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Microsoft's First Seinfeld Ad Airs: Shoe Circus

TV Commercial

Hmmmm..... Looks like Steve Billmer WROTE and directed the commercial. Maybe that's why the commercial is called Shoe CIRCUS.

Microsoft is the Circus, and Billmer is the main clown.

-Dan
 
WAAAAAAAAAAY too long...

That was like a mini-Seinfeld episode. And didn't Seinfeld go off the air last century? Talk about (yet another) misstep...they should've gotten Stewart...or, even better, Flight of the Conchords...
 
ztigerpaw said:
How I'm trying to see it:

Microsoft wants attention and they got it. Half these posts are just us wanting M$ to fail REALLY hard. Thus huge f'in thread. :D
Click to expand...

Yep...though probably not the kind of attention they wanted. It's not the attention that's going to make anyone in this forum go out and buy a PC or forget Vista has the issues it does.
 
Chandler Adaway said:
I'm just happy that we got to see Mr. Gates shake his booty!
Classy!
Click to expand...

Look, bottom line, one is right brained, the other left, that's why the OS's are different.

Yet windows has most of the marketshare, has bailed out Apple a few times and if it wanted to, could buy any companies and build whatever they wanted and probably have a rock solid system. NOTE, see what happens when you mess with 3rd party? Everyone bashes windows but look at the iPhone, Mobile Me fiasco and EXCHANGE not happening, at least not yet.

I think with over 1000 posts, this may do something and I expect the new OS to be mostly done online, slim downed, and fast, with who knows, maybe a mobile device of their own. I look at it like this, if Apple can let WINDOWS run on their machine, why can't a windows machine run OS X?


Apple doesn't make the hardware, cept for maybe the case. The motherboard (ASUS or ABIT), then all apple does is add a EFI chip to stop it from being a normal PC motherboard, everything else is the same PC generic part, from PSU to memory, the only thing Apple makes (and not even USA anymore like in the good ole days) are the cases, power cords, USB cords, keyboards, and power supply for laptops. Everything else is moot.

I see a day coming with either WINDOWS 7 being really all that and a bag of chips or APPLE losing and OS X released to the massess with the assumption APPLE WILL NOT SUPPORT non APPLE HARDWARE, I also forsee huge price cuts coming. Why? One indicator is Apple stopped employee's from getting the refresh machines.

If you work for Apple at the retail level and a new macbook pro comes out (example) $2500 = 2.4, 256 MB GPU, then 2.5, same cache, 500MB GPU same price ($1999 not a good deal, 1MB less cache which is needed for AUDIO/VIDEO USERS), anyway, those products get pulled and labeled EOL, or END OF LIFE, the APPLE EMPLOYEE could buy with 15% dicount (refresh), add another 10% (employee discount) and another 10% for EOL, that makes a $2500 macbook pro for about $1500 dollars, a littler closer to $1600 with taxes. Now, based on salary of a specialist who DOES NOT LIVE WITH MOM AND DAD and has to pay rent ($10.50 part time, $12.50 full time), the only way they can ever buy a mac is with this refresh, but it has been pulled, so my reasoning is, they are going to do price cuts which should equal the employee's one mac per year (25%) = to the same as refresh, so we could see an ACROSS THE BOARD 10% cut on all macs.

$1079 imac
$999 macbook
$1800 Macbook Pro

At the normal rates with 10% discounts still in affect for students, 25% for employee's, otherwise apple is just being stupid, but it would tie in with the conference call that stated they will lose some revenue as they are going to do something knowone can compete with. Although that doesn't sound that ground breaking to = know one can compete with.
 
hiimamac said:
Look, bottom line, one is right brained, the other left, that's why the OS's are different.

Yet windows has most of the marketshare, has bailed out Apple a few times and if it wanted to, could buy any companies and build whatever they wanted and probably have a rock solid system. NOTE, see what happens when you mess with 3rd party? Everyone bashes windows but look at the iPhone, Mobile Me fiasco and EXCHANGE not happening, at least not yet.

I think with over 1000 posts, this may do something and I expect the new OS to be mostly done online, slim downed, and fast, with who knows, maybe a mobile device of their own. I look at it like this, if Apple can let WINDOWS run on their machine, why can't a windows machine run OS X?


Apple doesn't make the hardware, cept for maybe the case. The motherboard (ASUS or ABIT), then all apple does is add a EFI chip to stop it from being a normal PC motherboard, everything else is the same PC generic part, from PSU to memory, the only thing Apple makes (and not even USA anymore like in the good ole days) are the cases, power cords, USB cords, keyboards, and power supply for laptops. Everything else is moot.

I see a day coming with either WINDOWS 7 being really all that and a bag of chips or APPLE losing and OS X released to the massess with the assumption APPLE WILL NOT SUPPORT non APPLE HARDWARE, I also forsee huge price cuts coming. Why? One indicator is Apple stopped employee's from getting the refresh machines.

If you work for Apple at the retail level and a new macbook pro comes out (example) $2500 = 2.4, 256 MB GPU, then 2.5, same cache, 500MB GPU same price ($1999 not a good deal, 1MB less cache which is needed for AUDIO/VIDEO USERS), anyway, those products get pulled and labeled EOL, or END OF LIFE, the APPLE EMPLOYEE could buy with 15% dicount (refresh), add another 10% (employee discount) and another 10% for EOL, that makes a $2500 macbook pro for about $1500 dollars, a littler closer to $1600 with taxes. Now, based on salary of a specialist who DOES NOT LIVE WITH MOM AND DAD and has to pay rent ($10.50 part time, $12.50 full time), the only way they can ever buy a mac is with this refresh, but it has been pulled, so my reasoning is, they are going to do price cuts which should equal the employee's one mac per year (25%) = to the same as refresh, so we could see an ACROSS THE BOARD 10% cut on all macs.

$1079 imac
$999 macbook
$1800 Macbook Pro

At the normal rates with 10% discounts still in affect for students, 25% for employee's, otherwise apple is just being stupid, but it would tie in with the conference call that stated they will lose some revenue as they are going to do something knowone can compete with. Although that doesn't sound that ground breaking to = know one can compete with.
Click to expand...


PS all these posts? Yeah, its working. They have us talking about it.

In TV/FF, how many times do you go to a movie and 20 minutes in, your scratching your head? Same thing, it will become understandable, unless in some typical MS fashion, they just really dropped the ball.
 
hiimamac said:
Look, bottom line, one is right brained, the other left, that's why the OS's are different.

Yet windows has most of the marketshare, has bailed out Apple a few times and if it wanted to, could buy any companies and build whatever they wanted and probably have a rock solid system. NOTE, see what happens when you mess with 3rd party? Everyone bashes windows but look at the iPhone, Mobile Me fiasco and EXCHANGE not happening, at least not yet.

I think with over 1000 posts, this may do something and I expect the new OS to be mostly done online, slim downed, and fast, with who knows, maybe a mobile device of their own. I look at it like this, if Apple can let WINDOWS run on their machine, why can't a windows machine run OS X?


Apple doesn't make the hardware, cept for maybe the case. The motherboard (ASUS or ABIT), then all apple does is add a EFI chip to stop it from being a normal PC motherboard, everything else is the same PC generic part, from PSU to memory, the only thing Apple makes (and not even USA anymore like in the good ole days) are the cases, power cords, USB cords, keyboards, and power supply for laptops. Everything else is moot.

I see a day coming with either WINDOWS 7 being really all that and a bag of chips or APPLE losing and OS X released to the massess with the assumption APPLE WILL NOT SUPPORT non APPLE HARDWARE, I also forsee huge price cuts coming. Why? One indicator is Apple stopped employee's from getting the refresh machines.

If you work for Apple at the retail level and a new macbook pro comes out (example) $2500 = 2.4, 256 MB GPU, then 2.5, same cache, 500MB GPU same price ($1999 not a good deal, 1MB less cache which is needed for AUDIO/VIDEO USERS), anyway, those products get pulled and labeled EOL, or END OF LIFE, the APPLE EMPLOYEE could buy with 15% dicount (refresh), add another 10% (employee discount) and another 10% for EOL, that makes a $2500 macbook pro for about $1500 dollars, a littler closer to $1600 with taxes. Now, based on salary of a specialist who DOES NOT LIVE WITH MOM AND DAD and has to pay rent ($10.50 part time, $12.50 full time), the only way they can ever buy a mac is with this refresh, but it has been pulled, so my reasoning is, they are going to do price cuts which should equal the employee's one mac per year (25%) = to the same as refresh, so we could see an ACROSS THE BOARD 10% cut on all macs.

$1079 imac
$999 macbook
$1800 Macbook Pro

At the normal rates with 10% discounts still in affect for students, 25% for employee's, otherwise apple is just being stupid, but it would tie in with the conference call that stated they will lose some revenue as they are going to do something knowone can compete with. Although that doesn't sound that ground breaking to = know one can compete with.
Click to expand...

Hm, interesting post, but I searched, and couldn't find why you quoted my post.. Little confused there.
 
I was sort of hoping it would make more sense on TV. Nope. I still don't get it, it's got to be the first in a series.

Oh well, I'm off to find out where I can get a churro this late at night. :p
 
hiimamac said:
I think with over 1000 posts, this may do something and I expect the new OS to be
[...]


If you work for Apple at the retail level and a new macbook pro comes out (example) $2500 = 2.4, 256 MB GPU, then 2.5, same cache, 500MB GPU same price ($1999 not a good deal, 1MB less cache which is needed for AUDIO/VIDEO USERS), anyway, those products get pulled and labeled EOL, or END OF LIFE, the APPLE EMPLOYEE could buy with 15% dicount (refresh), add another 10% (employee discount) and another 10% for EOL, that makes a $2500 macbook pro for about $1500 dollars, a littler closer to $1600 with taxes. Now, based on salary of a specialist who DOES NOT LIVE WITH MOM AND DAD and has to pay rent ($10.50 part time, $12.50 full time), the only way they can ever buy a mac is with this refresh
[...]

$1079 imac
$999 macbook
$1800 Macbook Pro
[...]
Click to expand...
Nothing against you or what you said, but you're talking about platforms, product refreshes, OS philosophy, customer base and hypothetical price points of new computers... in a thread about an advertisement for another company?
 
The ad was sorta fun but too long and pointless

About the only reason to remember this ad was that Seinfeld and Gates appear on TV together for the first time.

I'm sorry, but Bill Gates is beginning to look like a frog. I mean no disrespect to frogs everywhere.

If this ad is supposed to humanize MS and get me interested in Vista, it really didn't work. Too long, too focused on Bill and Jerry's celebrity and only a late, pointless reference to MS at the very end.

Maybe the next one will be better. Unfortunately we're still saying that about Windows.
 
Padraig said:
Look into the story of New Coke, you might be surprised to learn that it had a very positive effect for Coca-Cola.
Click to expand...

Indeed, he would have had trouble finding a worse example.

The increased publicity actually led to people drinking a lot more Coke, and their love for the brand of Old Coke was increased dramatically.

People actually cared and took sides about a frigging bottle of cola, and the brand benefitted enormously, even though New Coke was poorly received.

Remember that in that process, Old Coke was made even more of a legend, and was held even closer in people's hearts, more loved and even cherished.

Bear in mind, that heart connection and passion that we are talking about is to a brand of cola. That's brand power.
 
DMann said:
As New Vista remains poorly received.
Click to expand...

Except it actually isn't except by a few bloggers and journalists with vested interests.

Having been a member of a number of these blogs over the past few years I've noticed the Vista criticism declining as MS got off their backsides and started fixing the problems. As a result all that's left are a few hardcore MS haters (who, let's face it, will never be convinced) and some others who are put off trying Vista for the first time or tried it once after the launch debacle. MS's strategy is to get the latter engaged.

Of course, this doesn't excuse them ballsing it up in the first place.

As XP has been made even more of a Windows legend. By this token, this great ad ought to do wonders for future sales of XP.
Click to expand...

Well, see, the same nonsense kicked off when XP came in. Compared to what Vista's getting - and because there's a lot more cogent web coverage now it looks like Vista's getting more of a slating - it was actually a lot worse. Anyone remember eXtremely Poor?

There were howls of anger at Windows 95 and 2000 and NT's demise (although not Me, thank God) and campaigns to keep them. It took XP about two to three years to overcome things. I don't see this being any different.
 
Now we need a new Mac/PC ad spoofing this MS ad

This thread is so long that I haven't had an opportunity to read it all. So, if this idea has already been proposed, sorry.


If Apple were smart, their next Mac/PC commercial would somehow feature the Mac and PC in a shoe store with some sort of circus theme, maybe with a clown.
 
Huh? That was a microsoft ad? I was more focused on the fact it was Jerry Seinfeld and every camera angle was trying to avoid showing that the guy has gone seriously bald over the past few years.
 
BongoBanger said:
Originally Posted by DMann
As New Vista remains poorly received.
Click to expand...

Except it actually isn't except by a few bloggers and journalists with vested interests.

Having been a member of a number of these blogs over the past few years I've noticed the Vista criticism declining as MS got off their backsides and started fixing the problems. As a result all that's left are a few hardcore MS haters (who, let's face it, will never be convinced) and some others who are put off trying Vista for the first time or tried it once after the launch debacle. MS's strategy is to get the latter engaged.
Click to expand...


Thank you for a well-reasoned post.

I shouldn't be surprised at the anger directed towards this ad - after all there's a lot of irrational hatred of Microsoft on this forum that of course is directed at the ad campaign.

I am surprised, however, at the number of people who think that a single "isn't Vista great" ad is what Microsoft should have done. This isn't so - Microsoft also has a brand image issue to address.

It will be interesting to revisit this thread in six months, once the campaign is over the "teasers" and really into the substance.


calisurfboy said:
Huh? That was a microsoft ad? I was more focused on the fact it was Jerry Seinfeld and every camera angle was trying to avoid showing that the guy has gone seriously bald over the past few years.
Click to expand...

Don't look now, but the guy holding the pitcher of Kool-Aid is also showing quite a bit of shine on top ;) ....
 
DogcowUK said:
Maybe it's my twisted sense of humour but I thought it was clever and funny. When your companies image is as tarnished and sh*tty as Microsoft it's kind of pointless trying to tell people how good your latest product is. Instead the best you can hope for is to try and improve your image... slightly. A quirky advert that portrays your iconic, traditionally stiff leader as an odd ball shoe shopper has to do more than if they'd got Jerry to stand there and say "Vista is cool".
Click to expand...

part of the trouble is that they dragged all that shoe junk out for over a minute and in then in the last 5 seconds shoehorned a ridiculous bit of computer talk in there. had they left that out it might have come off so stupid.
 
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