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Microsoft's First Seinfeld Ad Airs: Shoe Circus
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Having thought about this again, the ad felt unfinished. I'm guessing the second and 3rd ads might "finish the storyline", like it's an ongoing thing. That is, if consumers can remember the other prior parts.
The problem with that strategy is Apple's Mac/PC ads can stand alone by themselves but still continue the theme.
The problem with that strategy is Apple's Mac/PC ads can stand alone by themselves but still continue the theme.
You're forgetting that Jerry is an Apple fan. Throughout all the years of seinfeld, he always had a mac on his desk (in the corner next to the window)... and not the same mac either. Every few years they would upgrade the mac.
I don't really like the "I'm a mac" commercials... because I know that Jon Hodgman is actually hilarious and Justin Long is a dork, and the commercials are usually pretentious. I hate pretentious.
The seinfeld commercial seemed pretty pointless, and a rather lame attempt by microsoft to generate some viral marketing, but at least the content of the commercial was funny to me. I like the absurdity of the whole thing, and the way the two guys have a natural rapport, even though they come from very different backgrounds.
I wondered out loud "Wtf?" several times in the first 40 seconds, then I was sure it was a credit card commercial when Gates flashed his Shoe Circus card.
I'd like to see Apple do more commercials about how Macs actually help people out. Not like the switcher stories, but a little more like those early iphone commercials. They could have different representatives: the tech geek, the college student, the suit, the entrepreneur, the grandparents, the husband/wife, etc. Each person comes on and talks about the things they do within their mac/ipod universe.
Don't even discuss a particular product, just talk about the Apple universe, as seen from different points of view. Now THAT would be a good series of commercials.
I recommend this fast company article for those wondering what MS is trying to pull off here: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/126/believe-it-or-not-hes-a-pc.html
They weren't trying to educate you. They were trying to suck you in, which they did. Don't worry. The indoctrination will come next.
surprisingly likable
I have been anti-microsoft ( well, anti windows ) since Windows 3.1. Was very much into OS/2 for years before that collapsed, and moved on to FreeBSD and for the last 6 years or so I've been a big mac fan. ( and an Apple shareholder, just to let you know my boas )
I have to admit, I absolutely loved that Ad. Will it *work* ? Meh.... the only thing it does is make microsoft look less like an evil empire and feel more approachable. "See, old uncle MS isn't bad, they're not out of touch... they're just normal people like you and me, and Bill gates is a cool guy, so buy our stuff"
Well, it didn't pan out quite that way, but what I came away with was a good laugh and a feeling of wanting to see more, which is exactly what they want.
if that were the end of the ad campaign, it would be awful, but since we can already see it's being told in a narrative way, I'm sure later ads will be more specific.
These are no worse than the IBM "I want flying cars" ad... it didn't have any content at all really, and people loved that ad.
let MS have their one shining moment. Awwww.... a funny ad. good job.
Does it make me change my opinion about why Windwos sucks? Nope.
Will it sway someone away from buying a Mac who knows nothing about computers? Maybe, but doubtful at this point.
I have been anti-microsoft ( well, anti windows ) since Windows 3.1. Was very much into OS/2 for years before that collapsed, and moved on to FreeBSD and for the last 6 years or so I've been a big mac fan. ( and an Apple shareholder, just to let you know my boas )
I have to admit, I absolutely loved that Ad. Will it *work* ? Meh.... the only thing it does is make microsoft look less like an evil empire and feel more approachable. "See, old uncle MS isn't bad, they're not out of touch... they're just normal people like you and me, and Bill gates is a cool guy, so buy our stuff"
Well, it didn't pan out quite that way, but what I came away with was a good laugh and a feeling of wanting to see more, which is exactly what they want.
if that were the end of the ad campaign, it would be awful, but since we can already see it's being told in a narrative way, I'm sure later ads will be more specific.
These are no worse than the IBM "I want flying cars" ad... it didn't have any content at all really, and people loved that ad.
let MS have their one shining moment. Awwww.... a funny ad. good job.
Does it make me change my opinion about why Windwos sucks? Nope.
Will it sway someone away from buying a Mac who knows nothing about computers? Maybe, but doubtful at this point.
Attempt at tongue in cheek humour...
...yet poor execution.
Here's my $.02:
I somehow had the impression that the Shoe Circus was perhaps representative of an Apple Store (or of Apple in general, what with the "membership cards").
The size 10 Conquistador (OS X?) doesn't fit everyone despite what one thinks they do - "but I know I need a 10" (sic: you need to modify it somehow to make it work in the real world, e.g.: install VM Fusion to run Windows, not all applications are available). The ads' analogy is to wear it in the shower to make it stretch and fit.
I found it remotely funny; funny and being effective are very mutually exclusive.
...yet poor execution.
Here's my $.02:
I somehow had the impression that the Shoe Circus was perhaps representative of an Apple Store (or of Apple in general, what with the "membership cards").
The size 10 Conquistador (OS X?) doesn't fit everyone despite what one thinks they do - "but I know I need a 10" (sic: you need to modify it somehow to make it work in the real world, e.g.: install VM Fusion to run Windows, not all applications are available). The ads' analogy is to wear it in the shower to make it stretch and fit.
I found it remotely funny; funny and being effective are very mutually exclusive.
I think this is more of making MS look better as a company than promoting a product.
for what it's worth...
I've long thought that "PC" is a much more sympathetic character than "MAC". Long suffering and depressed, but at least you know what he's about. I find myself sort of rooting for him some times, or feeling bad for him. MAC, on the other hand, is aloof and doesn't ever reveal much about himself...
Agreed on both points. The ad reminded me of that old Gates Ballmer Ad. It was mildly entertaining the first time you watch it, but has no lasting effects. I still like watching the old Apple ads and the humor and message in them still seems relevant today.
I would also like to see more "here's what you can do on a Mac and look how easy you can do it" ads. Similar to the old iPhone ads.
....underwhelmed
microsoft needs to fire their entire marketing team and bring in some new blood. after watching this add i got up hankering for birthday cake, i didnt even think about computers. its not even that it was a bad add so much as it left teh people watching it with the thoguht of, "eh, who cares"
your better than this Microsoft, up your game.
microsoft needs to fire their entire marketing team and bring in some new blood. after watching this add i got up hankering for birthday cake, i didnt even think about computers. its not even that it was a bad add so much as it left teh people watching it with the thoguht of, "eh, who cares"
your better than this Microsoft, up your game.
Who cares if Jerry is an Apple fan? Most computer buyers don't know that. Not to mention the show has been off primetime for almost 10 years. Buyers don't care about specific celebrities who use or not use the Mac.
I still love Seinfeld and watch the reruns when they're on. It certainly doesn't bother me he's doing stuff for M$ now. People forget it's just a computer brand, not a religion.
I think the ad sucks, but I think it's point is clear enough and and very relevant. They are saying that Microsoft provides options...when you buy a PC, you're not being tied to hardware, you can get the hardware that fits you. Implied is that if you're only given four choices, it's not going to fit everyone. I think this could have been achieved in an incredibly clearer way. That interpretation though is only clear knowing as we do that it is a microsoft ad. For first time viewers, they'll have no idea.
In the end, this felt as though it were a commercial for Jerry Seinfeld, not Microsoft, and amounts to nothing more than a broad endorsement since it says nothing about any product in particular.
In the end, this felt as though it were a commercial for Jerry Seinfeld, not Microsoft, and amounts to nothing more than a broad endorsement since it says nothing about any product in particular.
I see lots of people saying that this ad has nothing to do with Vista whatsoever, but thats getting away from the point of the commercial which is to get people talking about Microsoft.
I don't think that's been done very effectively, at least not compared to this ad that aired in the UK last year, which makes better use of advertising a product without directly mentioning it.
I don't think that's been done very effectively, at least not compared to this ad that aired in the UK last year, which makes better use of advertising a product without directly mentioning it.
Hey, me too. Though OS/2 did finally become eComStation. Not a bad product.... Wish Apple would duplicate Work Place Folders....
Didn't get the commercial... won't be watching any more. I thought there was more buzz about the Seinfeld commercial before it aired, than the commercial generated for Windows.... oh well.
McCain's Speach Writers
Actually they had Obama's speach writers, but it just so happened that the teleprompter was down that day
Actually they had Obama's speach writers, but it just so happened that the teleprompter was down that day
Cake ? ? ?
I didn't read all the posts here, but when the cake comment came up at the end of the commercial I flashed to the Jimmy Web/Richard Harris song from the late 60's ,"MacArthur's Park" and its inane lyrics:
- - - - - - - -
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
Oh, no
No, no
Oh no!!
I didn't read all the posts here, but when the cake comment came up at the end of the commercial I flashed to the Jimmy Web/Richard Harris song from the late 60's ,"MacArthur's Park" and its inane lyrics:
- - - - - - - -
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
Oh, no
No, no
Oh no!!
I think it's (getting people talking about Microsoft) been done very well indeed - there are 30 pages of comments about this advert on a site called Macrumors.com - seems pretty effective to me
LOL ^^ Crap advert.
But.
I can understand where he's coming from.
i mean, i would want to eat my computer if it had windows vista on it, just so i couldn't see that BSOD...
-
Sam
But.
I can understand where he's coming from.
i mean, i would want to eat my computer if it had windows vista on it, just so i couldn't see that BSOD...
-
Sam
What... was... that? Was it even *about* Windows? All I kept thinking of were those "Grumpy Old Men" movies and how old Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld have become.
Edit: Ooooooh, it was supposed to be about Microsoft. And I kept thinking it was about Pay Less. Woosh - right over the head, like I suspect it will go for a lot of other folks too.
Edit: Ooooooh, it was supposed to be about Microsoft. And I kept thinking it was about Pay Less. Woosh - right over the head, like I suspect it will go for a lot of other folks too.
I think it's (getting people talking about Microsoft) been done very well indeed - there are 30 pages of comments about this advert on a site called Macrumors.com - seems pretty effective to me
Yeah - but people have come on here mainly to b*tch about it....(hey I did).....
I don't think we should forget these are two very smart guys. I'd bet the series of ads develop into something smart that makes us look back at this first installment, see the role it cleverly plays in the overall theme (something we can't/don't see now), and say, "oh! cool."
If i'm wrong, god help MS's ad agency. And MS.
