Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft Goes Viral in Kerala, the Land of Free Software

"They’ll get sort of addicted, and then we’ll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade."

--Bill Gates of the 'Crusade for Software Addiction'



The previous post ought to have shown you that Microsoft is gradually losing its grip on Europe. Microsoft does not give up without a fight though. To re-use that phrase from the previous post's title, when Microsoft fights, it's willing to deal punches below the belt.

A reader has brought to our attention the following new discovery about Microsoft interfering with a state that migrates to GNU/Linux.

Microsoft will be signing up Malayalam movie star Mammootty as one of the brand ambassadors for the Computer Literacy programme that is to be organized soon in Kerala, a Southern Indian State well known for its pro-free software policies.


This is far from the first time Microsoft uses Bollywood to promote its products. It did the same thing when Windows Vista was released (videos and songs produced, as well as coffees named using known Microsoft brands). Many innocent bystanders were unhappy, some were utterly disgusted.

More recently, over in the United States, we saw Microsoft even approaching the star of the program "Jackass" to buy itself some "cool factor" [1]. And then there's NASCAR also [4], but it fell through a few days ago [5]. Top it all up with insulting the customers' intelligence, as demonstrated last week [2] and about a year ago [3]. Links are appended to show you how 'extreme' Microsoft marketing can be. More examples of viral marketing you will find in this older post, whose focus was viral marketing for OOXML.

"If you can’t make it good, at least make it look good."

--Bill Gates



This isn't the first Microsoft tries to use its money to fight adoption of GNU/Linux in Kerala. We provided examples of this (from the local press) several months ago. Scroll down to the section about Kerala.

As was said in a comment some hours ago:

"That one really is sick - I have a lot of good Indian friends, and the Bollywood stars are seen with an almost god-like status amongst the less educated Indians (of which there are, sadly, many in Kerala). Microsoft are just cynically exploiting this…”

"Let's face it - the average computer user has the brain of a Spider Monkey."

--Bill Gates



We can combat unethical marketing techniques by at least highlighting their existence and explaining to the general population why they are misjudged. ___

[1] Microsoft apparently hopes that a "Jackass" can up its hip quotient and increase market share

This came to my inbox this morning from a reader who shall remain nameless. I found it sort of interesting.

[...]

Perhaps this new campaign is the opening salvo to be launched by Microsoft's newly hired advertising agency, Crispin Porter & Bogusky, the "it" agency of the moment in the advertising world.


[2] Feeling Dumb? Microsoft Says MSN Can Help

Google's informal code of conduct is 'Don't Be Evil,' a reflection of its commitment to not exploiting its users. But a new Microsoft ad campaign is sending an altogether different message: 'Don't Be Dumb.'


[3] [Microsoft:] WhatsWrongWithU

The site is targetted to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Korea, with an abrasive attempt at in your face attitude. However, one has to wonder if the whole thing will come off as more than a little insulting.


[4] Microsoft's latest marketing vehicle: NASCAR

Microsoft plans to sponsor a NASCAR team for the 2008 season in a bid to boost the profile of its offerings for small businesses.


[5] Microsoft NASCAR sponsorship takes bad turn

The BAM Racing #49 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car, partially sponsored by Microsoft Small Business, is being taken out of commission, for now, because a sponsorship deal with another company fell through, according to a message on the BAM Racing site from owner Beth Ann Morgenthau.

Comments

Recent Techrights' Posts

IBM's CEO Roasted, Sizzled and Grilled for Dumb and Inconsistent Vapourware Promises
It looks like being a chronic liar is what it takes to lead the company once synonymous with computing
Who Imitates Who? Plagiarist as Client (From Microsoft), 'Plagiarism' at the Law Firm?
let's revisit the subject
 
Links 11/06/2025: More Vulnerabilities Found in 'Smart' Phones, China Extends Reach in the Pacific
Links for the day
Gemini Links 11/06/2025: Grain and Steam Next Fest
Links for the day
Links 11/06/2025: "Quantum" Hype From IBM, US Closer to Martial Law, and “The Nation” Celebrates Milestone
Links for the day
IBM's Goal Is Not (and Never Was) Computer Users' Freedom
More than 1.5 decades ago I found IBM to be an "ally of convenience" because of OpenDocument Format (ODF)
Wayland Shows the IBM/Red Hat Way of Doing Things
IBM is trying to 'kill' X
GitHub is Proprietary, Controlled by Microsoft, and GPL Violation Warehouse
"IRS tax filing software [will be] released to the people as free software" ... In general this is good news
Slopfarm Catastrophe
Seems like BetaNews (or BetaNoise) has just suffered a major data loss and restored the site from a week-old backup
Abuse Inside the Polish Patent Office (UPRP) - Part VIII: Illegal Working Conditions
How many people need to die for these people to get their massive salaries?
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Links 10/06/2025: Apple Hype and Physical Attacks on Bloggers
Links for the day
Gemini Links 10/06/2025: Loon Lake, Farming, and Forth
Links for the day
Links 10/06/2025: Jaws at 50 and US Democracy Crushed Very Rapidly (Martial Law Seems Imminent)
Links for the day
Abuse Inside the Polish Patent Office (UPRP) - Part VII: Washing Their Hands After Corruption and Abuse
"Tragedy or comedy?"
Culling Bad RSS Feeds of Bad Sites
Not throwing out the baby with the bathwater
If 'Microsoft v Techrights' is Dealt With by a 'Microsoft Court' (or a Court Outsourced to Microsoft)
More on that later
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, June 09, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, June 09, 2025
Gemini Protocol Turns Six in 10 Days From Now
If you haven't tried it yet, then give it a go today
Live as You Preach
technology is fast becoming dysphoric
Gemini Links 09/06/2025: Addition Addiction and Nitride
Links for the day
Links 09/06/2025: Science, Hardware Projects, and Democracy Receding
Links for the day
Computers Got Smaller, So GNU/Linux Got Bigger
Many people here recognise the lack of urgency (or need) to get expensive new laptops
BetaNews is a Plagiarism and LLM Slop Hub, the Chief Editor Isn't Addressing This Problem Anymore
SS Fagioli is basically a parasite leeching off or exploiting other people's work
Links 09/06/2025: Chaos in Los Angeles and Hurricane Season
Links for the day
GNU/Linux Grows at Windows' Expense and Microsoft Trolls Infest and Maliciously Target Articles About It
Microsoft is - and has long been - organised crime
They Say I'm Mr. Bombastic
They didn't take good lawyers
Links 09/06/2025: Windows TCO and Many Data Breaches
Links for the day
Abuse Inside the Polish Patent Office (UPRP) - Part VI: Political Stunts by Former President Edyta Demby-Siwek and the Connection to Profound Corruption at EUIPO
it's like a money-laundering operation where one politician rewards another at taxpayers' expense
Gemini Links 09/06/2025: Pipelines and Splitgate
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, June 08, 2025
IRC logs for Sunday, June 08, 2025