Microsoft in the Zune

After a post-holiday season lull, MicrosoftMSFT is ready to rally its Zune digital music player.

The software giant is readying a new marketing and advertising blitz and plans to launch the device in new colors to maintain sales before it makes a hopefully bigger splash with new features -- and possibly a flash-based player like Apple'sAAPL rival iPod before the end of the year.

"We have a second wave of marketing and advertising coming out next month," says Jason Reindorp, Microsoft's marketing director for Zune. "We had spiked over the holiday period but naturally tapered out."

The Zune, which is currently available in white, brown and black, will soon sport prettier colors. A baby-pink version will be available in May, and another vibrant color will be introduced a few weeks later.

"It could help with reaching more of their target demographic," says Ross Rubin, an analyst with NPD Group. "Colors like pink could help increase the device's appeal with women."

The ad campaign, starting next month, will focus on key differentiators for the Zune, including screen size, its wireless music exchange capability and the ability to customize the home screen.

Microsoft didn't disclose the cost of the campaign but says it will be enough to get the Zune noticed. "It is not as much as the launch spend, but it is still a good sum," says Reindorp.