I thought Barbie was blonde?

First off, I greatly appreciate all the companies that sponsored BlogHer 2006. I think that's not only great for the strong and fast-growing community of female bloggers, but also a wonderful marketing/PR opportunity.

...If you handle it right.

Still, I had to cringe at the campy, off-target Microsoft presentation during the welcome session just a few minutes ago.

To promote its new Windows Live Spaces service, someone at Microsoft thought it would be appropriate and fun to send a couple of bouncy, bubbly, sexy, carefully scripted 20-somethings uniformed in tight t-shirts and jeans to banter giddily for about 10 minutes on home improvement. It sounded like Barbie doing "Tool Time" in stereo. Excruciating.

(UPDATE JULY 30: It seems that Microsoft may have taken a very different approach to pitching this product at Gnomedex earlier this month. Also, the brunette Barbies are actually "The Janes" from the portal site Be Jane Inc., which apparently is going to be featured content on Windows Live Spaces.)

Comments

[Josh Hallett]

Yep, our whole table tuned out after about 30 seconds. Were they promoting Spaces or their own thing? Be Jane???

[Blogger Jane]

Stepford Net, anyone?

[Nick Douglas]

If they sell stuff using "bubbly bouncy" Barbies, could they at least make them hotter?

[Leigh Strinsky]

I was so offended by "The Janes" Are you kidding me? Did Microsoft really think that a room full of strong and intelligent women would respond well to these two bubbleheads? Yet another example of Microsoft not understanding their target audience.

[Elise]

Hi Amy,
I was dying during that session. Stunned. Embarrassed. I felt for conference organizers who I'm sure weren't expecting that from Microsoft. Given the level of ambient noise in the room that went up because everyone was chatting with each other about how stupid the presentation was, I am really hoping that the Microsoft representative got the point. What a disaster.

[Kristin A Mak]

Thank you for your feedback. I’m from Microsoft and attended BlogHer 06. I agree with you on our approach at this year’s conference and I’d like to let you know our intentions were genuine. We attended the BlogHer conference to show our support to the community and to learn what issues and topics are important to you. The feedback you provided was extremely helpful – we hope to get the chance to show to you and the rest of the BlogHer's out there that if we didn't get it in the past we are truly working towards getting it in the future. We believe in blogging and the community and recognize the importance of being part of events like BlogHer and others in a way that is not too intrusive. Thank you again and please feel free to send me an email directly at krismak @ Microsoft . com

[Dananjay]

hi kristin,

i think you're going through something that's a sympton of your size and position.

being a big animal like the microsoft, how do you deal with the fact that no matter what you do you will always be behind the curve? that's the nature of the game. being big means you don't have ears where you need them. it means you will always be "them". it means you're the point on the curve that everyone's trying to get past.

so i guess the smartest thing to do is accept it and deal with it with a sense of humour. instead of pretending to be street. it's not a credible position no matter how believable you make it look.

[Fatemeh]

I suppose the more relevant feedback we provide the better MS can fine-tune their audience presentations?

But yea, that whole Be Jane thing was am embarrassment. And it started as they bounced past our table on their way to the stage. I was as mortified for them as I was for the audience.

[Susan Kitchens]

I did my own send-up of BeJane here:
http://www.2020hindsight.org/2006/08/03/

[Suebob]

I got my licks in, too:

http://redstapler23.blogspot.com/2006/08/in-which-we-thank-our-sponsors.html