WARM UPS. Start Something” with old Microsoft

Start Something” with old Microsoft

Task 14

Microsoft is about to embark on one of the biggest, longest and most expensive advertising campaigns ever – for a product that is at least four years old. The massive fifteen-month, $200 million extravaganza will focus solely on the Windows operating system, the last release of which was Windows XP in 2001. Many industry analysts see the move as filling the gap until the next version of Windows, codenamed Longhorn, arrives, slated for sometime late next year. Other marketing experts believe the campaign is in partial response to Apple’s yearly releases of its significantly improving and impressive OS. This seems unlikely considering Microsoft enjoys a near 95 percent slice of the OS market. Microsoft’s take is simply that it wants to revitalize consumer interest in Windows.

The campaign is called “Start Something” and will be encouraging all computer users literally to start something new, follow their dreams and pursue what they are passionate about, of course by buying and using Windows. The ads show a window over the hearts of people, revealing a multitude of “passions”. Strangely, the new www.windows.com/Passion website is somewhat limited to just five passions – cooking, education, music, sports and travel. Visitors to this site are invited to “Start something fun. Start something productive.” Further clicking will lead to starting things appetizing, educational, sonic, athletic or worldly. Unfortunately, these new “somethings” seem as unoriginal as the outdated Windows OS itself. Regardless, Microsoft wants us to believe its aged software can rekindle and fire our passions.

1. CHAT: Talk in pairs or groups about: advertisements / Windows (95, 98, 2000 or XP) / Apple products / computers / dreams / passions / cooking / education / music / sports / travel… For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

2. PASSION BRAINSTORM: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “passion”. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.

3. MY PASSIONS: In pairs / groups, talk about your own passions.

• What kinds of things arouse, excite, inflame or stir up your passions?
• How do you control, curb or restrain your passion?
• Do you have any all-consuming, burning, deep, smoldering, animal, frenzied or wild passions?
• What kinds of things do you have a passion for or are passionate about?

Change partners / groups and inform your new partner(s) of what your previous partner told you about their passions. Ask the same questions to your new partner(s).

4. GOOGLE PASSIONS: We did a Google search for “I have a passion for” and came up with the following:

I have a passion for ~

• writing
• plants and flowers of all kinds
• sports
• politics
• wine
• people
• music
• life and learning
• the color purple
• food

Talk to your partner / groups about to what extent you share these passions.

5. MICROSOFT WINDOWS: Read and comment on the following thoughts about Microsoft Windows:

a. I love Bill Gates.

b. I don’t understand why Microsoft doesn’t bring out new products.

c. Windows has revolutionized my life. Don’t know where I’d be without it.

d. My Windows OS keeps crashing and freezing. I’m fed up.

e. I like Microsoft’s new “start something” message. I’m going to start something new right away

f. I want to know what the difference is between Windows and Apple.

g. I know for a fact I don’t have a passion for Windows or computers.

h. I don’t think I need a computer operating system to pursue my passions.

Дата добавления: 2015-01-03