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Seinfeld-Windows TV Ad Anything But 'Delicious'
CWmike writes "Microsoft's $300-million ad campaign for Windows starring comedian Jerry Seinfeld launched Thursday with a long TV commercial almost entirely devoid of any talk of Windows, Microsoft or anything, really. With co-star Bill Gates, the scene is set in a shopping mall. Seinfeld, who did most of the talking, helps Gates buy a pair of shoes called the Conquistador. The commercial ends with Seinfeld asking Gates if Microsoft will "come out with something that makes our computers moist and chewy like cake so we can just eat them while we're working." Gates wiggles his rear to answer in the affirmative. The commercial ends (see video inside the story) with the Windows logo and the phrase 'Delicious.' Preston Gralla writes, 'I just saw Microsoft's much ballyhooed Jerry Seinfeld ad, and can say without equivocation it's one of the worst, most pointless ads in history. If this is Microsoft's response to the 'I'm a Mac' ads, it should fold up its tent and tell the world to switch to Apple."
Seinfeld-Windows TV Ad Anything But 'Delicious'
Are you crazy? I found that ad effective & informative.
... starring a Microsoft shill & a racist.
I can't wait to get down to my local shoe store to try out a pair of "The Conquistador" although everyone knows they 'run tight.' I can't wait to finally have shoes I can wear in my shower!
Well, there goes my ability to watch any reruns of Seinfeld
I caught this ad on TV with my non-technical retail employed roommate. And, acknowledging my predisposition to the big evil, I turned and atonally inquired what he thought of the commercial. "What?" he replied, "I don't think when I watch commercials, I just watch them." My god, it's worse than I thought, normal people just might digest this!
My work here is dung.
I did find it humorous that they used his mug shot for his photo on his membership(?) card for the shoe store.
I
Thank god I can finally scratch that off my list of things to see before I die.
Careful What You Wish For....
... that it was kind of hilarious in a post-modern "we're Microsoft, what the fuck are we gonna do?" sort of way.
You mean, "Where do we want to go today?" sort of way?
Sounds like Microsoft with Alzheimer's.
Ignore this signature. By order.
A large table dominates the room. Sleek metal chairs are located around the table, all of which sits on a raised platform above a large pool full of sharks. Various nervous looking henchmen sit in the chairs, watching their beloved leader. A squeaking whiny voice speaks:
Bill Gates (for it is he): Now, I've been thinking about our advertising, how we get the message out that Vista is the best operating system ever written, and I was watching TV last night.
Steve Ballmer: Oh, excellent my master! Excellent!
Steve chortles uncontrollably
Bill Gates: Shut up number 2. Now, I noticed two things. First of all, there is a hilarious comedian on the television called Jerry Seinfeld.
Various flunkies nod.
Number 8: Oh yes, he's very funny
Number 9: I agree my master. We were all talking about his hilarious show around our water cooler earlier today.
Number 5: Indeed. In my department, I couldn't get to the water cooler because of the number of people talking about his show. It is the funniest show on television. You are so right number one, you are...
Bill Gates sighs
Gates: Silence! Now, the other thing I noticed was a theme to many of the advertisements. Let me show you.
The table turns around, with the chairs parting to form a straight line parallel to and facing a giant unfolding screen. The lights dim, and an image appears on screen.
McCain: I'm John McCain, and I approve this message. Barack Obama says he's for the common man. But he's actually just a typical liberal elitist.
Obama: Poor people suck. I'm a big dofus. Look at me with my big car and fancy house.
McCain: Do you really want this person becoming President, or would you rather that a real American be in the White House?
The screen changes to show a new ad. This time the word "Hope" appears in big letters on the screen.
Obama: I know what it's like to be at the bottom. I grew up in a family so poor we used to have to live in a paper bag. Every morning, we used to have to get up before we went to bed, lick road clean, and every night our parents would beat us, bury us, and dance on our graves. But my opponent John McCain was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, listen to his real world experience:
McCain: Look at me, I'm an old person who doesn't even know how to use an Interweb. I have sixteen houses because I keep forgetting where they all are and so have to keep buying new ones to live in.
Obama: Do you really think that guy can relate to us? Do you really want him to become President? Vote for me, change you can believe in. I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message.
The lights come back on and the table and chairs go back into position.
Gates: You see, I'm noticing a common theme. What the common people want is to know their leaders aren't elitist, whatever that means.
Number 17: Er, Mr Gates. I don't want to talk out of turn, but those are election ads, they're not trying to sell computer operating systems.
There is a deathly hush. Gates motions to Balmer:
Gates: Number 2...
Balmer picks up a chair. Number 17 gets up and starts to back away.
Number 17: Please! I meant no disrespect! I was just trying to help! No! Please!
Balmer coldly follows 17 and carefully aims the chair. Finally, with a single thrust of the arms, the chair is thrown. All four legblades hit 17 together. He staggers backwards, bleeding profusely, and falls off of the platform into the shark tank, screaming as he goes.
Gates: As I was saying. The people want to know that their leaders are not elitists, that we can relate to the comm
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
I want my damn minute back!
It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
- E. Debs
It's an "Ad about Nothing"!
What the fuck...I've got karma out the ass.
What's the difference between a Mac and PC besides the operating system?
The price.
I want a new quote. One that won't spill. One that don't cost too much. Or come in a pill.
I thought that Seinfeld was acting like he just smoked a whole bag full of weed and Gates was just annoyed with him.
What's the message? "Vista is hard, let's go shopping!"
I toldja, they shoulda gone with a tried and tested comedic genius. http://tinyurl.com/5c3r6y
http://rocknerd.co.uk
That's the only thing I could think the whole time. It's the only response I could possibly give. The only comment I can make. WTF There are no other words. This is it, there is nothing left. Article summary: WTF. Sum of all comments: WTF. The only thought that can take place when viewing: WTF.
Win a signed Stephen Carpenter ESP Guitar from the Deftones: http://def-tag.com/?r=0008781
Oh, I can think of something worse. They could have had Ballmer shaking his ass. That would have made me and anyone else subjected to that commercial wretch, and I would feel nauseous whenever I see a churro from there on out.
I saw an ad recently with Ballmer's face, and it scared the hell out of me. I realized that Microsoft gained its fame because Bill Gates looks to average people as a trustworthy geek who might help them with their modem or spreadsheets. Ballmer, however, looks like someone who might scream at you for making his coffee wrong or not doing your spreadsheets correctly.
Back in the last century some ad people at a business school did an experiment that indicated that thirty seconds of the name of the product being repeated in a loud, obnoxious voice was just as effective as an entertaining ad.
I've got something to apply directly to your forehead for bringing back that memory.
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
I will have you know that TV programming in Japan is quite different than anything you will find in the US, since I think that they give all the people who come up with the shows drugs for inspiration.
I was going to say they do that with US TV too. Except in that case the drug is cocaine and the only thing it inspires is crap TV as a means to get more money to get more cocaine...
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
So you mean, "Where the hell am I?" and "How the hell did I get here?"
Actually, quite fitting for Vista...
-=Lothsahn=-
I prefer a career over a job
Spelling and Grammar errors have been added to this post for your enjoyment
People... at a bar... watching a football game... applauded a commercial? About software?
So, what part of the Microsoft campus is this bar located at?
The add made little sense.
Agreed. I think it will divide the audience at best, and in the worst case will subtract from the value of their product.
...anti-dentite.
"Have you heard of some type of thing?" -- anon
Oromyofunctional disorder, aka, Tongue Thrust. I like "tooth-talker" better, because if you are a tooth-talker, you have a hell of a time saying tooth-talker, which really brings out the tooth-talker in you.
Remember those old BASF commercials? Kinda reminds me of those, where at the end I'm left wondering just what it is I'm supposed to buy. Shoes? Chips? Hula lessons?
If I didn't have absolutely NOTHING to do, I wouldn't be here.
Microsoft approached Jerry and said 'We'll give you a huge pile of money if you do an ad for us.' Jerry said 'you know I use a Mac, right?' Microsoft's person said 'Did I mention the really big pile of money?' Jerry said 'I'll do it if I can write the script' Microsoft's guy said 'We get your writing talent and your performing talent? Ideal!' Jerry thought 'Now, how do I make Microsoft look really bad without them noticing and not paying me. I know, Bill Gates! They'll love anything with Bill Gates in it, even if it's really terrible!'
In fact, it just reminds me of this comic.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
"The point of the ad is to put a human face on the company."
And the commercial succeeded in putting a human ass on the company. How like Microsoft.
"by that I mean people who don't sit on slashdot all day wondering why everyone else isn't building robots" DECS
Not as much as they hate basketball though.
Isn't it amazing what they can do with computer graphics nowadays? Even if it cost a few million to edit his Borg eye away, it really looks as if it was never there.
Visit http://ringbreak.dnd.utwente.nl/~mrjb/growingbettersoftware to download your free copy of the book