Microsoft pays your rent
In a new marketing push for Windows 7, Microsoft is about to launch an interesting competition in which students can win seven month’s rent for the house of their dreams. This is the text we were sent:
“Life as a student can be tough – struggling to make ends meet, sharing textbooks and living at home isn’t much fun.
That’s why, in celebration of Windows 7, Microsoft is giving university and TAFE students the chance to WIN 7 months’ rent free in the house of their dreams, completely decked out in the latest, hottest gear – including Dell laptops, HTC Windows Phones and Xbox consoles and games packs.
All students need to do is prove their love of sharing by telling as many people as they can about Windows 7 in the most inventive and creative way possible – it could be a funny stunt, a video, photos, blogs, anything – as long as it’s safe, doesn’t hurt anyone and legal.
Bonus weekly prize winners will be selected from the most outstanding entries on The Student House Facebook Fan Page and there are stacks of awesome prizes to be won – including sky diving adventures, silent disco parties, to name a few!
Entries close on 12 April 2010, so all students have to get moving for their chance to win the house of their dreams.”
Nice idea, no? We just have one slight query with it. Seven months is an all but useless time for a student. It’s over a semester but under a university year, all but guaranteeing that said student will have to move mid studies. Microsoft has made noises that this competition could help students of lower privilege, but that seven month problem comes up again. There’s also the question of the “dream” house. Whose dream in particular? Surely it can’t be tailored to each individual student.
Kudos to Microsoft for trying something interesting in their marketing push, but as far as I’m concerned, whoever came up with the themed timeframe needs a talking to.
Nice work on the new layout, but there’s a typo in the article, I think “With” is meant to be “Win”?
Fixed!
Posted on April 6
Entries close April 12
Site goes live on April 21
Unless I missed something?
That’s a cruel joke. It’s like giving a pauper the keys to a palace, Letting him/her get used to the idea. Then ripping the carpet from underneath seven months later when they’re told to get out and return all the shit. That’s going to cause some serious issues! Plus, with all that spare money the kiddies are going to get some wild habits I bet. Probably end up turning to crime when they have to resume spending what was disposable income on bills again. The stupidest competition ever.
Wait, do you get to keep all the free stuff (the xbox 360, dell computer etc…). If so, its a great idea. If not, well, what do they do with all the 2nd hand stuff?
Well I love the idea, naturally, but it would cause major issues. The kids who win should be able to keep most of the stuff, otherwise they’ve just gotten screwed around with. They obviously can’t afford to go buy it if they’ve entered the draw… Duh…