Filed under: Budgets, Campaign Launch

Forget what you might have heard about already-cracked DRMs, ethically questionable blogger relations or any other problems surrounding the new Microsoft Vista operating system. The software has finally arrived and its launch is being accompanied by a $500 million marketing push. That includes not only TV, print and online buys but also sponsored games and huge publicity events like the one featuring Microsoft's Steve Ballmer and, of course, Bill Gates. Everyone is out to make this the biggest product launch in Microsoft history, which in their mind equals best.

Microsoft is just one of a number of companies who have decided to eschew ad campaigns with celebrities in favor of ad campaigns with some not-quite celebrities. They're using a relatively unknown comedian named Demetri Martin to promote Vista to the tech-savvy, Comedy Central watching crowd. More and more companies are using non-celebs for their campaigns as a way to break through the ad clutter in a more down-to-earth way.

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