How much is Microsoft betting on Windows 8? Nearly $2 billion, Forbes says

[nsane.forums]

A new report claims Microsoft will be spending nearly $2 billion on its marketing campaign alone for the upcoming launch of Windows 8.

It's no secret that the launch of Windows 8 will be one of the most important – and biggest – in Microsoft's history. But how big is Microsoft going to make it? Very big, if a Forbes report is accurate.

The business magazine says Microsoft will spend an estimated $1.5 to $1.8 billion for the new operating system's marketing campaign alone. That campaign is so big, said one analyst, that it is "on a scale you don’t see outside presidential elections." By comparison, Microsoft spent just $200 million on the marketing campaign for Windows 95. Even adjusted for inflation, that amount today would still be less than $300 million.

Some of the impact of that campaign is already being seen around the United States. Microsoft recently launched a large billboard in Time Square promoting its upcoming Surface tablet, which launches on the same day, Oct. 26, as Windows 8.

Microsoft has also launched other advertisements for Surface in recent months, including many graffiti-style temporary ads in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Earlier this month, more traditional advertisements began appearing in subway stations and other areas where major foot traffic takes place.

In addition to advertisements, Microsoft will be opening more than 30 temporary stores at malls across the United States and Canada for the Oct. 26 launch of Windows 8 and Surface.

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[Ganxxta]

The business magazine says Microsoft will spend an estimated $1.5 to $1.8 billion for the new operating system's marketing campaign alone.

They should have invested the money in Windows 8...

[myidisbb]

The business magazine says Microsoft will spend an estimated $1.5 to $1.8 billion for the new operating system's marketing campaign alone.

They should have invested the money in Windows 8...

agreed

[TheRuan]

The business magazine says Microsoft will spend an estimated $1.5 to $1.8 billion for the new operating system's marketing campaign alone.

They should have invested the money in Windows 8...

agreed

Agreed, just add that a good product always sells itself, today there is no need for such kind of money spent, if a system is good, soon or later it will be everywhere, if not, well, Vista sucked and was trashed, Windows 7 marketing was not that big as in Windows 8 and is almost everywhere, sometimes i think microsoft should spend more time improving their already built system than build new ones, most people don't want to change from an OS to another every single year, or every two to four years, we want to keep the same windows 98/xp for as long as we can, as we know that many people still use windows xp, and the ones that migrated to Windows 7 will most likely keep using it for at least more 2 or 3 years or until another systems comes after windows 8, in my opinion Windows 8 was a huge waste of money, they had a very good system in hand(talking about windows 7) and could have improved it a lot.

The point is, creating new products sell new licenses, well, they are smart, but eventually people will be smarter and will get tired on buying new licenses over and over...