The odd new Surface 2 ad, featuring my face

Over the last few hours, Microsoft unveiled the 2nd generation Surface tablet at a press event in NYC. Soon after they posted the product ad they screened during the presentation to YouTube. While I was sleeping, sharp-eyed Twitter user @Sunil noticed a brief onscreen appearance of something I did not expect at all, my face.

Analysing more closely, the screenshot is actually of Skype for Windows 8 which features my previous profile photo. Appearing alongside me is also the profile of my buddy Rafael Rivera. On the top right corner, it clearly shows that the user is “Paul Thurrott”.

So what appears to have happened is that the ad production company decided to show a lot of Windows 8 screens in quick succession in the video. When it came to actually sourcing the screenshots they must have just used a search engine for pictures that contained Windows 8. The original screenshot was actually published in a WinSuperSite.com article and Paul asked for permission to use my profile photo.

This theory would also explain another bizarre appearance of a DeviantArt concept of Windows 8 in an earlier version of the ad originally posted to YouTube but now pulled. Rafael Rivera tweeted a screencap.

The ad is embedded below. My split second of fame appears at 0:57.

6 insightful thoughts

  1. Nobody will notice, but that won’t make you less famous. Little details like these makes the difference between Apple and Microsoft.

    1. Yes like what, wheres your evidence that, I notice it everytime, if you think Apple marketing is perfect your wrong, “Your holding the iPhone 4 wrong” atthena problem oh yes, in there presentation they lied about MS paying update on Windows 8, actually Windows 8.1 is free to update, oh yes that Apple gives an soft ad, while Microsoft gives an “epic score” in advertisement. I already see the difference, Apple has a marketing trick, to fool people.

  2. The current Surface Pro released in Japan has 128GB or 256GB for storage with Office Home & Business 2013.
    I’m not sure whether those options will be future international standard for Surface Pro.

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