Microsoft hires Windows Phone fan advert creator

By Tom Warren, on 2nd Aug 11 9:53 am with 23 Comments

Microsoft has hired a fan art creator into the company’s UX design team.

The software giant first noticed Brandon Foy’s talents when he created a fan made Windows Phone advert in February. The “commercial” racked up nearly 150,000 views after it went semi-viral on the YouTube video sharing site. Microsoft invited Foy to create a special MIX11 keynote video and promised it would air as a national TV commercial if it reached 200,000 views on YouTube. The video currently stands at 108,000 views.

Foy, a 24-year old freelance graphics designer from Florida, has now joined Microsoft as a UX designer. Foy announced his new role in a tweet on Monday, spotted by LiveSide:

“Awesome day! Huge thanks to everyone who supported my #WP7 videos. Today was my first day as a UX Designer for #MSFT! =D

It’s not clear exactly what products Foy will be working on but many will hope that Microsoft decides to use his creative talent to harness a number of new Windows Phone marketing efforts.

  • Anonymous

    Good for him! This guy’s going to go far I think and it’s good to see that MS appreciated his work enough to give him the role.

    It’ll be interesting to see what he can create with the basically limitless resources that would likely be available to him now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Floyd/1358554781 Stephen Floyd

    “The video currently stands at 108,000 views”
    It’s at 148,000 for me! Dunno if thats a typo or just YouTube screwing up like it always does.
    Anyway congrats to this guy for getting hired! Bet he never expected to get a job out of making that video!

    • http://www.winrumors.com Tom W

      You’re confusing the videos :) It’s the second video that’s at 108,000 views.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Floyd/1358554781 Stephen Floyd

      ohh haha I assumed it was the one you posted here. >;P

  • Wp7si

    This is so cool I love it!

  • http://doctorwhofan98.wordpress.com/ doctorwhofan98

    I like the ad, though there is definitley 148,000 views.

  • Troy

    What Windows Phone 7 device is that?

    • Anonymous

      It is a 3d model he created.

    • Michael Niedan-Olsen

      Funny – I like model.  Lets get on that HTC.

    • TryllZ

      Its just a CGI invention, its nt an actual device but only looks like one..

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Apple-Mac/100001436521952 Apple Mac

    Apple iOS 5 Vs Microsoft WP7 Mango Vs Android IceCream 3.1 [Pics & Video Comparison]ihackuall.blogspot.com/2011/07/apple-ios-5-vs-windows-phone-7-mango-vs.html

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Apple-Mac/100001436521952 Apple Mac

    MUST WATCH WINDOWS OS Wins the OS battle Apple iOS 5 Vs Microsoft WP7 Mango Vs Android IceCream 3.1 [Pics & Video Comparison]
    http://ihackuall.blogspot.com/2011/07/apple-ios-5-vs-windows-phone-7-mango-vs.html

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=711776665 Michael Ingram

    Too bad he tweeted from an iPad.

    • Entegy

      What, he can’t have more than one device? I have a gaming PC running Windows 7 a Samsung Focus, a MacBook Pro, a Mac Mini and a Linux box. Use what’s best for your needs and don’t be a fanboy.

  • OMG55

    Congrats to Mr. Foy!!!! I know this is off base, but I ran across an article comparing iOS 5 & WP7; it show an ergonomic split keyboard like the new keyboard MS showed/announce months ago, spoke of twitter integration, message alerts on the home screen, and message integration. I know MS cannot sue for everything, but can someone tell me why they aren’t sueing apple for patent infringement related to the split keyboard….I’m sure MS has a patent on this. If someone can get the word to MS please do!!!! If MS copied/stole apple’s idea, apple would sue faster than you could blink.

  • Anonymous

    I’m not a fan of those ads. The music is too aggressive and the action is way too spazzy.  Just looking at that doesn’t drive home the fact that these are Windows Phones, nor do they highlight the great experience of using one of them.

    • http://twitter.com/oolong2 oolong2

      Well it’s not surprising that a “graphics designer” would go overboard on action, spaz, and glitz and spend little time actually informing people on features.

      If a programmer made the ad it would probably  be a page of text with Ben Stein reciting each feature  ;-)

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QG4XLIDW3FP5KMF3PA5MBDDIME Dan

      Oh, come on, give us a LITTLE credit.  We’d probably at LEAST have Capt. Jean-Luc Picard do the narrating.

  • Anonymous

    I’m not a fan of those ads. The music is too aggressive and the action is way too spazzy.  Just looking at that doesn’t drive home the fact that these are Windows Phones, nor do they highlight the great experience of using one of them.

  • Anonymous

    WP7 VS android  (WP7  Picture Hub ) VS (android Picture  gallery) !!!

    https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=ea2e53db6a4db570&page=play&resid=EA2E53DB6A4DB570!653

  • Anonymous

    I actually like the second video (with 108,000 views) better. It’s flashy and shows many features and games on WP7. Reminds me of the Ipod Touch commercial flashing games being played on the Ipod. I thought it was very effective. It got my daughter to constantly ask for it for her birthday. I think the average person doesn’t use most of the features of the phones. They check emails and play games. Showing the gaming capabilities of the device should be a priority. The zune would have been a success if it was capable of playing games. It had a better screen, looked better than the ipod touch, and had better media capabilities. However, it couldn’t play games.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jesse-Garcia/100000361221634 Jesse Garcia

    This dude really deserved it. Great job! hope he ignites a fire under MS ass to get advertising out and more abundant.

  • http://twitter.com/brandnewfunk Brandon

    Both are really good. Favorite one, however, is the 51-second one that starts out in the dark, like a night-club-like graphic equalizer/visualization. I like think the public likes that one more, too, as it has more Likes currently.