Windows Live what?
Mark your calendar, the butterfly is dead, swatted down by those on giant pedestals at Redmond. Like myself, I’m sure that in the various Microsoft locales around the world, marketing people screamed out in agony.
Of course, this rebranding makes sense completely from a corporate standpoint, however as I’m constantly reminded, MSN, er, excuse me, Windows Live is consumer oriented. Consumer oriented products generally need a catchy name and distinct logo to make the mainstream. Over the years, MSN has done this as someone will ask you for your "msn" (referring to your Passport e-mail address), or "talk to you on msn". How exactly this lingo will transform under the Windows Live brand is beyond me…
Just the other day Corey came up with the idea that they "should just remove the MSN name" from the MSN logo as the butterfly was a symbol that nearly everyone immediately recognized. So why are they killing it? Surely someone at marketing should’ve raised the red flag on this one?
So not only has the equivalent of Apple rebranding the iPod as "Apple Music" been done, but now we’re apparently all going to be using Windows Live Messenger. I’ve personally had to deal with the Windows Messenger / MSN Messenger divide over the past 3 years with claims that "all will be fixed soon" — but now Windows Live Messenger? So now instead of two clients (ignoring Communicator), we’ll have three — Windows Messenger, MSN Messenger and Windows Live Messenger! Luckily Windows Live Messenger will apparently upgrade MSN Messenger although MSN Messenger today doesn’t upgrade Windows Messenger, except on Windows 2000 — confused yet? So are most of MSN…er.. Windows Live customers.
Apparently the butterfly will still be around for MSN’s "content" (MSN.com properties like entertainment, tv, MSNBC, etc.) although there’s been no mention of where MSN Dialup/Premium fits in this whole mess. I know a lot of people will say, "it doesn’t matter, it’s just a name", but a name can make or break you in this rather competitive market. I just hope this one somehow works out.
Posted on November 1, 2005, in MSN Messenger. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
Jonathan Kay, MessengerGeek 
wow awesome website .. i also live in k-w area .. look at my space it isnt the greatest but it works for now..i mostly use it for the blog
WHAT?! Windows Live? *sigh* Horrible. *shakes head and says a prayer for the little butterfly that could*
We can only hope they let Windows Messenger die with Windows XP. Then we will have one Messenger in Vista (assuming no one installs the old MSN Messenger on Vista). Arrrgghhh!!!!
So so true JK. The whole MSN thing was catchy and short. "I\’ll talk to you on WLM" or somethig just.. Doesnt do the trick. Plus I think the whole connection with Windows is wrong — Aren\’t MSN and Windows to be seperated divisions? Didn\’t Microsoft have lots of trouble with this before? (hint hint, being sued over Windows Media Player etc.. Add Windows Live Messenger to that (if it ships with Vista, that is))… They just integrated them back
The "msn" lingo will probably stick around for awhile and probably end up being just plain Messenger or something.Actually they recently put MSN in the Windows group, so this makes sense from a corporate standpoint. I would assume they\’re on top of the legal ramifications but it does sound like they\’re getting into possible hot water for no reason.
Don\’t kill me JK, but I was never that fond of the butterfly! I do know a load of people who say \’I\’ll MSN you\’ or \’I\’ll see you on MSN\’ though.Maybe people will just say \’Messenger\’? Who knows.
Don\’t kill me JK, but I was never that fond of the butterfly! I do know a load of people who say \’I\’ll MSN you\’ or \’I\’ll see you on MSN\’ though.Maybe people will just say \’Messenger\’? Who knows.
Well I can hardly kill one of my own 😉 But everyone loves the butterfly!
Another name/program added to the long list of Video/Voice over IP offerings from Microsoft.Isn\’t Windows Messenger to be re-branded as "Office Communicator". Chalk up another name.Maybe they will all be amalgamated as Windows/Vista/Office Live Messenger-Communicator?As I recall Jim Allchin talked about solving the Msn/Windows Messenger mess a while ago. Maybe it will be solved just in time for his retirement? :-0
Another name/program added to the long list of Video/Voice over IP offerings from Microsoft.Isn\’t Windows Messenger to be re-branded as "Office Communicator". Chalk up another name.Maybe they will all be amalgamated as Windows/Vista/Office Live Messenger-Communicator?As I recall Jim Allchin talked about solving the Msn/Windows Messenger mess a while ago. Maybe it will be solved just in time for his retirement? :-0
Another name/program added to the long list of Video/Voice over IP offerings from Microsoft.Isn\’t Windows Messenger to be re-branded as "Office Communicator". Chalk up another name.Maybe they will all be amalgamated as Windows/Vista/Office Live Messenger-Communicator?As I recall Jim Allchin talked about solving the Msn/Windows Messenger mess a while ago. Maybe it will be solved just in time for his retirement? :-0
sorry about the multiple entries — spaces is the greatest!