ACER: Microsoft's Surface Ads Are 'Confusing'

Microsoft's advertising for its Surface tablet has been pretty terrible for Windows 8, says Acer, which is the fourth biggest PC maker in the world.

Speaking with Lauren Goode at All Things D, Acer President Jim Wong said, "The promotion of the product is really focused on the keyboard, and the users really don’t know how to maximize the touch experience."

He also said the ads are "confusing."

Acer's marketing chief Michael Birkin added, "There was just a lot of messaging coming out at the same time: Windows 8, Surface, RT."

They're both right. The Surface has been all about the "click" of the keyboard into the tablet, which is just terrible. It doesn't tell us anything about why Windows 8 is good. It just tells us that Microsoft is trying to create a slightly different take on the laptop.

Watching Microsoft's ads for the Surface we don't get a sense of what it, or Windows 8, can do really well.

From Acer's perspective, we bet it's frustrating. It probably wants straight forward ads promoting Windows 8's touch abilities. Since Microsoft is spending a lot on ads, it probably wants those ads to help Acer's sales.

Acer has been very talkative about Microsoft and Windows 8. When Microsoft announced the Surface, Acer's CEO said, "It will create a huge negative impact for the ecosystem and other brands may take a negative reaction. It is not something you are good at so please think twice."

When Windows 8 did come out, Acer's president of the Americas said, "It’s a slow start, there’s no question." And then just last week, Wong told DigiTimes people need to spend more time with Windows 8 before judging it.

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