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Might I add that the page is exactly formatted for my (large) iMac monitor, and when the window is made smaller, the window remains formatted for an iMac sized screen, not for the window... (just a comment)

Well, those aren't the Seinfeld videos. The one with Bill and Jerry aren't in Windows Media format. But if you did want to watch those other ads, why don't you have the Flip4Mac plugin?
 
First response: wtf..

I thought the ad was entertaining but a bit to long. Just like the first one, I didn't pick up anything computer related until they were walking out of the house at the end before the robot.
 
Maybe they are experimenting with some kind of subliminal thing and when Bill Gates "adjusts" or does the robot that is the trigger.

Seriously though, they have had that stodgy out of touch image for a long time and hiring a well known actor for much money in a well know deal and going through the motions in ads shouldn't change too many peoples minds. In the end, you are still going to have to use the product the company sells. The ads may provide some entertainment value, but it won't make Vista any better.
 
Reverse Psychology?

Bill needs some robot-action lessons.

There is a scene when the boy is playing something on a computer, he asks, "WOW! When does this come out?"

Bill responds, " Never! And if anyone asks you don't know where it came from."*

Not something I think you want to put in your ad if you are tryin to change the perception of your product.

*I maybe not correct in the exact in the quote, but I'm not going to re-watch it for clarification.

I wonder if Microsoft is trying to produce something like Joss Whedon did with Dr. Horrible Sing-along Blog.
WATCH!
 
Flip4Mac...

Well, those aren't the Seinfeld videos. The one with Bill and Jerry aren't in Windows Media format. But if you did want to watch those other ads, why don't you have the Flip4Mac plugin?

Long story short, I don't like Windows Movie Player (It has to do with the quality and stuff of the files)
 
i like that Bill is in the commercials.


something Jobs would never do.

i thought it was funny also.
 
I want those 4:30 of my life back.

So now we know, Bill Gates did write some good program, but it's never going to be sold.
 
I enjoyed them both. I think they are funny and somewhat goofy in a good way. I like that it's more of a running sitcom than different ads like Apple. Not to say that Apple's ads aren't genius, but these are funny and original! If only Microsoft would spend so much energy on their products and they do on their ads!


Apple ads..genius? I don't know a single microsoft user that looks like the guy in the clip, nor a serious single Apple user that looks like the guy in the clip. Many people say I look like what's his face, Mr Mac, and I'm a hardcore COMPUTER user.

Apple's are easy, PC's are easy. I don't like the mac ads at all, none of them. Apple have so much more class than that kind of ad, but eh they're smart in that they're appeasing their yuppy crowd that actually watch TV. That's because there is no need to target the creative, and upper class, that use Mac for its obvious benefits because they dropped TV years ago. Market Research is a blessing and a curse.

I don't think these Microsoft ads are anything to do with Vista, and the theme is clearly becoming apparent. Common people use PCs, not yuppies, not the upper class that don't watch tv. Common people have problems with PCs because they aren't techies (just like myself, which don't experience these so called "issues") Microsoft needs to get back on their side because they are turning to Apple thanks to it's Yuppy assault (which hits common people as they watch TV more than anyone because it's the cheapest form of entertainment.) and cheaper solutions (iMac, and Apple Mini)

I'm positive that Microsoft's next offering will be completely in touch with the common user, it will most likely be staggered in different forms and they'll probably learn from
a) APPLE!
b) Vista - People don't want 100000 different versions of an operating system
c) No one wants to pay $100000 for an operating system
d) Tech users, and tech users only want good control over their operating system

I see microsoft releasing 3 versions of their next O/S. Home (Which will incorporate things mentioned in this ad), Business, Power/Ultimate (Both)



Ohhh..and, I love this ad, and the other one. Seinfeld is one of my favourite comedians and they've done a great job of this (everything I mentioned above). Obviously it's not going to air as one big commercial, 1.5 minutes is a long ad, not 4.5. They'll cut it up, you guys are all creative right...? That should have been easy to spot.

Plus come on..what common person DOESN'T relate to Seinfeld.
 
Amusing but 5x too long (like a Saturday Night Live skit).

Very clever though. Mostly just brand awareness: "Microsoft exists--don't forget! And this guy used to run it by the way." In these days when PCs and Windows are all but forgotten, it's important just to remember that Microsoft exists still, and has money to spend on ads.

Then, at the end, they cut to the meat of the message: "Microsoft has impractical ideas for the future that will never succeed but we can talk about them now anyway."

Most brilliant of all: instead of reinforcing the Windows brand, they reinforce the term "PC." A good way to remind people of the Mac vs. PC ads.

Also remember, Microsoft ads, like Apple ads are not targeted at people who already love their OS. Nor are they targeted at people who are fixated on the competitor's OS. They are targeted at the non-tech-savvy masses in the middle who could be swayed either way (and who probably aren't a big segment of this forum's membership).
 
This was much better than the first one--which isn't saying much really but I actually laughed at this one and it didn't seem so contrived. I'm still not sure I understand the marketing tactics at work here. There's almost no mention of the product it's supposed to be selling, but whatever. I'm not a marketing person so maybe this is beyond me.

You know, me--a non-Windows users, i.e., someone these ads should be reaching in some way, I assume.
 
It was definitely funny :D but I still don't see how this is promoting Microsoft or Windows in any way. An ad is meant to be something promoting a product. In no way are these commercials doing that... Well neither do some of the Mac commercials... But that's not the point.
 
So not only do they not relate to real people... they rip off the chinese food and get caught stealing....

How is this good for windows again?


I see symbolism here.. this is a hidden message I would not want to send if I am them.


they not relate to real people - complaints about Vista and they are trying the Mojave gimmick when I know people who say that SP1 improved some things, but it still has stability issues.


they rip off the chinese food - For years people have been suggesting that they have ripped off ideas from other companies and marketted them as their own innovation.

get caught stealing - won't even bring up the lawsuits, but look at the fact MS implements technology into Windows a year or 2 after it already exists in OS X.
 
Hmm... Aren't commercials suppose to make you more intelligent??? Why can't I stop feeling that I just feel dummer by the minute...
 
Hey, they are funny. A bit. Okay, I like Seinfeld in most anything. Will it cause me to switch. Nah! Sorry Bill. It's not the ads that get people to switch. It's making a half decent operating system. Have you seen a Mac, Bill? They actually work. When you plug a printer onto the network, it assumes that hey, you may want to connect your computer to it without reading every manual known to man. Ease of use, Bill. Find out what people actually do with computers, make it easy and fun, and you'll get people coming back to Windows. You'd think you would've figured that out, they way you guys copy Apple so much. Geez!

Say it with me people...What we want, where we want, when we want!

I thought this one was ok. But has no connection to the first one. Its like it completely changed. Why does Seinfeld think Bill needs to connect with real people when Bill was trying on discount shoes at some hole in the wall shoe barn? Makes no sense!

Only JJ Abrams could save this series! But he's hardcore mac! :p
 
I think these ads are actually kind of brilliant..

This is a brilliant ploy to turn the "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" into the setup for a Microsoft ad campaign. They don't need to show a single computer or screenshot of Windows in any of these things. They just need you to remember the John Hodgman character.

The thing with these is that they're not trying to sell Windows. They're trying to make Microsoft look like they have a human face. But since they already have a face in Bill Gates, (which the John Hodgman turned into a bit of a buffoon), they needed to do something to fix how we see Bill Gates. These ads are all about giving the character of Bill Gates, and therefore Microsoft, depth. They are turning Microsoft into someone you can interact with and have a relationship with. You can have a fight with them without getting crushed, because they're not really a monopolizing corporation any more. They are Bill Gates who is buying shoes, collecting big top points, eating churros, staying in a room in your house, complaining about your food, and making you want to impress him with fancy mustard.

I don't know if this will sell more copies of Windows, but they're going to do a good job of countering the "I'm a Mac" ads. If Apple has any sense, then there's less than two months of life left in that series. I expect zero human characters in the next series of Mac ads.
 
Long story short, I don't like Windows Movie Player (It has to do with the quality and stuff of the files)

I know you don't like the player. That's why I suggested the quicktime plugin.

As for not liking the "stuff of the files," I'm afraid I can't respond since I have no clue what that means.
 
In a way I kind of like these ads...when I watched the first one I thought "what's the point? what are they selling??? what are they talking about??? :confused::confused:". But I think showing these Bill and Seinfeld lightens up Microsoft's image of being this big tyrant among the software/computer world by showing that some billionaire like Bill (which in these ads obviously represent microsoft) can be wholesome, average citizens, relating more to the consumers. These Microsoft ads, I think, will end up being better for Microsoft than Apple's ads are for Apple; instead of Microsoft attacking the opponent they are relating to consumers, whereas Apple is just attempting to dumb down their opponent's public image. These words don't represent very well what the big picture is of these ads in my head, but I tried. :eek:
+1

The mac ads are terrible, horrible ads. Some of them aren't even close to the truth either.

Plus, this was a lot more interesting/funny than watching two guys on a white background. For the 1000th time.
 
I must say i liked this one... more than the other that is. It actually almost made me think about computers but weighing in at 4 mins 30 secs I'd hardly call this an ad and if it was cut up I couldnt make any sense of it.
 
huh?

Not sure where to really start? What are they selling. At least in the Mac Vs PC ads that Apple is running your not in the dark as to what is being talked about. I think it is really sad that most people probably have no idea who these two guys are anymore. Its not that they wouldn't recognize the names but they probably have no idea visually. I get where they are going with the ad, but is pretty abstract and I don't think that the average person has enough attention span to give this any though. The only feeling at the end is that of confusion and maybe the hope that some single cell creature might have a blog.
And if you can get past the whole abstract thing, then what else is there? Why would you choose a PC? or the better question why should you continue with the operating system that you currently have? These commercials just seem to solidify the fact that there really isn't anything great or special about using a PC or better than anything else out there.
Which leads to my next thought, why isn't seinfeld even a little bit funny? In fact the whole thing is not even sarcastic enough. Maybe that is the problem they should be talking more sarcastically. That why people can see why PC's currently rule the world? I just don't know. But I would only give it 2 out of 5 because it is too high level for the target market. But that is just he business in me. :)

thedude
 
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

Neither paying or tipping the delivery boy for food ordered? Being snipey with children in the family? Being disrespectful to family members? Hardly lovable.
 
Seriously though, they have had that stodgy out of touch image for a long time and hiring a well known actor for much money in a well know deal and going through the motions in ads shouldn't change too many peoples minds. In the end, you are still going to have to use the product the company sells. The ads may provide some entertainment value, but it won't make Vista any better.

It's been about since the 1940's that ads made really direct sales pitches regarding their products: "buy our soap and your dishes will be cleaner". By the 1950's or so, it was "buy our soap and you won't get dishpan hands" (while showing some immaculately dressed hottie housewife with a perfect manicure).

These ads are about identity. Increasingly, people buy into a product because they identify with it, and people simply were not identifying with *the* faceless money-grubbing monopolistic mega-corporation par excellence.

And, of course, it's also aimed at investors and the business community in the largest sense. So no, it's not "about" the products per se. It's about the corporate identity of Microsoft.
 
The point of this commercial is ____________________.

Can some one fill in the blank for me on this?

Sure its to 'engage consumers and spark a new conversation about Windows -– a conversation that will evolve as the campaign progresses, but will always be marked by humor and humanity.'

The first one I thought was lame, but I see what they are trying to do. Why advertise MS/Vista when everyone knows what it is. Sure they could make "Vista doesn't suck" ads to counter the Mac ads but wasn't that the whole point of the "Mojave Experiment"? And everyone here complained about those.

These ads are simply to give MS a new look, and I think its working to some degree, just after 2 ads.
 
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