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Microsoft's Next Seinfeld Ad Airs: 'New Family'

I think the failing of these ads comes down to that the purpose doesn't quite become clear to the people watching them. Maybe they aren't really trying to do that, but overall hiding geek jokes in Seinfeld-like comedy doesn't work for me. It comes off with the wrong air (in a similar way that some of the Mac/PC ads come off).

Honestly, if they wanted to do something like personify the company a little more and put a human face on it, I think they should have done more like the Bill Gates Goes to College sketch. Tie it into their products in a subtle way, but at least show a little about what you offer, even if it is secondary.
 
Huh? What?

4 minutes and 30 seconds of my life I'll never get back. Actually, make that 9 minutes as I showed it to my buddy here at work to get his reaction. We both had the same reaction. A look of confusion. While this one was better than the first one, it's still bad. It's really hard to figure out where they're going with these adds. Maybe I'm missing something.
 
i think the only thing missing is peoples ability to see the big picture... the closed mindedness of the people commenting on these ads that I have seen here and else where is quite frankly astonishing and kind of disappointing.

microsoft is not selling a product with these ads...they aren't trying to make you laugh, they aren't trying to sell you anything, they are creating a persona for the guy on the street to associate with the brand. Microsoft isn't the beige pc in your office anymore. It's much bigger and more broad than that. That Microsoft is attempting to be as much of a lifestyle brand as they are a software/hardware brand.

I for one think this branding exercise is a great attempt and look forward to see where they take it. Considering what they are working against they have done well here.

(No i am not a PC guy nor am I a Mac guy... I am a tools i need to get the job done guy and own several of both)
 
well i guess i could say that the unwanted house guest thing has been played, or that the whole idea that microsoft has to start a campaign so people don't spread the vista hate around is quite lame in itself.

but seriously. i think the average consumer (and by that i mean most people with DVRs) aren't buying this stuff. noone is gonna run to their tv and jump up and down and say 'hey! hey! it's bill gates! hahaha! he's in a commercial with jerry seinfeld!! unreal!' i think people see this as a campaign built to help the image of microsoft. but it's built with transparency. people will look at these and say 'oh this is supposed to help microsoft's image.'
 
It was fun

Oh come on -- if it were Steve Jobs, you'd all be thinking it was fantabulous. True, it was a bit camp, a bit stupid, and Seinfeld was never an "actor" -- much less Gates. Still, it was playful and not a bad ad.

I still won't buy anything MS -- and I probably own more Apple gear than a lot of the "fanboys" here, but that's because the products are better. A note about being a "fan": The point, I think, is not to be "loyal" to a corporation, but just to buy the best products available. Right now that happens to be Apple (for what I do). Ten years ago, it was Windows. If, in ten years, MS gets their Windows act together and makes a better OS than Apple, I'll switch right back. If you just like Apple for being Apple, then when the tides change, you'll be sitting around using second rate computers. That said, I really do *love* what Apple's doing nowadays.
 
I liked the ad, but... how I can't imagine it getting more than a few commercial spots (with it being 4:30 minutes and all...) But, there's always YouTube... :)
 
Not great, but not awful. Just because it is microsoft I wont say it is awful because too many PC users have a crack at the Apple as just because they are apple ads. But it was a little stale and not terribly funny.
 
Had its funny moments but isn't it a little long to be an actual ad? Maybe there working on a new show based on the ads like Geico.
 
Now that I've seen the second one, the first one makes more sense. I actually like the ads so far.

I don't get a few of the replies here. Especially those like:

The ads aren't funny! - Who said they are supposed to be funny? They have a humorous tone, but I doubt they're intended to be really funny.

It wont sell anything! - Which is, as other have pointed out already, not the point of the ads. It's more about image than anything else.

Microsoft's page uses Flash and not Silverlight, ha ha! - Flash is more widespread for now. Using Silverlight would've been stupid.

Apple blabla, Jobs blabla - One interesting thing someone said earlier is that "Jobs would never appear in such an ad" and it's not "cool as Apple's style". And I think that's exactly why they might work.
 
squeller said:
Now that I've seen the second one, the first one makes more sense. I actually like the ads so far.

I don't get a few of the replies here. Especially those like:

The ads aren't funny! - Who said they are supposed to be funny? They have a humorous tone, but I doubt they're intended to be really funny.
Click to expand...

Exactly. They are absurd, not side-slapping funny. The absurdity is designed to shift people from their normal way of thinking about computer companies, expecially their notion of Microsoft as giant, unfeeling, technological monolith.

It wont sell anything! - Which is, as other have pointed out already, not the point of the ads. It's more about image than anything else.
Click to expand...

Again, exactly. When was the last time you saw an ad and immediately ran out to buy the product? Advertising operates on a more subtle level than that.

Apple blabla, Jobs blabla - One interesting thing someone said earlier is that "Jobs would never appear in such an ad" and it's not "cool as Apple's style". And I think that's exactly why they might work.
Click to expand...

And once again, exactly. Believe it or not, there is a large population segment that is not really in tune with Apple's slick, elitist tone.
 
Changing their image.

I think they're not out to show the next big thing. A lot of people have an image of Microsoft being the big evil corporation. It's kind of like the typical movie script where the main character get's to big for everyone and goes back to their roots and comes back down to Earth. If these commercials can change the image that Bill Gates is just a normal guy that made it big, then the general public will buy more products from Microsoft.
 
pianoman said:
i think they're funny. i find it amusing to see two well-known, accomplished men goof off. sure, it has nothing to do with computers, but it's fun.
Click to expand...

I concur! The first one was lame but this one is actually funny...

Nuc
 
In a weird sort of way, I enjoyed this little 'drama' even at 4:30 and counting, although there were a few cringes along the way. I guess part of what I enjoyed was how uncomfortable it made me feel for Microsoft, like watching a really bad comic on stage, kind of wishing he'd pull something off, but realizing his humor was just outta reach somehow.

The cringes were the clichés about typical American life, and the portrayal of what Microsoft apparently sees as their original 'base' of customers, and how little they admit to really knowing about them... a sort of self-confessional by Microsoft, actually. So, here's the guru... godfather... founder... whatever, seemingly trying to 'connect' to his base of followers (actually being led by the nose by a former celebrity, who should really be doing the same thing) and really not succeeding in getting it. Somehow, the notion of "the next big thing" only seems to confirm that MS knows it never really got it right in the true sense (function, form, ease of use, elegance, reliability, innovation.) Also, the hint, hint that something really good is coming...also suggests that the new, 'something really good' didn't have anything to do with 'reconnecting' with average Americans, because Gates and Seinfeld are only now giving that a try, and so far.... failing.

The whole screwed up concept, and lame acting and cringe inducing attempts at humor at the expense of character stereotypes, all while getting to watch a retired exec act... is really pretty funny. In the end, it's a keeper. ;)
 
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