Microsoft signs Seinfeld in Anti-Mac campaign
Update: 10 reasons this won't work!
Microsoft has hired Jerry Seinfeld to be the face of its new counter-offensive-cum marketing campaign.
The oh-so-cool Microsoft will spend $300 million on a series of ads on the theme of 'Windows Not Walls" (I'm yawning already, but there it is). The ads will feature the dramatic skills of popular in the US comedian, Seinfeld, and well known thespian, Bill Gates (acting? Who knew???).
Seinfeld will get $10 million for his part advertising the world's largest software company while working beside one of the world's richest men. And what's the deal? Microsoft wants to get rid of its stodgy and dull public image, and wants to convince us all through advertising that Vista and the Zune aren't the disasters we all know they are..
The campaign is the brainchild of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, a Miami-based ad shop that has helped revitalize brands such as Burger King, the Wall Street Journal tells us. We're thrilled to look forward to the campaign.
Oh, and remember Jerry always had his trusty Mac Classic in the corner of his Manhattan apartment. Its going to be hard to imagine him liking Vista.
Meanwhile, here's some ads sanity..
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Comments (34)
I recall Crispin Porter + Bogusky where also responsible for the successful rebranding of Paul Simon?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOiVaE-pKqM
"I'm a mac" ads are more and more boring
:) I gotta agree they are the wort.
Point & counterpoint? This should be fun. And I would bet that MS doesn't attack the Mac like Apple has with Vista/Windows....they don't have any ammunition. So they revert to humor and make people feel good about the wonders of vaporware. Hey, humor is good; we all could use a good laugh!
That's so dumb, Seinfeld is a mac user, you can see an Apple computer sitting on the desk of his apartment on his sitcom.
They even had that crappy 20th anniversary MAC on there one time.
I'm 43, my wife 31. I grew up watching Seinfeld and think he's the funniest think since sliced white bread. It's probably the only tv show I've ever made a point to watch in my life since cartoons when I was 10.
My wife just doesn't get it. She was 14 when the show was in it's prime and more interested in the latest thing teenagers are interested in rather than some fairly intelligent "old persons" comedy.
MS is loosing the battle for all consumers, but especially the important 14-29 demographic. Having Jerry Seinfeld won't help them impress todays youth. I'm amazed at their "old school" thinking. Maybe they'll team up with Buick and for their next campaign.
They are losing it because of their ignorance. Public hates Vista, and Microsoft is forcing OEM to not provide support for XP. This in itself makes it the most hated operating system.
I've been running vista for over a year, on a 5 year old machine. It hasn't halted or crashed once.
The public doesn't hate Vista, you do.
It's an OS. You click a frickin icon, and load your web browser, or audio tool, or calculator.
It's all the same.
I'm happy to hear that Vista or anything MS has made actually works for someone. The obvious point in all of this Mac vs pc banter is that if pc's actually performed well for everyone (not just yourself) and everyone worked in the IT industry, then there would be no debate. Clearly, Mac users have found that the Mac works ALL THE TIME FOR EVERYONE (not just one person) and anyone can use them.
The other obvious point to most is that Vists is slightly unoriginal, wouldn't you agree?
No one like a thief!
"the Mac works ALL THE TIME FOR EVERYONE"
Uh.. careful with that assertion. I can name plenty of times that my Mac hasn't worked (upgrading OS-es on my work Mac Pro, installing the latest QuickTime update, etc) and if you browse around Apple's Support Boards, you'd find the same* :)
Actually, marketing has played a major role in Vista's failure. (And I'd argue that it may be too late to turn it around.) However, the fact is that lots of people who bash Vista has never even used it. Honestly, I've only used it for about 30 minutes. It seemed fine, but not incredibly impressive. Just... fine.
I'm not sure how well Microsoft's new campaign will work, but it certainly can't hurt. It's better than doing nothing. And, unfortunately, they have $300 million to toss around like paper airplanes :)
P.S. Remember, there's not really a such thing as free promotion... especially on a network show. The Mac in Seinfeld's corners was likely put there because it was paid to be. The same goes for Seinfeld's ads for HP.
*assuming Apple hasn't deleted the comments yet
I've heard of Seinfeld but I've no idea who the people in that Mac advert are. Seinfeld alway struck me as a Mac user anyway and he and George would have been a good double-act for the Mac adverts. I think Apple missed a trick there.
Didn't Seinfeld use Mac computers in his old tv-series?
I remember having spotted a Mac SE/Classic in the early days, an LC like model, and a 20th Anniversary Macintosh in his apartment.
I HATE SEINFIELD! microsoft is taking a chance taking a comedian thats just as much hated for his show as he is liked. The majority of people I know dislike the show for what i think to be obvious reasons. The only thing more annoying then jerrys voice is that crazy neighbor that always comes in his house.. HOW I HATE THEM SOO
If i ever manage to leave a comment with there ridiculous captcha things you might wanna consider making them actualy readable ive gotten quite a few that were impossible to tell between a lower case and upper case which gets prettyyy annoying
Don't post angry
There's going to be a bet between Gates and Seinfeld to see who can remain master of their internet domains the longest.
"Windows not walls?" What is that? Is their angle going to be that Apple is a closed ecosystem? Wow, that will go over like a lead balloon. Average consumers dont give a damn about platform politics like that. From ads they want to know: will it make me cool, what's the whizbang feature, and can you make me laugh.
Apple is a closed ecosystem, and you're in it.
I think they should call it Star Bucks.
So, taking bets...
What will happen here?
a) Microsoft will spend $300MM and be cooler for it
b) Seinfeld will accept $10MM for the sacrifice of whatever coolness and credibility he retains
c) ... ?
imagine if he read that????
BURN!
Maybe he'll use the ten mill to buy AAPL.
Well one APPL. The external optical drive is on credit.
So there is absolutely nothing Microsoft will not copy from Apple? Right down to it's use of humor in advertising.
Microsoft has never invented or innovated one thing in tech. The company is devoid of any creativity. 100%.
And I can guarantee you these ads once released will lay a be egg just as Vista has.
The best thing for Apple and has been for Apple is Steve Balmer. The man is an imbecile. Keep it coming Balmer.
Microsoft. The company about nothing.
the company about nothing, now that is brilliant!
im 30 years old, and i loved that show!!! the ads might turn out to be funny, but i dont see myself, a 3 year mac user and 10 year pc user before that, switching to vista over a good laugh... not even to XP, wich i ocasionally use.
He has shown better for flaming minorities... this vista is making me thirsty !
How 90's. :( The worst part is that Seinfeld's brand of humour just doesn't work in the timeframe of adverts. We've seen this before. I expect more funny out of Bill that Jerry.
It's good to see that Microsoft haven't lost touch with their customers in the real world and are only paying $10,000,000 to Mr Seinfeld.
By the way, I wouldn't normally mention this but, for the person behind the I HATE SEINFELD comment above, the Captcha may be annoying, but it is considerably easier to read than your entry. Could I suggest that, next term, you try and pay more attention in class; spelling, punctuation and grammar are important.
I'm old enough to remember Seinfeld at 27, and was always lukewarm about his show, but no matter if you loved the show or hated it, what has he done lately? Bee Movie? Puhlease. Way to be current and edgy, MS...
I heard he just made ten million dollars to be in some commercials.
What have you done lately?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZuOtNwa-jk
That's all I can say...
I think that video says it all. MS can't even find someone who Apple hasn't already used in their ads. Completely pathetic.
Your wife is 12 years younger than you!! What are you a pedifile, ewww