Those Jerry Seinfeld Microsoft advertisements started today. CrunchGear’s Doug Aamoth recorded the first ad during the Giants/Redskins game and put it up on the site. This is reportedly a $300 million ad spend. Seinfeld gets $10 million.
It’s a cute and cuddly situation comedy about shoes. Has a couple of moments. No mention of Microsoft or Windows other than “are they ever going to come out with something that will make our computers moist and chewy like cake so we can just eat them while working?” A butt wiggle by Gates followed. Overall, I give this a 0/10.
These ads can’t be all tech or they’ll lose the audience. But I can’t imagine this will sell software, either.
Update: Microsoft email to all employees about the ads is here.
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There was a mention about MS, yeah? “will MS make computer that we can chew .. “
Omg I hadn’t expected something so smart from MSFT.
The Apple ads are funny but they don’t appeal to the masses. They create lots of noise but they by now alienate people more than anything else. They’re about being sophisticated and “better” than someone else. But the average person in Ohio or Texas doesn’t necessarily want to be walking around with a hip iPhone. He or she is probably closer to the PC boy and hates the fact that like in high-school, they’re referred to as nerd. And most people don’t want to feel that they’re better than other people. Funny enough, Apple Macs are primarily used by geeks who want to thing they’re not. So Apple comes around and tells them, you’re not geeks, you’re cool. And then they buy a Mac or an iPhone.
The Microsoft ad, in contrast, is not saying much about Microsoft products because it’s not about MS products. It’s about creating some cosy feeling and making you feel good about something you’ve been using for twenty years, whether it’s Windows or Office or IE and reminding you that you’re not a dork/nerd/geek. You’re just one of 80%-85%-90% who chose the same software but for different means.
If Microsoft is about Windows then Apple is about Walls. And people ultimately hate Walls.
I can’t wait to see the next wave of ads.
Good one dude.. I think Bloggers just love to hate Microsoft. If you like MS you are not a Techy enough.
Clearly you haven’t watched the Apple ads with non-tech people. People who know NOTHING about computers think they’re hysterical, and ask me questions like “Why is Vista so crappy?” Non-techies see tech people just like John Hodgeman’s character, and have no issue with associating themselves with Justin Long. Instead of coming off as uppity, he comes across as “Average Joe” who isn’t any more technical than they are.
The only people who find the ads annoying are tech types who can spot spin and misinformation, and MS fanbois. Those of us who use both platforms and don’t get religious about it look at this MS response with a “this is the best response you can come up with?”
I love Jerry, and hope he finds something good to do with the money. However, even his timing doesn’t turn this into something remotely entertaining.
P.S. I at least give Bill kudos for using the mugshot pic on the frequent shopper card. That’s the self-effacing style that always came across in the internal ads that they ran at Developer Days and other MS events, which has been completely absent from their mass media ads. However, this one is just lame.
I live in Ohio and I own a Mac and all the people I know would love to have a iPhone if it wasent on that crap AT&T service plan.
Microcrap software is about reinstaling the software over and over again and Macs are for people who just want to do it once.
Vista is crap and and no ad will change that…only the many updates that will eventually make it work.
TCCritic, either you are so ironic that you’ve redefined sublime, or you must get a nice paycheck from the Redmond Propaganda Society. This is one of the worst pieces of tripe I’ve ever seen. Its gratuitious, self-congratulating and just boring. It has the feel of a strained in-house video that was made for the annual employee meeting and written by a couple of desk jockeys on their coffee breaks. I can only imagine what went through Seinfeld’s and Gates’ minds when they saw the end result.
For giggles, I just showed this to a bunch of people in my office. By the time it got to the fourth person, nobody else would watch it because the first ones had been heard just groaning about how lame it was. This from people who are supposedly the audience type for the ad (non-geeks, Windows users, never owned a Mac, haven’t upgraded to Windows Vista).
I think the point was to show that they and their products are something other than stilted and clinical. Instead, they have reinforced that very point. This is worse than bad, its vapid and pointless. Fortunately, Microsoft has enough money to serialize the campaign for years without having to worry about the money lost from it.
In spite of the mindless culture war that usually prevails between these two brands, each has a niche in which it is relevant. My thought after seeing this ad, though, is that Microsoft has succeeded in proving yet again that they are less relevant than they once were.
Btw, I only meant that the ad was tripe, not your comment
Microsoft Who?
first! good marketing. subtle.
This is all they could come up with to battle Apple? Quite sad….
It’s quite good for someone who knows what the hell they’re talking about.
They point out Windows is more flexible, affordable, and a richer experience.
Not like those self righteous Mac ads that just try to out right insult the competition.
Only if you shower with Windows, and work it back and forth a whole bunch before you start using it? If flexible shoes -> flexible operating system is what they’re going after, they need a better analogy. Why not buy shoes that are comfy from day one? Is this an admission that even Bill Gates has to muck around with the OS to get it to “feel right”?
Yeah… not like those Mac ads at all. Very… different.
Wow.
The meandering and subtle nature of the advert will be quite effective on the masses who use Windows. We geeks are hardened by the historic shenanigans of Microsoft but not Joe Public. Bill Gates was a good choice for the spot because unlike Steve Jobs’ stand-in (the Mac dude) he doesn’t come off as a douche. The mildly annoying/gadlfy-ish quality Jerry Seinfeld brings to the ad actually reminded me of Jobs and if Seinfeld was chosen to convey this it’s very clever.
I was open minded about it, but it really wasn’t good
BTW MIKE, Fix the damn comments in opera. I STILL get the 411 Length Required nginx/0.6.32 error after I submit the comment
A bit dull. Doesn’t make me feel anything.
Hi Mike,
The snapshots in the article(not in this one, but in general ) are distracting most often than being useful. Whenever I move around my mouse, its a pain.
I agree, the snapshots item has gotten out of hand. I can’t move my mouse anywhere without obscuring what I reading with little snapshot pop-ups.
Mashable needs to drop them as well. (can I say Mashable here or is that Tabou?)
I agree - they make TechCrunch almost unusable for me and add absolutely nothing. Get rid of them.
Snapshots is great when you have a 17″+ screen, laptop users with smaller screens always have this issue. You don’t have any white space to scroll up and down the page. You should upgrade.
I agree, those snapshots are bloody annoying. why do u want to see a small indistinguishable thumbnail of the linked site? its useless and annoying, they’re always popping up and getting in the way. cmon Mr. Mike, i thought u were a tech guru, do u actually find them useful yourself? Well then, get rid
by the way, i thought that ad was very good, it creates that homely, friendly feeling. and by the way, i’m a mac guy and have been since os 9. Mac because its a better system, but I’ve always hated the elitism surrounding it, especially from those ‘genius’ bars and the whole look of those superiority apple stores. get over it guys. Good ad, and yes Vista is ok but a resource hog, stop being so pedantic
I am sure there is a sequel to this one
ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS! I mean, in their absurdity–kind of like the Burger King ads. It’s the cool-by-not-being-cool strategy. Think Rick Roll. Think Numa Numa. Think Chocolate Rain. All in themselves, they’re absolutely ridiculous, 0/10 stupid dumb. But the funny is OUTSIDE of the piece itself, it’s in the carnivalesque absurdity.
That said, the ads won’t work.
The ads is plain and tasteless and unlike a good start of a charming story, I however see it as a stone thrown into a silent pond bringing out splashes and waves. Microsoft has crawled to every corner of the digital age world and people are so get used of them, why not try redrawing attentions at a different angle? The angle itself might seems crappy, but is a fresh mind.
Whoa. I cannot think what is weirder–the ad or your response to it.
lol @Matthew, i agree
Awkward at first. May be it will get better later on.
Looked pretty boring even though I LOVE Jerry Seinfeld…I guess well just what $300 million can be wasted on soon enough.
i like big buts and i cannot lie.
Maybe it’s like Chapter 1 of an ongoing story:
Jerry runs into Bill… they have dinner… Jerry says, “what’s the deal with Vista?” and Bill is like, “hey, it’s not that bad…pass the salt”
I dunno. Seems like they are in a pickle. Not sure how they can get their message across when Vista is so awful and all they have is that “we replaced your Vista with Folgers Crystals” experiment.
I guess the plan is to just get Bill and Jerry together to make small talk and hope people chuckle a little. It’s pretty sad.
Agreed that the jokes didn’t work great, but Microsoft isn’t going for a specific number of software sales as much as general corporate image goodwill - that’s why they’re trotting out Person of the Year/philanthropist Billy G. Made Microsoft look cuddly, I think the door’s at least open for success.
The one joke I absolutely laughed out loud at? Bill’s infamous mugshot on the frequent customer card.
You’re talking about it. Success
@Andrew - “You’re talking about it. Success”
-Actually where talking about how there was no mention of Vista… The thing the ad is suppose to be getting you to buy…. LoL
-Epic Fail
I watched the whole thing three times and the only thing I felt like buying was some shoes…. LoL
God, learn English. Epic fail!
The commercial is too long to be funny.
there’s nothing but a whole lot of dead time, talking indirectly (if any) about their product.
and both their acting sucked.
Man, that’s some pretty awkward ads.
I mean, come on! billions of money for an ad “push” that in the final product are Bill Gates’ ASS????
Looked pretty boring even though I LOVE Jerry Seinfeld…I guess well just what $300 million can be wasted on soon enough.
Excuse my Phobos sized brain, but I am left with one question - WTF?
I liked it.
.. epic … fail
The look on Bill’s face at one point was ‘Wait a minute, I paid how much … for this ??’
Wow. That sure smells up the place. As Bill Walton would put it, “Thanks Hoorrrrrrribble!”
In my hand=))
Ok it wasn’t all that bad, its a build up to something bigger.
Who reckons Bill Gates has a wide bum? Maybe from sitting on it all those years in front of the computer.
Wow. Steve Jobs was right when he said that R&D is not all about how much money you have
i don’t think these ads right now are aimed even remotely near anyone who reads techcrunch
Excellent point.
It’s an ad about nothing!
it’s called a campaign. the message evolves as more ads come out. i woulda thought you’d know that, mike?
It might not sell software today or tomorrow, but it’s a great step towards making the clinical, conservative and even boring brand of Microsoft much more human.. I think the ad is actually quite impressive, and trust me, I’m not one to say nice things about Microsoft too often.. I dislike the fact - however - that Jerry Seinfeld has gone along with this.. I mean - he’s a Mac-guy for crying out loud! I sure hope the paid him well!
I think it works. Shows the “human” side of Bill and Microsoft. Much like the videos they do at their tech conferences.
I think this will work on the folks it was intended to work on. The general public that doesn’t eat, drink, sleep, technology.
-Jeff
Microsoft should have hired the guy from wherethehellismatt.com instead of Seinfeld.
“The Future” “Delicious”
So Mister Softee is going to buy Yahoo…..
The photo on the card is from Bill Gate’s mugshot from the late 70’s. Quite interesting to see him holding that up as his photo ID
http://www.mugshots.net/bill_gates/
Um… not an auspicious start to a $300M campaign… it’s just been one big WTF…
I thought the ad, hit the market intended for. Very subtle Microsoft in the end ,”future”, not defensive, not offensive, just loose fun to start the campaign. If people talk about it at all, the point is made, and here we are, doing just that. Chalk one up for MS. I’m a Mac user.
It seems most people here are not in the advertising industry but they think they should be. Do any of you fools think that maybe you are not the target audience? How is it going to make me buy Vista and it doesn’t even mention it? OMG, go out side and learn something useful.
Exactly, you hit the nail right on the head.
I’m a very technical person, but I thought the ad was quite decent and family friendly.
The ad works for me and I see its potential.
These ads are not about sales. They’re about branding, specifically maintain and defending the Microsoft brand.
That was classic Sienfield right there. I think it was a huge success. The point was not to sell Vista, but rather increase the perception of MS as a whole. All of us that grew up in the 90s watching Sienfield will get it.
Actually I thought it was pretty funny. I always feel like the Mac ads are a little too snarky; I use a PC for my desktop and a Mac for my notebook, and the Mac/PC ads don’t reflect my personality at all. Actually, the people who I have met in my personal life who glorify one or the other are pretty annoying. The Windows ad here wasn’t cynical at all, it was just humorous, and I liked that. Not everything has to be a political race, and some of us just like technology wherever it comes from. I don’t like feeling like a pompous ass for using a Mac, and that’s the vibe that the Mac/PC ads give off. This commercial didn’t give off that vibe. I hope they make some more of these, I liked it.
Yeah, crap.
oh my, that was stupid.
HAHAHA NICE TRY by bill and Jerry. looks like neither of them have anything to do anymore so maybe Bill one day thought. “hey! lets make a commercial! hm… who isn’t doing anything these days… Jerry Seinfeld! that’s who!” very hilarious for its failing attempt…
That’s brilliant. I’m falling in love with microsoft all over again.
Shhh, the emperor has no clothes
I think the ad was well done. They are attempting to build trust. After Vista they need to convince people to let them back in their homes. This ad does a lot for gaining the trust back of those who have purchased microsoft products in the past. I say job well done.
in the office we used to watch the mac/pc ads on youtube and had a great laugh. Then we went back to use our preferred Windows and linux machines… The ads never made me want to buy a mac. However, for simple home use, when I recently saw a mac at a friend… that made me want to buy a mac.
Also these ads are good. After a while they’ll sell. What doesn’t sell is the mojave project….
The Apple ads don’t make you run out and by Apple products, they make you think about the brand. Same thing here. To start, you try to put a human face on a monolithic company, and no better way than to take it lightly and even make a little fun of yourself. But it’s just the opening act. For a $300M campaign, there will be a lot more. I don’t particularly like MSFT either (yahoo employee), but I laughed a few times and watched all the way to the end. The ad works for what it’s designed to do. They will be on every big show this fall so you’ll see every phase. Let’s talk then.
Man I should have gone into advertising. Microsoft, I’ll only charge you $150m and give u something twice as good! Promise!
man, they should really shoot the monkey who wrote this crap. it doesn’t make no freaking sense, unless they’re trying to put bill and seinfeld in a new tv show or something. totally the wtf of the day
isn’t bill’s picture on the id the infamous mug-shot?