I know it is wrong to link to my own blog but I must show anyone who has a vested interest in Birmingham’s creative industry just what our rivals over the pond are up to.

"I should have gone to Birmingham"
Thanks to Andrew Dubber for discovering that pudding of visual diarrhea.
I shalln’t repeat myself from the link, but it really is an awful piece of work (although its got me talking about it, I suppose).
On a serious note, I know for a fact there are some quality agencies in the Eastside and Digbeth area that would make of mockery of such an ad for a fraction of the price Microsoft would have paid whoever it was responsible for this abomination.
I know it is a little ambitious for Birmingham companies to try getting custom from Microsoft, but at this time of recession, all companies are reviewing their marketing spend paving the way for talented but relatively cheap agencies to undercut their rivals and make an absolute fortune. If you can do better than the said ad (so you’re over 2 years old) and you work in a Birmingham based marketing agency, please give Microsoft a ring and bring some prosperity from the creative wastelands of America to the fertile soils of Brum.