The latest campaign under the new strategy tries to put a friendly face on Microsoft, a company that has been labeled by a federal judge as a "predatory" monopolist.

"Microsoft is perceived as successful, effective, and efficient, but not perceived as warm and approachable," says Mike Delman, the company's general manager. "We are trying to make the brand more approachable."

Three new television commercials start airing Monday. The spots, created by Microsoft agency McCann-Erickson Worldwide, a unit of Interpublic Group, depict the company's technology as a positive force in society.

In one commercial, a mischievous son ignores his mother's warnings and tries to tap into a Web site he's not supposed to be looking at, only to be stopped by safeguards installed on his computer. In another TV ad, a dyslexic girl in her bedroom uses a computer program to help her learn how to read. Two other commercials have already started airing.

Microsoft has ventured into branding before - most memorably with the slogan, "Where do you want to go today?" But nearly all of those ads featured specific products, Mr. Delman says. The fact the campaign is on the air also underscores Microsoft's new emphasis on television advertising. Previously, it focused more on print campaigns, which can communicate technical details of software programs.

"We didn't point to good things about the company. People didn't know that it was important to tell stories," Mr. Delman concedes. "The fact we haven't done so earlier shows a little bit of naivete." It's one of a number of mea culpas Mr. Delman has to offer on Microsoft's behalf. For years, Microsoft had splintered responsibility for advertising along its many different product lines, creating more than 75 different ad budgets, ranging from half a million to $100 million, and numerous small fiefs all battling fiercely to achieve their sales targets.

With so many managers directing so many different campaigns, Mr. Delman says the advertising messages grew increasingly complicated. One magazine might have several Microsoft ads that each looked different from the others.With so many managers sticking their hands in the creative pot, executives say the resulting Microsoft ads have often been less than inspiring. "The ads have taken a second seat to products," says Allen Adamson, managing director at New York-based Landor Associates. "They haven't gotten their fair share of advertising punch because their efforts were split up among a number of different messages."

Now, Microsoft is consolidating with one internal group most of the responsibilities for its ads. The company awarded almost all of its estimated $350 million account to McCann-Erickson last year. The resulting new campaign reflects Microsoft's realization how critical image, and image advertising, are in the booming tech sector.