On the one hand, these “Scroogled” items up for sale on Microsoft’s official online store provoke a response of ugh, groan. On the other hand, it’s all, cringe, no, awkward. Either way you go, Microsoft’s attempt to poke fun at its competitor just comes off as a little bit… sad.

It’s a real online store and a real line of shirts, hats and even a mug with phrases like a Chrome logo in a trench coat, “Keep Calm While We Steal Your Data,” “We’re Watching You” and Microsoft’s favorite dig, the Scroogled logo. Because of course, this is the Scroogled section of the store, points out Wired.com in its shared disbelief.

While we can’t imagine anyone willingly donning a T-shirt with Chrome as a scary spider, apparently the mug is sold out.

And as for Google watching people, yes, its all-seeing eye does mine the treasure trove of your Internet searches to market products. But Microsoft’s Kinect feature of the XBox One also watches people — a little too closely for some, points out FastCoDesign. It watches you right in the junk.

Please, Microsoft. Give up on making “Scroogled” a thing. Or at least refrain from trying to sell merchandise with that on it and work on developing your own brand personality. Slinging insults via cringeworthy T-shirts isn’t going to get you too far in the image battle.

Know what will? Devoting your resources to developing great products consumers will benefit from. Just a thought.

These Anti-Google T-Shirts Just Make Microsoft Look Pathetic [Wired.com]

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