SWITCHED Asked People in New York What a "Zune" Was...Uh-oh

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.switched.com/2010/05/19/new-york-answers-what-is-a-zune/' target='_blank'>http://www.switched.com/2010/05/19/...what-is-a-zune/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"We understand that Apple's brand-name recognition stretches from one hemisphere to the next, and that competitors face a nigh-impossible task of out-marketing the Cupertino giant. But, still, we expected at least a few people to get this one..."</em></p><p><object width="525" height="296" data="http://o.aolcdn.com/videoplayer/AOL_PlayerLoader.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="AOLVP_85648699001"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="codever=1&amp;playerid=64486463001&amp;videoid=85648699001&amp;stillurl=http://pdl.stream.aol.com/aol/brightcove/aolmaster/1612833736/1612833736_85694664001_ari-origin05-arc-172-1273855917914.jpg?pubId=1612833736&amp;publisherid=1612833736" /><param name="src" value="http://o.aolcdn.com/videoplayer/AOL_PlayerLoader.swf" /><param name="name" value="AOLVP_85648699001" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></p><p>I don't think the results of this will surprise anyone. The article mentions the "fanfare" with which Microsoft launched the Zune HD last year, and I have to wonder what the author is thinking of - because there was no fanfare. I haven't seen any form of mainstream media advertising for the Zune HD, so is it any wonder that no one knows what it is? I can't help but notice the demographic of the people they stopped - other than one young kid, most of them didn't look like the Xbox 360-owning type...and anyone with an Xbox 360 will know what "Zune" means, at least in a general sense (an entertainment service). Also, given that the Zune is a USA-only product, one has to wonder how many of those people were from the USA, or visiting from&nbsp;some place&nbsp;else...</p>

[randalllewis]

Ah, how I love "made up news." I guess I could get similar results if I asked people on the street if they knew what "Azure" was, or a "Kin." I do sometimes see ads for Kin, but Zune- not since the 4 and 8Gb models were introduced. I wasn't in the US when the HD came out, so I don't know if it had any introductory ad buys, but there certainly has been nothing since.

This lack of awareness is not news but it could change. I think it is well past time for Microsoft to be integrating the service into everything. I'd go past Xbox, Windows Phone 7 and Kin, and now Bing to Windows as well. Let Zune replace Windows Media Player (I haven't used it once under Win 7.). Integrate Zune album and artist art and bios into One Note. And please, every once in a while, put out another player of the quality of the HD.

[crimsonsky]

How do you determine an "XBox owning type"? I'm a 57-year old granddad and I own my very own XBox. But yeah - the whole issue with Zune recognition is probably valid.