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

what the ads are about

My interpretation is ... Microsoft has had the cold, all-business, all-nerd like reputation for years ... they are trying to break out of that. They are doing what they always basically do -- copy Apple, who certainly has had a hip feel for many years. And just like they always do, Microsoft can't even make a proper copy! Mainly because they really aren't cool, so it's like trying to fit the proverbial round peg in a square hole. The closest they came to this in any of these ads so far is when Bill flashes his shoe member card and you see a picture of him in his 20s with the long hair and big glasses (a real picture, BTW). This was the only moment that had any real honesty or any real humor in it. Maybe they should've based the commercials on reality instead of this fake BS ... such as, yes I'm Bill Gates and I'm a big awkward nerd, but we've made some good stuff over the years and will do even better in the future (which I doubt, but this is marketing anyway). Instead, they are trying to add the cool factor simply by bringing in Jerry Seinfeld and having him do his "Seinfeld" thing. But even that schtick feels old now and it certainly doesn't work in these commercials. It's like saying chocolate makes anything good. So let's add some chocolate to this **** pie, it will be delicious ... it ain't gonna to work!
 
I found this one much improved over the first. There were actually a couple of parts where I was in danger of laughing. That said, if the point of the ad is to humanize Microsoft through Gates and Seinfeld, it fails completely. Those two come off as so out of touch, and above you're average person that they just seem like jerks. I don't think it's a good idea to hire a man whose whole show was about how self centered and jerky he was to help improve your image. Seinfeld makes for an amusing sitcom character, but a pretty terrible spokesman.
 
Can't believe I am saying this, but... I was amused and I enjoyed the entire commercial. Maybe its because I still like Seinfeld's humor?
 
i thought this one was funny. and i think this "series" works as a series. didn't really make much sense as individual ads on tv though.
 
This ad sums up Windows fairly well -

• Bloated content
• Moves in and disrupts life
• Distasteful
• Doesn't help particularly well
• Looks shabby
• Turgid and aloof
• Packs up when the going gets tough
• Lingers too long
• Costs too much
• Slow

The daughter that framed them should have been holding an iPod Nano.
In pink.
And laughing at their loafy, sluggish asses.
 
Good Grief

Do you just ever watch something and say WTF? God bless 'em. They are trying. I don't know what's more annoying, the fat guy and smug dude in jeans or these bits of tripe. Both are examples or monsterously wealthy companies trying to make computers hip and relevant.

Computers are tools... sort of describes those who made the ads and those of use who loiter around a site dedicated to the afore mentioned.
 
I think I actually *do* understand it.

I think this might be one of those ads that are designed to only solidify consumer loyalty/satisfaction, hoping to prevent windows migration to mac. That weird anti-buyer's remorse approach. I bet they don't think they can ever convert a current mac user, but they can artificially add a little personality to their permanently unimaginative image. But wow that's a crazy expensive campaign. They'd have to be real scared... Still, you gotta mention your product too, right? It must the beginning of a very protracted narrative...

But I have to say, whenever I have to help my boyfriend with something on his Dell, I get enraged with frustration, so I hope the campaign of faux-re-branded "change we can believe in" fails. Hmm...the parallels are eerie...
 
Ads about nothing. Isn't that the concept that George and Seinfeld were working on in the TV show, a series about nothing. I find nothing funny about them, they don't even catch my attention, which I thought was what an ad was suppose to do.
 
bindle said:
i thought this one was funny. and i think this "series" works as a series. didn't really make much sense as individual ads on tv though.
Click to expand...

Never work. Americans can't think in series. Only 15 sec spots work.

Jerry's agent deserves a Golden Globe for setting this up.

Balmer is sweating through his shirts again. :cool:
 
I always suspected that most of the people around here were humorless blobs.

This was really good and quite funny. The utter indifference I'm seeing here is really sad.

Oh, it won't sell any copies of Windows! Don't get me wrong. It's a terrible ad, but it's a very funny video.

(My favorite part is the continued theme of "Microsoft has awesome tech that they aren't selling...for some reason." The whole "we're idiots" part of THAT message is great! Like I said, bad ad. But funny video!)
 
they are okay i guess.

im an avid mac user, but i just wonder, if it was jobs in it instead of gates, would everyone be saying its hilarious and awesome?
 
I think they make okay viewing. Gates is actually pretty funny but the majority here will be too blind to it for obvious reasons.

As for actual marketing, I just don't get it. I don't think there's much actual point behind them but so long as I'm not the one paying Jerry Seinfeld I don't so much care.
 
shizzlegtx said:
Theres some serious hate going on.

I bet if that was Steve Jobs and not Bill Gates you guys would be saying this was genius material.
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Not a chance in hell.

The difference is that Steve Jobs would never have the lack of sense to make something this awful. His ads all reflect a keen sensibility to pique interest with a viewer, and then shut the hell up. These ads are... geriatric and self serving to Bill's ego. They make me want to take Nyquil and wake up much later after the horror of these images has passed and the world is fresh and new.
 
I now see the difference.....

This may sound like a cheap shot, but, this is what happens when you use Windows Movie maker as suppose to iMovie. Oh yeah, any chance of getting my 4 mind back MS?? :p
 
Mac Me Up said:
I'm a Mac fan and I thought the ad was awesome. I don't think Microsoft is trying to sell Vista, they're trying to say "Hey we're not a mean multi-national corporation that crushes our competition. We're just loveable geeks".

For me at least it works...I can't wait to see more! :D
Click to expand...

I think you've summarized its pitch pretty well. These ads are less about specific M$ products than they are about its corporate identity.

Tulse said:
If that's the message, why make explicit that both men are unimaginably wealthy? Why an ad whose whole point is that Bill is so out-of touch with regular people that he has to find a family to study?

Funny or not, the whole message is very weird.
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To begin with, it would be completely disingenuous to paint these two as entirely "ordinary people", so the reference to their wealth lends the commercial some frankness and honesty (good characteristics to try to attach to Microsoft's image). But more importantly, making their great wealth explicit in the commercial has the added benefit of implicitly connecting that kind of success with the use of Microsoft products.

I love Macs and have since 1986, but I have to say I think these M$ commercials are brilliant.
 
I'm guessing the next one will run at least 7:00 min. What a steaming pile of ... I want my money back.
 
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