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Microsoft Markets Vista with Viral Campaign

Microsoft has initiated a viral marketing campaign in form of a puzzle in order to promote its new operating Windows Vista, Microsoft`s first major operating system upgrade since it released Windows XP, in 2001. The viral marketing campaign, dubbed: Vanishing Point, is a "large-scale online and off-line collaborative puzzle game," Microsoft said. Players are prompted to register online for a sweepstakes giveaway with the first prize being a ride in suborbital space in Rocket plane Ltd. Inc.`s four-seat spacecraft, which Microsoft calls "the ultimate vista." Other prizes include: computers, Xbox game consoles, Zune digital music players and copies of Windows Vista.

Clues to the puzzle are given by Loki, Microsoft`s "Puzzle Master." Shrewd bloggers, who listened to Bill Gates`s speech at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Sunday and noticed his references to the Bellagio Hotel fountains and Loki, gathered at the fountains Monday night. Microsoft said there were hundreds of people there watching the projected image of Loki over the water. Loki provided a cryptic message with different clues having to do with time, timepieces and calendars.

By the time Vista is launched for end user consumption, January 30th, Loki will make appearances in over 10 cities, including Seattle, Miami, Phoenix and Berlin. Brian Marr, the group marketing manager for Vista, said the campaign is aimed at rewarding Microsoft`s best customers. Marr refused to answer questions regarding Loki`s identity, saying that the person to figure that out will receive a special prize: their name laser-etched onto a batch of microprocessors from Advanced Micro Devices Inc., saying that "Especially for that audience, the most technically engaged, having their name in lights like that is a pretty special thing," Marr said. "Even if it is very tiny little lights, underneath the fan."