You might recall their misguided attempts at camp with the tone-deaf “Songsmith” campaign and definitely not spongeworthy Jerry Seinfeld-Bill Gates commercial.

And, there was that Working Girl-meets-Cyndi Lauper video they did in the 80s to promote Windows 386. (Oh yeah, this string of poor taste goes waaaay back.)



The idea behind this latest promotional blunder is to recruit everyday people to host Windows 7 launch parties(think Tupperware or Super Bowl party) at their homes to share the product with their friends.

They hired a marketing firm called House Party, which has organized similar house-party campaigns for Ford, Canon and Martha Stewart, among others.

House parties are a brilliant marketing tool for Barbie dollsor avocado dip— both clients of House Party — especially during a weak economy because everyone involved is basically spreading the word about your product for free. All you have to do is offer a couple of free coupons or some free Tupperware.

But you just knew that once they put the Microsoft geeks in charge of the “party,” that it wouldn’t be a 10-kegger and before long, we’d all be putting lampshades over our heads.

Microsoft rolled out a YouTube videoto demonstrate what a Windows 7 "house party" might look like. It features a demographically-correct cast of actors: The hipster white guy, the athletic black guy, the hot blonde and the older woman.

Standing around the kitchen, they smarmily chat about their own parties and offer tips for hosting a Windows 7 party. They toss their heads back and smugly laugh at each other’s comments with that I-could-kill-you-with-this-cheese-knife look on their faces.