Okay, since my debut novel Bite Me! will be released next fall, I’ve been thinking a lot about Marketing. Since Fishdog is a marketing man (too bad he doesn’t work on Madison Ave. Then I could call him a Mad Man. *rowr*) we’ve tossed around ideas for a grassroots campaign and other ideas on how to reach YA readers.

It’s important to hit the mark with my audience. Like the Mac ads. Those hit the mark. They are a bucket of win and they make me laugh. They’re funny because they’re true. Take this one about Vista. (which is the reason I switched to Mac…)

I love these commercials. Actually, I spent most of this morning re-watching them. I know. I’m supposed to be working. Sorry. Here’s a link to 15 ads. 7 minutes of commercials that you pretty much can’t stop watching… Those folks at Apple know what they’re doing:

More Mac Ads

Which brings me to the new ads for Microsoft. Or what I like to call exactly what I don’t want to do when I’m marketing. Bore my audience to tears. I don’t get it. It’s not funny. Not even close. And aren’t they two years too late in responding to Apple?

Microsoft missed the mark in my opinion. Instead of spending money trying to ‘one up’ the Mac ads, they might should focus on trying to create a superior product. Because Vista sux ass. And btw, this is NOT the way to revive Jerry Seinfeld’s career.

And this brings me back round to my point. Marketing appropriately is important. And Microsoft? U R doing it rong.