The launch of Windows 95 was a momentous occasion in the history of personal computing. The revolutionary operating system marked a new era for Microsoft, and the launch was celebrated in grand style. One of the most memorable aspects of the launch was the use of the Rolling Stones’ song "Start Me Up" to mark the occasion.
Windows 95 Launch
Windows 95 was released on August 24, 1995. It was a major upgrade from its predecessor Windows 3.1, offering support for 32-bit applications and long file names, as well as a redesigned user interface. It was the first version of Windows to feature the now-iconic Start menu. Windows 95 was a major success, with over 40 million copies sold in its first year of release.
Rolling Stones’ "Start Me Up"
The launch of Windows 95 was accompanied by a promotional campaign that included the Rolling Stones’ song "Start Me Up". The song was a perfect fit for the launch, as its chorus of "You make a grown man cry" seemed to capture the excitement and emotion of the moment. The song was also used in a television commercial that featured Bill Gates and other Microsoft employees dancing to the music. The popularity of the song and the commercial helped to make Windows 95 one of the most successful launches in Microsoft’s history.
The launch of Windows 95 was a landmark event in the history of personal computing. The use of the Rolling Stones’ song "Start Me Up" was an integral part of the launch, and its popularity helped to make the launch a success. To this day, the song is still associated with the launch of Windows 95, and is a reminder of the excitement of the moment.
On August 24th 1995, Microsoft released one of its most iconic operating systems: Windows 95. The release was celebrated in some of the most iconic fashion with a television ad featuring the Rolling Stones anthem “Start Me Up”, which has become synonymous with the Windows 95 operating system.
The song was released in 1981 and featured on the Rolling Stones’s album “Tattoo You”. It was written to be an uptempo rock hit, and featured on numerous soundtracks, including that of the “Risky Business” movie. Microsoft seized the opportunity to use the song in their television campaign and marked a defining moment in history and generated extreme success for the company, in terms of the product’s launch and the quantity of sales.
The collaboration between Microsoft and The Rolling Stones resulted in one of the most successful pieces of music-based advertising to date. The television commercial featured various scenes of people beginning their day to the sound of Start Me Up, including going for a morning jog, a family gathering outside their house and a businessman stocking a fridge with Windows 95 products. The campaign was an instant success, generating an extreme level of sales for Windows 95 and branding it as one of the most successful products in the Microsoft range.
What makes this collaboration so noteworthy is that it came at a time when Microsoft was seeking to build a strong brand identity; Windows 95 was the first operating system to be released after its rebrand and was the first version of Windows to feature a graphical user interface. The campaign worked well to promote the brand, and it’s no surprise that this song continues to be associated with the Windows operating system to this day.
In conclusion, the collaboration between Microsoft and The Rolling Stones proved to be a match made in heaven. Not only did it help promote the Windows 95 operating system, but it made the Rolling Stones’ song “Start Me Up” an iconic staple in pop culture.
