Microsoft Begins Airing Its First Seinfeld TV Ads
Microsoft Begins Airing Its First Seinfeld TV Ads
Posted 09/05/2008 at 8:10am
| by Paul Lilly
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Earlier reports that Microsoft's new ad campaign would kick off with Jerry Seinfeld as its OS pitchman turned out to be true, and so has the pre-release skepticism. It's hard to imagine being any more annoyed than when watching Justin Long portray the prototypical hipster for the umpteenth time, but like Vista when it first came out, general consensus is that Microsoft has dropped the ball and left eager PC fans more than a little underwhelmed.
How bad was it? Enough so that you won't find any pretense of unbiased reporting in this blog. Not only did the first commercial in Microsoft's $300 million advertising campaign appear to make little sense, but if it was aiming to be funny (and it was), it missed the mark.
"Today, we are kicking off a highly visible advertising campaign," wrote Microsoft's senior VP Bill Veghte in an email to employees. "The first phase of this campaign is designed to engage consumers and spark a new conversation about Windows – a conversation that will evolve as the campaign progresses, but will always be marked by humor and humanity."
Veghte goes on to explain that the first set of ads should be taken as an icebreaker, but if Microsoft was looking to make a good first impression with Seinfeld's debut, well, let's just say it didn't. See for yourself.
Disagree? Hit the jump and post your opinion.
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RGCook
September 05, 2008 at 5:11pm
He's a 10. As in perfect. Yeah, the underlying message is that it is a perfect fit but will need to be broken in like a pair of new shoes. It's creative.
Bob Cook
Montgomery, TX
hayroe
September 05, 2008 at 5:09pm
...but I really liked it.
Granted, it had nothing to do with computers, or Windows, but the whole "Bill Gates buying discount shoes", "Conquistador", and "Shoe Circus Clown Club" thing had me pretty darn amused.
And Bill's picture on the card, like he's been a member since back in the day, too funny.
Microsoft does need to stop selling technical superiority, makeing PCs fun and easy, and all the dreams we've all pretty much given up on, and just work on making Microsoft seem cool again
Because we all know that Americans are gullible enough to buy products just because they're from cool companies like Apple , right?
I'm interested to see where this goes...
knexkid
September 05, 2008 at 1:19pm
I like how "Epic Fail" is one of the tags....after watching the ad, I really want to go to a shoe store and get some shoes, but not a microsoft product? Are they advertising Vista? Windows? Microsoft in general? Comedy, yes, but the marketing was pretty much an epic fail...I guess we'll have to wait until more of these come out.
Keith E. Whisman
September 05, 2008 at 10:39am
Well I thought it was really funny. I really don't know what they were trying to sell but who cares Microsoft bought that 30seconds of ad space on TV for a funny commercial that does'nt sell anything and I like it.
This only the first commercial. Perhaps it'll get to selling Microsoft products in the next commercial.
JonPhillips
September 05, 2008 at 9:15am
I didn't think I would be impressed with the rumored Seinfeld commerical given what is (for me at least) a bizarre/creepy Mojave campaign. But you know what? I thought this commercial was great. I thought it was funny, and it inspired in me the thought -- for the very first time ever -- that MS is actually cool in a modern, geeky, pop-culture, 'we get it' kind of way. Nope, the ad doesn't have ANYTHING to do with Vista, but within the larger context of marketing strategies, this is the perfect approach, I think. In its war with Apple, MS is losing a battle of perceptions, and not necessarily a conflict of which company actually offers the better OS platform. If MS can somehow establish that they understand people, and culture, and a general sense of appealing dorkiness, then they set the table for a follow-up message on actual products.
athlon11
September 05, 2008 at 8:46am
I thought it was hilarious, a light hearted take, and 10 billion times less annoying or gay than Justin Long.
Talcum X
September 05, 2008 at 8:25am
My wife and I saw this yesterday evening. It was cute, a bit funny. Deffinately light herted in its manner. Is it for now, or fow what's to come... Adjust you underwear if it's the latter.
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