Microsoft’ Maroon5 graffiti turn residents red

Photo by Jessica Lum

It seems Microsoft has taken their Windows phone 7 marketing message urban, with the above graffiti stencil showing up all over San Francisco.

The above example from Valencia Street was caught by a local resident – Microsoft’s PR company  Waggener Edstrom, disavowed any knowledge of the act, with Christine Falvey, director of communications for the city’s Department of Public Works calling it illegal.

Fortunately the penalty for the promotion is not too severe, simply needing to clean up the paint (which is likely easily removable chalk) providing little disincentive.

The graffiti appears to be pretty successful however in promoting Microsoft’s free Maroon 5 rock concert at the Fillmore on the 8th, the launch of Windows phone 7, and is simply one of the many creative marketing stunts Microsoft is undertaking to bring some attention to their very important US launch.

In 2002 in a similar stunt Microsoft plastered Manhattan with butterfly decals in 2002 to promote its MSN 8 Internet service.

Has any of our readers seen the graffiti first hand? Let us know below.

Via Missionlocal.org.