Have you heard Microsoft’s latest marketing wheeze for Windows 7? They’re sponsoring individuals to throw parties on or around October 22 to celebrate its launch, sweetening the deal for successful applicants with a free copy of Windows 7 Ultimate and a mysterious “Party Pack” of goodies and (presumably) marketing material.

It’s an idea that will, I’m sure, be met with cynicism, distrust and sneering in the streets. But personally I think it’s an inspired notion, and exactly the right way to handle this particular launch.

The “wow” started… when?

As you may recall, the Vista launch was very much a top-down affair. Microsoft spent millions setting out what we should expect from its new OS. It put forth an official mantra – “Clear, Confident, Connected” – and spelt out how we should react when we encountered it. (“When you see it, you’ll say it,” instructed pre-release materials.)

When launch day finally arrived, it was officially declared that the “streamlined and intuitive” Vista would “transform the way people work and play”.

The outcome? Widespread disappointment. Vista did improve on XP in several ways, but the changes were hardly transformative, and the interface was sluggish and overcomplicated. The promised “wow” proved underwhelming even on top-of-the-line hardware. It quickly became clear that Microsoft’s bold claims for Vista had been – to put it generously – rose-tinted.

Fool me once…

Microsoft thus became the boy who cried “wolf”. Today, it’s generally accepted – in the PC Pro office, at least – that, unlike Vista, Windows 7 really is impressively streamlined and intuitive. But if Microsoft were to declare that now, who’d believe it? If anything, such rhetoric could tarnish the product: the obvious assumption would be that an OS launched with a similar spiel to Vista would be of similar quality.

So for this release it’s wise for Microsoft to lay low and leave the persuading to independent parties. And that indeed is what it’s been doing for the past eight months, with considerable success. The freely available beta and RC releases have given the public at large a chance to really get to know Windows 7 – and to share their (largely positive) impressions. That’s created an online buzz around the new OS and lent it a pre-launch credibility no PR spin campaign could ever have achieved.

Would I lie to you?

Now, as launch day draws near, Microsoft is turning to the ultimate trustworthy resource: personal friends. Come October you won’t have to rely on little_dave1982 to tell you all about jumplists and the new taskbar: if you’re lucky enough to have a geeky mate who’s hosting a party they’ll be on hand to walk you through the wonders of Windows 7 in person.

In principle that may sound like an icky idea. It smacks of the dubious social ethics of the sandwich-box / make-up / dildo party, where the host gets a kickback for every item they persuade their friends to buy.

True faith

But in this case it appears – from the preliminary details – that there’ll be no selling at the event. Indeed, beyond an obligation to demonstrate the OS and hand out the materials provided, the terms and conditions give party hosts no particular reason to support the launch at all.

That bespeaks a reassuring confidence on Microsoft’s part that there’s no pressure required — that people need merely to be exposed to the OS to like it on its merits. Admittedly this was also the idea behind the laughable Mojave Experiment, but now, with Windows 7, it starts to sound like a realistic marketing model.

Indeed, if you ask me, letting the product speak for itself in this way seems less offensive than the hyperbole and bluster of a “normal” marketing campaign.

Plus, this way, we can all have a drink.

If you’d like to apply to host your own Windows 7 party, you can do so here. But be warned: although it appears you won’t be required to shill for Microsoft, the terms and conditions do give them the right to use images or recordings from your party for advertising purposes (or anything else they feel like).