Microsoft's 'Scroogled' Gear Sells Out Fast

Microsoft's new 'Scroogled' merchandise appears to be selling remarkably well. New reports suggest a lot of the gear, which rips on Google's controversial Gmail privacy policy, has already sold out.

Microsoft began its Scroogled campaign earlier this year. The focus of the offensive is Google's Gmail privacy policy, which allows the company to scan both sent and received emails in order to formulate more effective advertisements.

Microsoft insists its email service, Outlook, doesn't do that to its customers.

To highlight the difference, Microsoft recently began selling mugs, t-shirts, baseball caps, hoodies, and other items featuring slogans like "Keep calm while we steal your data."

Google-blasting Mug Sells Out Fast

Now, reports say some of that merchandise has already sold out. An $8 mug with the aforementioned "Keep calm" slogan and a $12 "Scroogled" t-shirt have both been marked "Out of Stock" on Microsoft's website.

Demand for some other items has apparently been so heavy that Microsoft says it can't ship them for several weeks.

Peter LaMotte, an analyst with Washington, D.C.-based firm Levick, says he's been surprised by people's response to the Scroogled campaign.

"What I found ... most fascinating is that the [gear] is essentially selling out," LaMotte said. (Source: computerworld.com)

"It's selling incredibly quickly, but people aren't doing it as support for Microsoft or what Microsoft is trying to accomplish, but as ironic or gag gifts."

"Scroogled" a Success? Probably Not, Analyst Says

And there's your kicker: this isn't an effort by consumers to show support for Microsoft.

So, will the Scroogled campaign really affect how consumers think about Microsoft and Google? Probably not, Lamotte says.

"I don't think this is turning out to be a successful campaign," LaMotte noted. "That Microsoft is spending all this money to continue a poorly-devised marketing campaign is curious. Google is still winning this argument."

Meanwhile, many Google employees appear to find the whole Scroogled shtick deliciously ironic.

"LOL! It's already sold out!" wrote one Google software engineer in reference to the popular "Keep calm" mug. "If only the Surface [was] this popular." (Source: forbes.com)