Video: Microsoft stores, the gift that just keeps giving...

Jonny Evans
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November 17, 2009
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So, here are some of the more athletic staff at Microsoft's Mission Viejo (Calif.) store basically demonstrating the do's and don'ts of school dance doings, (with an accent on the don'ts, frankly). Something about this is, well, it is embarrassing - even to watch - so don't miss it! (Comments plz).

Comments (130)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 7:05am

OMFG...

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 7:39am

OMFG?  Please: you are an Apple Fanboy.

The fact is that Microsoft knows that dancing moves product.  Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and Glee are top-rated TV shows. In fact, there is a popular video of Steve Ballmer dancing at a trade show - and do you know what?  Microsoft sold more product that year than Apple would ever HOPE to sell (bing "microsoft ballmer dance").

At Microsoft, sales are top priority.  If there is only a 1% increase in Win7 sales due to that dance, it was well worth the investment.  And that 1% is bigger then Apple could ever dream.

 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 8:08am

pretty funny, but I think sales will only go up 0.5% due to the dance.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 8:08am

pretty funny, but I think sales will only go up 0.5% due to the dance.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 8:14am

FUCK YOU ! We're proud to be fanboys, we don't use your Windoze dog shit !

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 8:15am

you know I'm ignorant, so can you help me by pointing out how does dancing improve sales? now if it was naked dancing... that's another story!

PhotoshopER (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 8:17am

don't know about the naked dancing, there were some pretty hefty under exercised people that worked there, unless they hire top models to work there, then there goes customer support even more.....

Bruce Poon (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 9:53am

I don't think that's going to be a problem.  My eyes wouldn't have taken off that green chick...

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 5:06pm

My guess is it's their way of motivating the staff . . . who may get bored selling such exciting products.

It's also to remind them that they're not working in an Apple store (just a clone).

Apparently the best dancing store gets to see Crazy Steve do his Monkey dance.

There's a Christmas bonus to savour!

pm2012

9to5Mac boon (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 6:24pm

Absolutely brilliant! I salute your sense of humor. I have been laughing for 15 minutes now.

9to5Mac boon (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 6:22pm

If you haven't noticed, most salespeople there are overweight. Dancing helps them burn calories and regain some of their vitality. This helps Microsoft save on health insurance premiums as well as having a more effective sales force. Ballmer himself is a very avid dancer and has been known to show his talent at trade shows.

Kev Orng (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 8:21am

Are you suggesting that the marketing people at Microsoft sent out some kind of missive for stores to do this? 

"Dancing moves product"??

Seriously?

I work in marketing. This is not the work of any marketing department, even one as patently un-hip as Microsoft's. This was obviously a spontaneous effort by exuberant staff, and good for them, they are enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is a great way to keep a retail job longer. 

Do you seriously think the Ballmer monkey dance helped move product?

 

 

gpy | November 17, 2009 - 8:29am

Are you suggesting that the marketing people at Microsoft sent out some kind of missive for stores to do this? 

"Dancing moves product"??

Seriously?

I work in marketing. This is not the work of any marketing department, even one as patently un-hip as Microsoft's. This was obviously a spontaneous effort by exuberant staff, and good for them, they are enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is a great way to keep a retail job longer. 

Do you seriously think the Ballmer monkey dance helped move product?


...but is generating the right noise over the web...

...and as you work in marketing, you know better than I, what this means...

-
gpy

9to5Mac N00bz0r (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 9:10pm

I just wanted to ask how you quote someone?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 8:59am

You are a fucking idiot! That dance only decreased sales! Go back to licking Ballmer's asshole with your bullshit Dell system!

That fat fuck in blue with tits needs a bigger shirt!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 9:40am

MS bullshit aside... That chick in the green shirt is fucking smoking hot!

I'd love to show her my MacBook Pro!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 9:14am

Forget the fact that you're a huge fanboy, you're just a complete douchebag.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 10:30am

Dude, seriously, there's NOTHING there that's going to sell $1 of MS shit.
In fact, I'd wager my next paycheck that this would KEEP people from visiting one of these (empty) stores.

It's so sad as to be embarrassing.

 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 12:00pm

bing "microsoft ballmer dance"

I don't understand what you mean by "bing".  Did you mean "Google", perhaps?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 12:42pm

MS can (tap) dance around all they want.  The software is still a POS frought with issues.  Don't take my word for it...reference THE EXPERTS: Symantic & Nortons virus definitions and see all the stomping they do to "wack a mole" out of one virus ridden whole and then pops up somwhere else.  I'm not a "FANBOY" but dammmm, breaking out in dance at their retail store...please.  I can imagine what their store meetings were like training their retail employees to line dance.  I've got it, it's meant to distract the potential 1% from seeing the blue screens or upgrade failures on their desktop.

ItIsWhatItIs (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 12:49pm

MS can (tap) dance around all they want.  The software is still a POS frought with issues.  Don't take my word for it...reference THE EXPERTS: Symantic & Nortons virus definitions and see all the stomping they do to "wack a mole" out of one virus ridden whole and then pops up somwhere else.  I'm not a "FANBOY" but dammmm, breaking out in dance at their retail store...please.  I can imagine what their store meetings were like training their retail employees to line dance.  I've got it, it's meant to distract the potential 1% from seeing the blue screens or upgrade failures on their desktop.

connor (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 12:56pm

So dancing in a store where 95% of teh customers are looking at the employees awkardly = sales for microsoft?  That is the dumbest thing i have ever heard. 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 4:44pm

OMFG!  back atcha.......... ballmer fanboy......

9to5hard-ons (not verified) | November 18, 2009 - 2:12am

WTFLOLBBQ!!!!!!

Bruce Poon (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 9:46am

My thought exactly.....

Some guy (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 7:09am

I made it to 50 seconds. I now need alcohol.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 8:38am

I made it to 1:10 before feeling queasy....

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 9:33am

If you want to watch something actually good, watch this one:

Sound of Music | Central Station Antwerp (Belgium)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 10:37am

WEAK!!! lol jk

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 17, 2009 - 7:13am

Aktually i would leave the store instantly if someone did this to me allive