Microsoft Plans $1.5 Billion Windows 8 Marketing Campaign

Windows 8 is coming and it’s coming hard. The official Windows 8 launch is on October 26 and it’s potentially Microsoft’s most important product launch to date. It’s so important that Microsoft has planned a massive marketing campaign that Forbes is reporting will cost the company between $1.5 to $1.8 billion, making it the largest product launch in the history of the entire industry. With that being said, it’s also worth noting that this isn’t the first time Microsoft spent big bucks on a marketing campaign, when they released Bing in 2009, Microsoft reportedly spent $100 million in advertising the search engine.

The fact that Windows 8 will only be a $40 upgrade (with pre-orders starting today) from Windows XP, Vista or 7 is a huge selling point in itself, especially since in the past, Windows upgrades typically would cost consumers $100 or more.  This is also the first time Microsoft can really push new features of Windows alongside new computers. The touch screen functionality with the new Metro-style interface is a big deal and the software giant is hoping that will help translate into sales of both Windows and new computers. The question then becomes, will all of this advertising work?

While details about the campaign are still up in the air, I would definitely expect to see Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, the Metro interface, and the Microsoft Surface everywhere this holiday season.

Will you be upgrading to Windows 8 or buying a new Windows 8 computer?