Hugs Not Hate, Microsoft Store Employees Spread Holiday Cheer Caroling Outside Apple's Flagship NYC Store
What would be your first thought if we told you a mob of Microsoft employees gathered outside an Apple Store? Some sort of shenanigans, right? Well, it happened, right on 5th Avenue in New York City in front of Apple's flagship location, the one that's shaped like a cube. But instead of shenanigans (or at least obvious ones), Microsoft was spreading holiday cheer through song.
Microsoft captured the moment on video and made a commercial around it, one that doesn't take any snarky jabs at Apple's products. Heck, the ad doesn't even prominently show off Microsoft's own products -- just a chorus of voices, including those from a local NYC children's youth choir, singing their hearts out in front of Apple's retail shop, candles in hand. Just another day in NYC, right?
"To celebrate the holidays, Microsoft employees, who were selected from across the country, gathered together, meeting each other for the first time, at the new Microsoft 5th Ave Store to spread some holiday wishes. Joined by a local NYC children's youth choir, they share a message of peace and harmony with their neighbor down the street," the ad's description reads on YouTube.
My knee-jerk reaction to the video was, 'Wow, Microsoft is trolling Apple in epic fashion.' And maybe that's what Microsoft did -- after all, if you're Apple, what can you do? Denounce the children's youth choir? Bah, humbug! That would be a PR nightmare.
After thinking about it, maybe Microsoft truly got into the holiday spirit and decided to "deliver a special message to some old friends," as the ad states. The employees and youth choir were belting out "Let There Be Peace On Earth," and c'mon, how can you criticize that? Yes, Apple and Microsoft are rivals, but at the end of the day, it's the people that matter. It's a message that gets lost this time of year during the holiday sales.
Not only that, but Microsoft's going to great effort to bring its ecosystem to a variety of devices, and not just it's own, but also Google's and Apple's. There's room for all three to exist while serving the greater the good, and maybe that's the message Microsoft was trying to convey. Can't we all just get along?
Whatever the true intent, whether it's the kindest form of trolling imaginable or truly a message of cheer for a respected rival, you have to tip your hat to Microsoft on this one.
Microsoft captured the moment on video and made a commercial around it, one that doesn't take any snarky jabs at Apple's products. Heck, the ad doesn't even prominently show off Microsoft's own products -- just a chorus of voices, including those from a local NYC children's youth choir, singing their hearts out in front of Apple's retail shop, candles in hand. Just another day in NYC, right?
"To celebrate the holidays, Microsoft employees, who were selected from across the country, gathered together, meeting each other for the first time, at the new Microsoft 5th Ave Store to spread some holiday wishes. Joined by a local NYC children's youth choir, they share a message of peace and harmony with their neighbor down the street," the ad's description reads on YouTube.
My knee-jerk reaction to the video was, 'Wow, Microsoft is trolling Apple in epic fashion.' And maybe that's what Microsoft did -- after all, if you're Apple, what can you do? Denounce the children's youth choir? Bah, humbug! That would be a PR nightmare.
After thinking about it, maybe Microsoft truly got into the holiday spirit and decided to "deliver a special message to some old friends," as the ad states. The employees and youth choir were belting out "Let There Be Peace On Earth," and c'mon, how can you criticize that? Yes, Apple and Microsoft are rivals, but at the end of the day, it's the people that matter. It's a message that gets lost this time of year during the holiday sales.
Not only that, but Microsoft's going to great effort to bring its ecosystem to a variety of devices, and not just it's own, but also Google's and Apple's. There's room for all three to exist while serving the greater the good, and maybe that's the message Microsoft was trying to convey. Can't we all just get along?
Whatever the true intent, whether it's the kindest form of trolling imaginable or truly a message of cheer for a respected rival, you have to tip your hat to Microsoft on this one.
