Microsoft Reboots Battered Surface With Razorfish
Microsoft is taking another run at Surface, this time with a new digital agency.
Despite an ambitious marketing plan, the tech giant has had a rough time breaking into the crowded tablet market. Last month, Microsoft announced a $900 million write-off on excess Surface inventory, surpassing the brand’s total revenue of $853 million since its October 2012 launch. It also slashed the price of its Surface Pro by $100, just one month after trimming up to 30% off the cheaper Surface RT.
Now Microsoft has tapped Publicis Groupe’s Razorfish to handle digital consumer marketing for both Surface and its Windows operating system as the brands move into holiday-planning mode. Razorfish already handled Microsoft’s Xbox and Bing accounts and recently lost the Samsung business to Interpublic Group of Cos.’ R/GA, the incumbent on both the Windows and Surface brands.
