Microsoft drops Seinfeld – now the REAL attack begins?
When we heard those rumblings last month that Microsoft was launching a $300 million ad campaign featuring Jerry Seinfeld to directly counter Apple’s Windows-bashing “Get A Mac” ads which had more or less run unchallenged for 3 years, we were intrigued. “How would they do it?” we wondered. “What would they criticize about Mac OS X? Is Seinfled, a known Mac user, going to pretend he uses Windows?”
Well, two fairly bizarre ads featuring Seinfeld and Bill Gates later, and we did not see much in the way of Mac-bashing, or PC-touting for that matter. So we all sort of assumed the goal of the campaign was to make us all sort of like Bill Gates, and in turn, warm up to the idea that Microsoft has feelings too, and it would be mean to not buy Windows. Personally, all it showed us was that Bill and Jerry are way richer than any of us can imagine, and have about the same acting ability.
Just the tip of the suck-berg?
But wait! It appears that those first two Seinfeld/Gates ads were merely the first opening salvo in a forthcoming barrage of anti-Mac ads Microsoft will be unleashing as early as today. The Times of London is reporting that Microsoft will be airing some new Seinfeld-less ads with a PC-man who is said to look quite a bit like Apple’s John Hodgman, who will attempt to claim he has been unfairly made into a nerdy stereotype.
Well, we’re quite anxious to see these ads, even more so than the Seinfeld ones. I will tell you right now, from an advertising 101 standpoint, if that new PC guy is standing against a white backdrop, Microsoft has already lost. The fact that a company with such a huge market lead has to spend its advertising dollars responding to the ad campaign of a much smaller competitor instead of being in control of marketing its own messages to consumers is a rather telling sign that Microsoft blew it.
And if Microsoft’s PC guy has free pizza, I’m going to put my foot through my set.
I actually can’t wait to see it. and i kinda hope they try and bash mac. so a bunch of us can start up in a fit of windows rage…and then i can’t wait til apple comes out with their next ad that will obviously just destroy whatever mr. new pc guy has said
That makes 3 campaigns in 3 weeks (lest we forget those great “It’s Folgers Instant” commercials). They’re throwing anything at the wall to see what sticks. I just saw “Windows vs. Walls” in today’s NYT. Sheesh.
Still waiting in the wings:
– It’s so easy a caveman can use it;
– When the moment is right, Windows (if your computer stays up for longer than four hours seek immediate help)
– Windows is fundamentally strong
and of course,
– WIndows: apply directly to your hard drive!
well how often do mac users attack micro/windows.. so i think its a funny war between thoose companies and they got a story that begunn when u did still poo your dippers.. 😀
it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with. M$ has been silent to the Mac v PC ads for years now and the whole Jerry Seinfeld/Bill Gates taking the high road ads seemed to be a very soft response. Although I respected the sentiment.
I’ve never really liked the Mac v PC ads so I’ve always believed that M$ need not respond negatively in return. It would seem petty. Like the Doc said, they need to get their marketing message straight and promote their own product rather than attack the opposition.
I saw it today, the Hodgeman lookalike was only on for a second and his line was “I’m a PC and I’ve become a stereotype.” As someone who works in marketing it’s actually a decent commercial, however it’s not going to switch any mac users, nor is it designed to, all they want to do with it is retain windows users, and it’s going to do it fairly well, however is Windows 7 is anything like Vista…. I don’t think that any amount of commercials will keep people from switching.
The third version of the commercial asks at the end: “You have a problem with that?!?!”
My reply is: ” YES I DO MO***HERF****ER!!! BRING IT!!”
First off, the new commercials remind me of an AA meeting. “Hi, I am Johnny and I am PC.†“Hi, Johnny!â€
Also, the final slogan, “Life without walls†is idiotic. Ever seen windows without walls?
Ha! Hadn’t seen it so I went to window’s lifewithoutwalls.com.
I like the guy at the end who says “I’m a pc and a human being, not a human doing, not a human thinking, a human being.” Can someone tell me what that is supposed to mean?
Jerry Seinfeld/Bill Gates commercials are a bash on the price of Mac’s in general when compared to the prices of PC’s also, bill gates is shopping for shoe’s in the circus store is saying why change when your used to something … thats why he was a long time shopper there. you could even go into it more closely and say that you have more options or choices on choosing your machine to run windows on… ( i am a Mac guy myself ) I personally really hate windows but there are thing i love about both OS’s
adding my 
The ads were pretty neat, I liked them, but I daresay the marketing prowess of Microsoft seems to be on a decline. They used to be so much better!
Life without Walls seems pretty cool. Yeah the conventional window never comes without the wall. What microsoft is trying to tell here is that Windows does not limit you in any aspect. its like a window that has taken up the entire wall and hence allows you a great “vista”