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September 18, 2008

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Microsoft bids adieu to The Adventures of Bill & Jerry

Posted Sep. 18, ’08, 8:03 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Apple » Advertising

imapac.jpgTo all of you who felt that Microsoft’s Jerry Seinfeld/Bill Gates ad campaign was responsible for the downfall of modern society, rest easy. Microsoft is moving on from the surreal spots to a new campaign intended to showcase “everyday” Windows users—you know, like scientists, shark divers, and Eva Longoria. Those ads will reputedly include a familiar phrase: “I’m a PC.”

And so it’s back to business as usual for Microsoft. Say what you will about the Seinfeld/Gates spots—and if our comments threads are any indication, many of you already have—but if nothing else, the ads showed that Microsoft was willing to take risks. Redmond is in need of revamping their image, but by attempting to co-opt Apple’s campaign all they show is that they’d rather ride someone else’s coattails than innovate. That’s not reinventing themselves—that’s keeping the same image they’ve always had.

Microsoft execs have claimed that they only ever intended to run two of the Seinfeld/Gates spots. I’m not sure whether or not I buy that—it seems like a lot of effort to invest in two segments of what clearly struck me as an ongoing story. But given the short time frame in which the ads were shown, I’m also not sure that they could turn on a dime and present a whole new series of commercials. My guess is that these new spots were meant to appear later, but were bumped up due to negative reactions to the Seinfeld/Gates ads—but like I say, that’s just a guess.

Gates will appear in at least one of the new ads, though Seinfeld is not yet expected to—just as well, considering that by all accounts, he’s an everyday Mac user (just like us!).


12 Comments

Xaqtly Author Profile Page said:

Now Microsoft is copying Apple's advertising too? Is there anybody in power at Microsoft who is capable of entertaining a single original thought, or are they going to just copy Apple on everything they do from now on?

And the fact that they're responding directly to Apple's advertising is very telling. Is Microsoft really threatened by a company with 7% market share?

Apparently they are.

September 18, 2008 8:38 AM
Anonymous said:

Wish I could get $10 million for 5 mins Like Jerry did. Just another example of Microstupidity.

September 18, 2008 9:20 AM
steelduck said:

That MS Diver reminds me of this old BSOD Video made by Sun Microsystems... :D
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1750823427949463618

September 18, 2008 9:46 AM
Jerseid said:

Why is everyone even commenting on the fact that Microsoft is "copying" Apple. I think you guys should look again and come to the conclusion that MS is actually defending itself, finally! I'm a Mac IT guy and I know that Apple was flat out lying in a lot of the commercials with the I'm a PC I'm a Mac campaign. Either way I still think too little too late but I'm curious to see if it will turn things around. I've put a few end users on Vista and the world has not ended and some actually do like it. I'm not a fan cause I firmly believe that XP even as jumbled as it is is still a superior OS. Vista is nowhere near as bad as Apple leads people to believe.

September 18, 2008 11:11 AM
madpsychot said:

I heard that Microsoft's advertising slogan is going to be "Windows. Life without Walls". How can you have windows unless they're IN the walls?

September 18, 2008 11:19 AM
Anonymous said:

Sadly I believe Vista is as bad or worse than Apple depicts in its ads. I work at a software company that has a split Mac and PC work force. Vista has been a real pain for us. No one here using Vista likes it at all.

September 18, 2008 11:31 AM
kp said:

end user, snicker

September 18, 2008 11:58 AM
Dave said:

It occurred to me a little while ago after someone had wondered why these "commercials" are 4.5 minutes long. Then I realized that it's just Microsoft doing what it always does. Taking what it makes and working it so that it's bloated beyond belief!

September 18, 2008 1:27 PM
FireBallmer said:

Seriously. Ballmer can't do anything right. Other than blowing money on these ads that do not make any sense like Windows interface.

September 18, 2008 3:33 PM
Moe Author Profile Page said:

I think that when they say, "life without walls" is talking about the Windows Ecosystem. Windows Vista, Windows Live, Windows Mobile. Windows is not just limited to be in the "office" or indoors, but to live anywhere you see fit.

I think they are decent commercials and they do what they are meant to do. Give awareness that Windows is "free" (very loose word there).

I still think OSX on my mac and OSX on my iPhone are better integrated. And I prefer it that way.

September 19, 2008 7:51 AM
TGB Author Profile Page said:

Jerseid:

1. Microsoft has been (poorly) copying Apple innovations since the early '90s. The ads are just business as usual. The assertion that Microsoft is defending itself in them is laughable. They have a huge market share and aren't in danger of going under anytime soon. Any business woes they may be experiencing are related to customer dissatisfaction with their products.

2. Apple wasn't lying in its commercials. If you'd like to point out a particular lie, I'd like to know what it was.

3. Apple didn't lead anyone to believe Vista was bad. Vista users lead everyone to believe that Vista was bad. They even got attorneys involved. Do a search for "Vista Capable" and see what you get. Here's a sampling: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=vista+capable+lawsuit&aq=2&oq=vista+capable

So, you basically repeated a lot of things that I've seen from other Windows users' comments without anything to back them up.

September 19, 2008 1:28 PM
Dave-O said:

Typical Microsoft, doesn't understand the Apple product it is aping. John Hodgman doesn't play a PC user, he plays the PC!

September 20, 2008 1:30 PM

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