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First Seinfeld Microsoft Ad Airs, Thin on Content

by , 8:05 AM EDT, September 5th, 2008

Microsoft aired the first of its pro-Windows commercials featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates Thursday evening, although there was no mention of Microsoft's operating system in the ad. Instead, the ad focused on the interaction between Seinfeld and Gates in a discount shoe store.

The commercial's lack of reference to Microsoft products or comparison of Windows Vista to Mac OS X stands in contrast to Apple's successful Get a Mac ad series that features John Hodgeman as PC and Justin Long as Mac. Apple's ads typically point out problems with Windows Vista while highlighting features in Mac OS X.


Microsoft's first Seinfeld/Gates ad.

Future Microsoft ads, however, will likely include more than Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates discount shoe shopping while eating churros. According to TechCrunch, Microsoft senior vice president Bill Veghte confirmed more commercials in the series are on the way, and the first phase includes "icebreakers" designed to reintroduce Microsoft to consumers.

How well Microsoft's ads go over remains to be seen, but the consensus from many in the tech world is "meh." So far it appears that many people are failing to find the commercial compelling, which could make it difficult for Microsoft to get its message heard when up against Apple's strong ad campaign.

Observer Comments

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View Name:Guest
Subject: Mac heads don't get it. Too complicated probably.
View Name:Guest
Subject: That was an ad?
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject: Mac Ads - Yawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn
View Name:Guest
Subject: Apple has the best ads amongst any industry, good luck MS.
View Name:Guest
Subject: windows commercial
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject: conquistador shoes?
View Name:Guest
Subject: Could you be the same guest?
View Name:Guest
Subject: Thin on content?
View Name:Guest
Subject: WinDOZE commercials...
View Name:Guest
Subject: Actually funny
View Name:Guest
Subject: Don't get me wrong..
View Name:Guest
Subject: i hate that mac guy
View Name:Guest
Subject: Wow
View Name:Guest
Subject: Funny, but not ha ha funny
View Name:Guest
Subject: First Seinfeld Microsoft Ad Airs, Thin on Content
View Name:Guest
Subject: Seinfeld ad prompts need for new term "ad opera"
Close Name:jimothy Posts: 597 Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Subject: re: mac heads

Quote
Guest wrote:
Ah see the mistake you make is thinking that Microsoft gives a crap about Apple's ad campaign.


Well, you can kinda see why we feel this way considering Microsoft has stated this campaign is a response to their "noisy competitor's" ads.

Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 721 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Subject: It wasn't bad

It is the first commercial so it is setting us up for the ones to follow. Bill has a subtle humor and will probably play a good straight man to Jerry. I will look forward to see what is next.

Will they convince me to go right out and buy Windows and a PC? No, but eventually I will buy another copy of Windows be it Vista, Panorama, Landscape, or what ever is new at that time.

At least it was much less annoying, and more watchable, than the ads for FreeCreditReport.com



Last edited by Sir Harry Flashman on Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:33 am; edited 1 time in total
Reply | Quote
View Name:Guest
Subject: Irony
View Name:Guest
Subject: Sad
View Name:Guest
Subject:
Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 721 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Subject: Please!

Quote
Guest wrote:
I've always liked PCs over MAC, but that commercial made no sense whatsoever. I think MAC commercials make fun of the problems that actually do exist. But not in a demeaning way. And what with the conquistador shoes? Seinfeld should have hung it up after he stopped his show. Just shows he needs some cash to do something like that.


it is Mac not MAC which is an acronym for something else.

View Name:Guest
Subject: spam
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject: Mac heads are to slow to understand it
View Name:Guest
Subject: Tired of those Mac-head commercials
View Name:Guest
Subject: Mac Virus
View Name:Guest
Subject: I'd give it a "Bee"
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject: Content?
Close Name:horvatic Posts: 101 Joined: 27 Jun 2003
Subject: Thin? No, more like NO CONTENT at all! Shoe clown?

No content at all except Bill Gates in the video. There's nothing here that would lead a consumer to think Windows, or computers period.
Awful commercial!

Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 721 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Subject: Exactly

Quote
Guest wrote:
Quote
Sir Harry Flashman wrote:

it is Mac not MAC which is an acronym for something else.


Actually, it's at least 3 other things in IT alone.


Yes, all PCs have MACs

I understand how people make the mistake. Upper case PC for "personal computer" so then it is upper case MAC for Macintosh.

View Name:Guest
Subject: RE: Mac heads are to slow to understand it
View Name:Guest
Subject: Sir Allan Donald
View Name:Guest
Subject: Microsoft!
View Name:Guest
Subject: What?
Close Name:BanjoBanker Posts: 78 Joined: 27 Dec 2004
Subject:

Talk about Mac fanboys, look at all the "guests: today and read their vitriol. I guess this ad is so bad the trolls have to come out in force to defend Troll King Billy. And Jerry Seifeld? What is up with Seinfeld?

View Name:Guest
Subject: Thin on Content?
View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject:
Close Name:darkone Posts: 10 Joined: 05 Jun 2006
Subject: The commercial explained..

There is much symbolism in this commercial. Here is my interpretation:

First of all we are at a discount shoe store, this symbolizes the supposed affordability of Windows to Macintosh.

Remember the shoe is Windows.

Bill tries on a shoe from the proprietor, complains it doesn't fit, but is assured that over time it will.

He gets help from Jerry, because the proprietor's help is lacking.

Jerry discovers a feature in the shoe that is somewhat vague.

Jerry shows Bill the Conquistador (a more advanced shoe), assures him that if he works hard with it, the shoe will work out.

Some outsiders look in and make comments about the difficulty of the shoe.

Bill identifies himself as a regular customer which earns him the benefit of discounts on more of the same type of products.

Jerry gets Bill to confirm that Windows will someday be something that isn't today. The description is vague and sounds overreaching.

Close Name:jcrawford Posts: 4 Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Subject:

how about those J.G Wentworth commercials "It's your mone, and you need it now!"

although now that i think about it, the free credit report and JG wentworth do the job, they get stuck in your head so you are talking about them online.

Job well done guys

Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 721 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Subject: Mute

Quote
jcrawford wrote:
how about those J.G Wentworth commercials "It's your mone, and you need it now!"

although now that i think about it, the free credit report and JG wentworth do the job, they get stuck in your head so you are talking about them online.

Job well done guys


The only reason I talk about FreeCreditReport.com is because that it is incredibly annoying and I hit the mute button when it starts up. It does not induce me to purchase their service. The only character in the ad that I like is the white haired senior who glowers at the slacker.

As to the new Windows ads, I will watch them and probably enjoy them.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Thanks' MS posters for explaining it.
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