Microsoft takes on Samsung Galaxy S3 with new Windows Phone ad

Add Microsoft to the list of companies that has taken a dig at Samsung around the launch of its Galaxy S4, although the makers of Windows Phone are not taking a dig at the newest version, but the Galaxy S3 instead.

Microsoft is bringing its famous “Smoked by Windows Phone campaign” to American television, in a well timed move. The campaign revolved around a series of challenges that the Microsoft team threw out to people using other smartphones on the roads and Microsoft retail stores.

Lock, stock and two smoking smartphones!

The company ran more than 50,000 challenges in 54 countries. Microsoft made users of rival operating systems pit their phones against a Windows Phone. The users were asked to whip out their phones and perform tasks such as pulling out the weather in two different cities faster than Rudoplh on a Windows Phone to win the challenge. The exercise had its own share of controversies with the challenged claiming that they had indeed won. Of course, Microsoft made the rules of this game.

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Now, Microsoft is ready to debut its campaign on TV, this time pitting the Lumia 920 against the Samsung Galaxy S3. Ben Rudolph, the Microsoft star of the campaign challenges a lady with a Samsung Galaxy S3 to pose for a picture while he clicks her and a friend both with her camera and a Lumia 920. Of course, Lumia 920 has the best image in the ad and Rudolph hands the phone to the lady at the end of the 30-second commercial. The final blow comes when the voicover says, “Say hello to the Nokia Lumia and say goodbye to bad smartphone photos,”

Microsoft has relied heavily on these challenges that have a great viewership on YouTube to promote the Windows Phone platform. Even as Windows 8 launched late last year, Windows rechristened the “Smoked by Windows Phone” challenge to a happier sounding “Meet Your Match” Of course, they mean a Windows Phone by it.

In a post announcing the renaming on the Windows Phone blog, Microsoft evangelist Rudolph wrote, “It’s is a different take on our Smoked challenges, focusing not just on why Windows Phone is faster, but also on why it’s better, easier, more useful, and more fun.” He also added, “The soul of Smoked – a side-by-side comparison of us vs. the other guys – hasn’t changed, but now it’s about why our phones and features are a better match for you, no matter who you are or what you’re into. “

While this was back in November, Microsoft is back just in time to work around the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4, a phone all rival companies have been training their guns at. While LG put up a board saying “LG Optimus G Is Here 4 You Now,” above Samsung’s “Be Ready 4 The Next Galaxy,” days before the launch, HTC lined up an entire street team to take on Samsung. The Taiwanese company’s CMO and President too took shots at the newest Galaxy S phone. Will the TV debut of Microsoft’s campaign make a dent? We’ll have to wait and watch!