Slightly more than a year after joining Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), Todd Peters is leaving his mark on the company, or one might say his button. Peters, who was formerly VP for brand management at Staples, was hired by Microsoft to bring a consumer-facing focus to the Windows Mobile group. At Staples, he was known for the red “Easy” button that appears in all the commercials. And, now Microsoft is adding a button to each and every Windows phone sold. The button, which will be required by manufactures to include on the phone, will direct users to the Start menu and will be marked by the well-known Microsoft flag.

When I caught up with Peters yesterday, I asked him if he was responsible for the idea. Peters: “I suppose every marketer is known for something, and I’m going to be known as ‘the button guy’.” When pushed further, he admitted “I played a role.” In all seriousness, he said the button was just a small marketing ploy that Microsoft could do to get a message across in a retail environment. “It’s an iconic way to tie the story together…The more we looked at it, we had an ace to play here.”

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