That original challenge and the online campaign launching this week, are examples of a funnier, sharper, more direct and aggressive -- and sometimes snarkier -- approach to marketing for the software giant generally known for more earnest, wholesome ads. It could even be seen as the scrappy move of an underdog -- which Microsoft is in search and mobile -- if such a thing could be said of a company that logged nearly $70 billion in revenue and $23 billion in profit in the past fiscal year.
I do wonder if this was planned all along, or Ben Rudolph's mad idea for CES has snowballed as the PR team let him run with it, and they've just held on as it grows. No matter how it's got there, the Microsoft team have found their message, it feels organic, and they are letting it evolve at its own pace.
Where it goes after this? The obvious step is mainstream media, so expect to see some adverts on a TV station near you (or perhaps in the cinema)? Wherever it goes, getting Microsoft to talk about Windows Phone in a positive way is a good thing.
Hat tip to Windows Phone Metro.