A whole lotta clickin’: Microsoft launches its first Surface ad

A week before its new Surface tablet hits the market, Microsoft has launched its first ad for the device, giving nothing away about its price....or anything else for that matter.

OK here we go, it’s lift-off for Microsoft’s Surface ad campaign, a week before the tablet is due to launch.

Microsoft’s first ad for its new tablet is a stylish 60-second skit, an all-clicking, all-dancing affair featuring, among others, young families, business workers, dancing schoolgirls, smooching senior citizens and a whole lot of colorful Surface tablets. The wide range of participants in the ad is the Redmond-based company saying, “Hey, this tablet’s for you (oh, and you and you and……).”

It’s more of a teaser than anything else – there’s nothing about specs and no pricing information – designed to create awareness and make those who haven’t heard about Microsoft’s first foray into the tablet world look up and say, “What’s that all about then?”

The ad starts in silence – you might think your video player is on mute at first. Then things start to make sense. It’s all about the click – the click the tablet makes when it connects with its magnetic Touch Cover keyboard; the click it makes when the kickstand is put into action. Within seconds, the screen is filled with a mass of dancing people clicking their tablets to the music. And, well, that’s about it. You can check out the new ad below.

Microsoft’s upcoming Surface tablet has a 10.6-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and comes together with the Touch Cover click-on (yes, it clicks on, did we mention that?) keyboard. The tablet comprises two models, one powered by Windows 8 Pro and a more basic version running Windows RT.

The RT model launches next week while the Surface Pro is expected to be available early 2013.

The Surface’s price tag is still a mystery, though last month Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer dashed hopes of a cut-price tablet when he suggested a likely launch price of between $300 and $800. C’mon Steve, you could’ve narrowed the range a little, no?

Next week looks set to be a busy one in the world of tablet computers, with Apple reportedly unveiling (no, really, it might be happening) its iPad Mini on October 23, three days before the launch of the Surface.