's here and MS needs to propogate this information to the general public.

ozaz
on Nov 19, 2012

So they're promoting these on the Windows blog and Youtube channel. What's the point? Its just preaching to the converted.

Like rjohn05 says, needs to be on TV!

ejlee072006
on Nov 19, 2012

Kids corner has to go primetime not you tube

zorb58
on Nov 19, 2012

YES! They need to use the great talking points and show the comparison of the iPhone vs Lumia 920 on TV. The videos could be easily condensed.

Also, I'm tired of Kids Corner... I feel like highlighting it as a touchstone feature is going to turn younger people off... If Microsoft wants to change their perception and blow the market wide open, they have to highlight more "trendy" features (which Windows Phone has by the way). The name is freaking annoying too.... Makes me squirm when i hear it. I think they should have made it as an exclusive, suggested app from the store and market it that way...

GoodThings2Life
on Nov 19, 2012

I'd love to see these as TV spots, but they're too long for most commercial spots, and I'm not sure how they'd keep the full message in a shorter time since these feel heavily shortened already. But I imagine these make good web "commercials" for the Hulu-type streaming services... and plus "shares" from people like us.

ValJean
on Nov 19, 2012

Finally, MS has an effective ad campaign to accompany quality products. Now they need to get the Woz on a commercial, and it's game over.

ryanrpalmer
on Nov 19, 2012

I agree that these need to be on TV. Look at the iPhone and iPad ads. They promote simplicity and style and they actually SHOW you what an iPad or iPhone does.

There needs to be a WP8 or Surface commercial that shows someone actually USING the device to show the audience just how simple it is.

studio4llc
on Nov 20, 2012

I've noticed during the past two weeks Hawaii Five 0, NCIS LA and one other network program have been using the Surface RT. NCIS LA has been unsing the Windows 7 phone and SkyDrive since they were introduced.

geeko
on Nov 20, 2012

"It looks like Microsoft is finally ready to move beyond the highly successful “Smoked by Windows Phone” campaign. "

If it was so highly successful, why did absolutely no-one want to buy a Windows Phone? And why has WP market share only been slimming? (Which should not even be possible, so small it is.)

meelahi
on Nov 20, 2012

Like one mom in the third video...... YES! YES! YES! YES! These are really well done! Focus on different aspects of the phones in different videos in a enticing way.
But as virtually everyone pointed out, NEEDS TO BE ON TV! And more!

pjs37
on Nov 20, 2012

I agree as well these entirely need to be ran on TV. People would buy a Lumia 920 just for the camera and Parents would buy any Windows Phone just to keep their kids from messing up their phone.

Jacob_Grochowski
on Nov 20, 2012

These should definitely be on TV.

thundr35
on Nov 20, 2012

I saw so many surface ads on foodtv and they didn't really say ANYTHING. THESE are what should have been playing. They tell what the product is and why you should use it.

TxRx
on Nov 20, 2012

Seriously would the camera test comparison pass muster with another Android phone other than the lower end of the market's Android phone?

I'd doubt that one would be able to be aired in uk on the un-fair comparison basis.

sharpsone
on Nov 20, 2012

Yes, it would beat the other cameras. There are many comparisons available on the internet that show the 920 has a superior camera in low light and normal lighting.

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