The first Jerry Seinfeld/Bill Gates commercial that debuted last week got a reception about as warm as the one received by the product it was supposed to be promoting: Windows Vista. For those who missed the 2007 debut of Vista, the answer is not very.
Now there are two more commercials in the series and they are two more 90-second head-scratcher. The basic plot line: Bill and Jerry live with a family to get in touch with “real people.” High jinks ensue, leading to Gates doing the robot. The sequels are sure to draw as much criticism as the original, but they may also achieve their intended goal: get people talking about Microsoft again.
The ad campaign — created by agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky — is part of Microsoft’s $300 million effort to try to improve the image of Windows and hit back at Apple, which has effectively portrayed Windows as clunky and out-of-touch with its Mac vs. PC commercials.
Here are the ads.
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7 comments so far
These commercials are funny! Until now the world would have been so much better if Bill Gates would have become, say a fry cook, instead of infecting the world with Microsoft. This bit of humor at least makes his mere existence worth something.
- Posted by Dude Indigo[...] From weird to weirder, Microsoft has Gates do the robot [...]
- Posted by Google Strives to Further Improve Search Functionality | headlineseo.comI wonder how many of you out there that are putting ol Bill Gates down are using his software. Bill Gates has been one of the biggest founders of our soft ware,
- Posted by JodellHe founded MICRO SOFT. Let’s see you do something like that. Besides I think the commercials are funny. I liked the first one where Bill gives Jerry the signal with the adjustment of his undershorts/ In fact if he does not mind I think I’ll use that for my signal as a way to get out of family functions.
I didn’t get the commercial, maybe it was too complex for me. Or it just doesn’t make sense…
- Posted by MotorokrNobody is putting Gates down here. The new ad campaign is the point in question. Personally, I think the ads miss the mark. Quirky does not equal clever if the ad fails to get its point across. The ads are muddled at best, and get lost in the irrelevant banter between Jerry and Bill. Only the Microsoft logo gives any indication that the commercial is even remotely associated with Microsoft. Conversely, the Mac vs. PC ads successfully incorporate a selling point for Mac hardware and/or software while remaining smart and funny.
- Posted by richdelish“The ads are muddled at best, and get lost in the irrelevant banter between Jerry and Bill.” — richdelish
The point of the add is the irrelevant banner. Maybe most of you didn’t watch Seinfeld or Curb your enthusiasm. But the stories about ‘nothing’ or ‘irrelevance’ is the point. The humor of every day life. Don’t think of the ads as a flashy product pushing tv commercials. They are really a minute and a half shorts, that are sponsored by Microsoft. Thats it.
- Posted by AndrewThey are funny. Deal with it.
Pure genius. But Gates needs to go back to running MS.
- Posted by Alex G