Microsoft Corp. is continuing its global marketing campaign for the Windows Mobile operating system.

Called "Start Doing More," the integrated effort aims to channel the consumer familiarity with PC-based Windows programs to mobile. The goal is to highlight the depth and breadth of the software experiences on phones using Windows Mobile.

Christine McCaffrey, senior director of audience insights and marketing at Microsoft, Redmond, WA, said the campaign reflected a change in strategy. "Our message has evolved beyond 'business productivity' to a more comprehensive value proposition as a total lifestyle companion," she told Mobile Marketer's Lauren Mooney.

The posters displayed across subway stations in New York push Windows Mobile's myriad uses for everyday life. Like advertisements across other media, the posters encourage consumers to visit the site at www.startdoingmore.com, itself a surreal experience. Interpublic Group of Companies Inc.'s McCann Erickson San Francisco handled the campaign.

Excerpts from this exclusive interview with Ms. McCaffrey:

This is a major integrated campaign, isn't it?
It's a global integrated marketing campaign. You'll see it nationally here in the U.S. and across Europe and Asia, where Microsoft is experiencing significant growth in the mobile phone market.

The campaign includes a comprehensive media plan tailored to our insights about how to best reach busy people with out-of-home (OOH), traditional and digital marketing when they are at work, at play and on the go.

Much of the OOH is indeed on-the-go-focused, such as the subway and airport examples. We also reach people at work and at play through business, travel and sports print media and innovative online advertising and mobile application sponsorships.

Whom does the campaign target?
The campaign targets consumers who want to do more at work, at play and on the go and offers a whole range of Windows Mobile phones from all major OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] and mobile operators that allow them to do just that.

What's the strategy behind the campaign?
Consumers have come to expect more functionality from their mobile phones, wanting to do many of the types of things they do with their PCs at work and at home. Yet they don't necessarily want to learn a whole new way of doing things.

The campaign builds on this idea of Windows familiarity to showcase the richness of the software experience available on Windows Mobile phones. It features mobile versions of the applications and services people already know and love from their PCs -- e.g., Outlook, Office Mobile -- plus new Windows Mobile applications and services from Microsoft that are easy to learn and easy to use, such as Windows Live Search Mobile.

Can you explain the campaign in detail -- mission, campaign tag-line, media used including posters?
With more than 140 different Windows Mobile phones available to consumers today, this campaign represents a significant milestone in our multiyear investment to build Windows Mobile preference and an important evolution of our original, more business-focused approach.

You will see our message has evolved beyond "business productivity" to a more comprehensive value proposition as a total lifestyle companion.

All elements of the campaign are orchestrated around the compelling creative idea, "celebrate living mobile." It's a positive and engaging endorsement that today's consumer leads a more active mobile lifestyle, with Windows Mobile playing an enabling role in helping them do more on the go 24x7.

Integrated print, OOH, radio and online advertising excite and educate consumers with respect to Windows Mobile features and benefits building against the "do more" proposition.

The creative and messaging are also optimized to leverage the unique characteristics of each medium and vehicle in our media plan. Examples include rich online advertising that drives deeper engagement by allowing users to demo specific features from right inside the banner. And rich high-definition OOH are running in our highest density airports such as [New York's] JFK.

The consumer is able to see the software in action and on the go. All creative units will, where possible, feature:

• Multiple software screen shots to show a diverse set of business and personal productivity scenarios from your mobile life
• Strong on-device Windows Mobile branding
• Theme line: "There's so much more you can do when your phone runs Windows"
• Unique, humorous headlines against 24x7 business and personal life scenarios
• Strong URL call to action to www.startdoingmore.com
• Exciting new Windows Mobile 6 phones from our mobile operator and OEM partners.

In addition to highlighting the software experience, the creative also had to do the job of showcasing the innovative new phones that run Windows Mobile 6, the latest version of our mobile operating system.

We are very excited about the opportunity to feature our mobile operators and OEM partners in a manner that brings the Windows Mobile category of mobile phones to life for our shared customers. The immersive experience we have built at www.startdoingmore.com anchors the campaign and is the call-to-action for all media.

What's the purpose of this campaign? What do you hope to achieve?
With new Windows Mobile 6 phones available to consumers today, we hope to showcase that Windows Mobile phones offer more choice and more familiarity than any other mobile phone on the market today.

Has Microsoft ever done a campaign like this?
This campaign represents a significant milestone in our multiyear investment to build Windows Mobile awareness and preference, and an important evolution of our original more business-focused approach.

You will see our message evolve beyond "business productivity" to a more comprehensive value proposition as a total lifestyle companion.

What's next for Windows Mobile?
We are always innovating on Windows Mobile and working on future versions to enhance the magic of our software.

Today, with our partners, we are focused on helping people and businesses take advantage of the Windows Mobile 6 phones to stay connected to their friends, family and colleagues and to critical personal and work information while on the go.

What percentage of phones have Windows on them?
Although I cannot give you an exact percentage, I can tell you that in fiscal year 2007, we sold more than 11 million licenses and we expect to nearly double this amount in fiscal year '08 by selling over 20 million.

Key features Microsoft wants to highlight?
A Windows Mobile phone is the one phone for your entire life. We believe that everywhere you go your world can be taken with you.

Whether you want to edit an Excel spreadsheet, check your work and personal email, get the latest traffic report, find the cheapest gas prices in the neighborhood or even listen to your favorite song, Windows Mobile allows you do it all in one place.

Has anyone else done a campaign like this before for mobile browsers?
Microsoft offers a mobile operating system that powers more than 140 different phones today. And with more than 1 billion PCs running Windows today as well, we offer mobile customers both a wide range of phone choice and Windows familiarity.

We are also unique in our ability to work with our mobile operator and phone OEM partners to ensure that our campaign brings their new phone offerings to life with online experiences such as www.startdoingmore.com.

How does someone get Windows Mobile? Does Microsoft have ties with manufacturers and wireless carriers?
Establishing strong partnerships and giving customers the freedom of choice are the foundations of Windows Mobile.

Today, Windows Mobile is found on devices made by 48 device makers that are then sold by 160 mobile operators in 55 countries. There are over 140 Windows Mobile phones on the market today, from candy-bar style to flip or full-keyboard to touch, so customers can find the right fit for their mobile needs.

Some examples in the U.S. include the Samsung BlackJack II, the AT&T Tilt, the T-Mobile Shadow and the Motorola Q9M.

Finally, what challenges or opportunities does this Start Doing More campaign address?
Creates the opportunity to highlight how much more you can now do with phones that run Windows. At work, at play and on the go.

View images from the Start Doing More campaign here. Please click here for the PDF file