Microsoft - House Party - (2009) 6:10 (USA)

One of the shitty things with ads on youtube is that people never look at the info posted with it (if there even is any). People are up in arms assuming this dreck with stiff as wood actors, token black guy and the mystery food that suddenly appears is an effort from CP+B to be funny by mocking bad, but fails because it is that bad. Well, you're wrong. House Party are helping Microsoft with their global houseparty Windows 7 launch. Not limiting themselves to "house", Microsoft calls them launches, and state: "hosts who are accepted into the program will pick one of four "party themes" and receive special "party packs" to help them throw their events -- plus a "signature edition" of Windows 7 Ultimate to keep afterward. Non-Microsoft employees who throw parties will also be eligible for a sweepstakes to win a mini-notebook computer worth $750." The party slots on the house party site for Microsoft 7 launch have all been filled.
This is not the first time that Microsoft has hosted parties with House Party, they also launched the New Xbox Experience House Party with them in 2008.

As terrible as you think the film is (and it is), see it in that context, it's inviting fanboys to parties where they may win stuff, and Microsoft has had a successful run doing this sort of thing before, even if they're keeping mysteriously mum about this world party launch.

Bonus: Links to reactions on techier blogs -

Have Fun - But Don't break windows during Microsofts House party - Joe Wilcox, Journalist

Microsoft calling on thousands to host their own Windows 7 parties - Todd Bishop, TechFlash

Microsoft Windows 7: Partayyy! - Dana Oshiro, ReadWriteWeb

Get Windows 7 Ultimate for free - by throwing a party- Nilay Patel, Engadget

Is Windows 7 Software, Or Tupperware?- Dave Methvin, Information Week

Agency: House Party

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Sputnik_Barconi

- September 25, 2009 - 16:13

Another take on it - the web is fast!

Microsoft Windows 7 House Party (web-censored version)

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Dabitch

- September 25, 2009 - 16:23

The slow-down of sound at the end making it sound like sex crazed wolves had me - yep - howling with laughter. (sorry about the pun but it IS Friday)

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Dabitch

- September 28, 2009 - 09:29

More chatter about this ad - the best one yet Microsoft's grinning robots or the Brotherhood of the Mac. Which is worse?

Until now. Microsoft, hellbent on tackling the conspicuous lack of word-of-mouth recommendation, is encouraging people – real people – to host "Windows 7 launch parties" to celebrate the 22 October release of, er, Windows 7. The idea is that you invite a group of friends – your real friends – to your home – your real home – and entertain them with a series of Windows 7 tutorials. So you show them how to burn a CD, how to make a little video, how to change the wallpaper, and how to, oh no, hang on it's not supposed to do that, oh, I think it's frozen, um, er, let me just, um, no that's not it, um, er, um, er, so how's it going with you and Kathy anyway, um, er, OK well see you around I guess.
To assist the party-hosting massive, they've also uploaded a series of spectacularly cringeworthy videos to YouTube, in which the four most desperate actors in the world stand around in a kitchen sharing tips on how best to indoctrinate guests in the wonder of Windows. If they were staring straight down the lens reading hints off a card it might be acceptable; instead they have been instructed to pretend to be friends. The result is the most nauseating display of artificial camaraderie since the horrific Doritos "Friendchips" TV campaign (which caused 50,000 people to kill themselves in 2003, or should have done).
It's so terrible, it induces an entirely new emotion: a blend of vertigo, disgust, anger and embarrassment which I like to call "shitasmia". It not only creates this emotion: it defines it. It's the most shitasmic cultural artefact in history.

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Dabitch

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