Microsoft is handing the launch of its marketing campaign in Australia to the consumers of its Windows 7 operating system.

Following on from the ‘I’m a PC’ and ‘PC Hunter’ campaigns, the Windows 7 campaign aims to harness its community of PC users in Australia as advocates for Windows 7 and to help drive sales of the software.

Entitled ‘My Idea’, the Australian campaign features Australians who provided feedback to Microsoft, along with the feedback of over eight million beta testers worldwide, who helped the brand develop the product.

It will include a national advertising campaign across online, outdoor billboard, TV and will also be supported through social media.

Nine Network’s The Apprentice has already featured Microsoft and Windows 7 as the cast competed to create a TV commercial for the new operating system.

“We took a fundamental change with our approach to launching this operating system. People don’t want to hear you talking about how great you think your product is – that’s a given. So we made a decision early on to shift our thinking and let our customers and partners be the voice of the product they helped us create,” said Lisa Hickson, marketing lead for consumer and online, Microsoft Australia.