Microsoft, the Zune and Bad Grammar
Today is Zune day–you know, Microsoft’s MP3 player is being released. While this is certainly a non-event in the broader scale of things (how many children died today because they don’t have access to clean water?), those of us who cover digital music have to pay attention.
Aside from the valid criticisms of the Zune, and its questionable approach to DRM, what interests me is the way Microsoft has attempted to create a pidgin English for its marketing. Since they are clearly spending millions on the Zune campaign, it’s not just bad grammar; they are intentionally using bad grammar to attract users.Does this mean that Microsoft is targeting the increasing number of people who can’t spell correctly, and whose language is limited to IM-speak? Or did they hire spammers to write for them? With a slogan like “Welcome to the social”, it sounds like they are trying to attract people who simply don’t understand English. (Note that a word-for-word translation of this slogan would work in many European languages, but it would not have the meaning that Microsoft intends.)
But that’s not the only slogan they use. On the official Zune web site, you can see such things as “watch big”, or the confusing “music the way it wants to be”. (These are both slogans, large type over graphics that are expected to be self-explanatory.) While “watch big” is simply dumb, I can’t for the life of me figure out what “music the way it wants to be” is supposed to mean. Apparently this has something to do with the Zune’s wireless music sharing, but does music really “want to be” saddled with Microsoft’s DRM? When they say “spread the music”, that makes me think more of something to put on crackers than turning friends on to new tunes. Are they not allowed to say “share the music”, because the RIAA considers “music sharing” to be illegal?
But there’s more. With the Zune, you can “beam your beats”; as the Zune site says, “You’re connected to your best friend and send the new song your band recorded in the garage last weekend.” But it doesn’t tell you that your best friend can only play your song three times, within three days, because Microsoft adds DRM to your music!
In any case, I won’t be trying out the Zune – it’s Windows-only. If you’re interested, check it out at Amazon.com. (You probably know the deal: anything you buy after clicking my Amazon affiliate links nets me a small percentage of your purchase, and doesn’t cost you anything, thereby supporting Kirkville….)
I like to bash Microsoft as much as the next guy, but "Welcome to the social." is perfectly legitimate.
social: n, an informal gathering frequently involving a special activity or interest; a party of people assembled to promote sociability and communal activity [see also sociable, mixer]
Both social and sociable can be used as nouns or adjectives.
As for "music the way it wants to be"… Well, it should probably read "music, the way it wants to be" but punctuation is commonly removed from print slogans for the sake of ad aesthetics.
And "Watch big" is no more offensive to the language than "Think Different."
Sorry, but this criticism misses the mark.
I really don’t see "social" as having that meaning… I think they’re using it as an
adjectival noun (ie, social <world/universe/zeitgeist>.
Kirk
When they saw "Borat", Bill Gates and Steve Balmer discovered that Apple already
had sold two iPods in Kazakhstan (one for Borat and one for his neighbour). To
target the Kazakhstan market they launched the Zune campaign in Borat-
English…
Steve Balmer: "Pleaze! Watch big! Buy Zune! Otherwise I will be execute."
;-)