New Microsoft Ads Emerge

Posted 09/20/2008 at 1:02pm | by Justin Kerr

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The marketing drum at Microsoft beats on and new advertisements have finally surfaced for your viewing pleasure. The new direction in the campaign features a noticeable lack of Seinfeld and churros, but it finally takes on the damaging Mac vs PC ads which Apple first debuted several years ago. For many PC enthusiasts this is the real kick start of the Vista ad campaign, and in many ways is long overdue. For years Apple has stereotyped Windows user’s as pie chart obsessed corporate stooges who resist the very notion that computing can be fun. The Microsoft ads hope to demonstrate the diversity of the over one billion users across the world who use Windows everyday and are proud proponents of the platform. The campaign also features a new face to represent the PC, which ironically turns out to be an internal Microsoft employee named Sean Siler. Sean claims he was one of many who auditioned for the role of the PC and his duties at Microsoft otherwise involve work on IPv6. His email address (provided at the bottom of the ad) sends back an automated out of office response directed toward curious observers. Try it yourself by sending an email to sean@windows.com and you will be treated to the following.

“Hello! I’m a PC – and I can’t answer your email right now. I’d like to say that I’m out climbing Mt. Rainier or biking across Europe with the Swedish Beach Volleyball Team, but in fact I’m probably just chained to a desk somewhere in the depths of Redmond pounding out product specifications.
 
Now that I have been in a commercial, Microsoft has given me access to super-secret “BillyG” level of executive resources.  That’s right – I have my own email auto-responder!
 
This, as you have probably surmised, is my pre-prepared auto-response (All natural, no filler. No animals were harmed in the making of this response. Except for a ferret.) I really would like to have answered you myself, but if I did, (a) I’d probably get no work done, and (b) then I’d get fired, and (c) then I’d have no chance of doing any more of those really awesome commercials.
 
So let me try to prognosticate a few of your questions and answer a few of them.
 
Why did they put you on TV?
I think it’s my devastating good-looks and animal magnetism.  No, really – there’s a ferret stuck to my leg right now.
 
But really – you aren’t even an actor!
No I’m not.  But I play one on TV.  I really am a Microsoft Program Manager.  I work on IPv6, and other things that you haven’t heard of.
 
How did you get selected?
I auditioned along with a couple of hundred others.  I guess I looked very Engineery. And the ferret probably helped.
 
Are you interested in more acting?
Oh no, I think that Engineering is MUCH more fun. <rolls eyes>”
 
What’s with Windows Vista?
<sigh> You’ve been watching those commercials again, haven’t you? Windows Vista rocks. Listen to real users, not actors.
 
-The Real PC, Sean Siler
 

Links To The New Advertisements

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrmF-mPLybw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hhVjSbV_oQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj5UyZKo2iE