Apple has had marked success with the 'I'm a Mac' advertising campaigns, and Microsoft is back banging it's head against a seeming brick wall of indifference with the ongoing 'I'm a PC' marketing drive that has featured both Bill Gates and Steve 'Monkey Dancer' Ballmer. Now, it would appear, that the Linux Foundation is feeling left out and so has decided to join in the fun with an 'I'm Linux' advertising run.
As far as I am aware there has never really been a concerted advertising campaign for Linux. That is because it has never needed one, the dedicated fanbois will be screaming at the screen right about now I suspect. Well, maybe. However, if you were to sit back and look at the overall position of Linux in the overall market when compared to either Windows or Mac, then perhaps you might think the reality is that some marketing is long overdue.
Whatever, The Linux Foundation is convinced it is necessary and despite the lack of a budget or a multi-national conglomerate with a marketing department the size of a small African nation to drive it, it has decided to push on and get an advert made.
The key, of course, is those fanbois. So instead of getting an outside agency to come in with something clever and costly, it has opted to do the Linux thing and embrace the community. So what we have is a community contest to find the best advert for Linux.
Neat.
Starting January 26th, Linux fanbois the world over will be able to showcase what they think the 'I'm Linux' advert should look like by submitting videos that are 60 seconds or less in duration. You can send in as many as you like, as long as they meet the time restriction, and are not offensive. Interested parties have until the 15th march to get creative and see if they can do better than Microsoft (should not be difficult) or Apple (might be a tad harder.)
Apart from the joy of being the figurehead of the I'm Linux campaign and forever basking in that reflected geek glory, the winner gets a trip to the Linux Foundation Japan Linux Symposium later in the year.
Let's hope that the misinformed 'use old version of Windows instead of Linux' school teacher does not enter...