Microsoft Causes Internal Family Strife

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Microsoft Causes Internal Family Strife

Posted by kdawson on Friday September 12, 2008 @01:44AM from the what-were-they-thinking-if-anything dept.

techmuse writes "Fresh from its ad featuring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld eating churros and discussing shoes, Microsoft has introduced a new advertisement in which the aging former CEO and comedian take up residence with a family, causing infighting and malicious plots by the family members. Although the ad does not mention Microsoft's operating system directly, it does mirror the real world experience of the company's products — appearing where not wanted, hard to remove, causing administration headaches, and finally being forced out in hopes of getting one's living space back."

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i'm no MS fan, but... by gadabyte · 2008-09-12 01:47 · Score: 5, Insightful

holy flamebait summary, batman!

--
the united states is a nation of laws; badly written and randomly enforced -- frank zappa
1. Re:i'm no MS fan, but... by asg1 · 2008-09-12 02:03 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I disagree... I thought this one was good for a few laughs. Yes it is a commercial but how many commercials do you actually laugh at? Again, like the first ad, Microsoft just got many to watch it and talk about it; thus it was successful. Besides, do you really think they are trying to reach out to the average slashdotter? Remember that these ads aren't targeted at us.
2. Re:i'm no MS fan, but... by MMC+Monster · 2008-09-12 02:06 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Actually, I found parts of it pretty funny.
  It does accentuate how out of touch both Seinfeld and Gates are (and even mentions that fact).
  You would have no idea that it's a commercial about an OS.
  In fact, you can run the same commercial and put a picture of Tux at the end, with the slogan "Keep uninvited pests away" (or something like that; I'm not a marketing guy) and be quite effective.
  
  --
  Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
3. Re:i'm no MS fan, but... by JWSmythe · 2008-09-12 02:28 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  No, no. There's an underdog spin on it.
  They are staying with a family. The family obviously boards other people. The grandmother has been living there for 12 years. Maybe this is a reference to Windows 95 being ancient, but still kicking around the house.
  While they are there, the little girl gets upset that she lost her room. Here they are calling non-Microsoft OS's bratty little girls.
  The little girl gets her revenge by planting the stolen item in Gates' pack. This is either saying that other OS's use deception to get what they want. Gates, being the better man just leaves to let the bratty girl have her way, because there are bigger things to come.
  I like understanding subtle undertones to what appears to be obvious. I also like listening to the words of "Hotel California". :)
  
  --
  Serious? Seriousness is well above my pay grade.
4. Re:i'm no MS fan, but... by nabsltd · 2008-09-12 04:33 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I have to agree. I laugh at the Mac/PC ads, mostly because they are so over the top.
  Macs aren't that wonderful and PCs don't suck as much as the ads would want you to believe, but that don't change the fact that the ads are well done, and even non-techies find them worth watching.
Advertising by jmpeax · 2008-09-12 01:48 · Score: 5, Insightful

Microsoft's operating system - appearing where not wanted, hard to remove, causing administration headaches, and finally being forced out in hopes of getting one's living space back.
Well you know you could just avoid giving Microsoft all this publicity if you feel so strongly about the quality of their products.

As for the advert, I thought it was quite funny. It didn't mention any specific products, but that's not really the point: the very personification of Microsoft (good ol' Bill) is given a soft, friendly image that will inevitably reflect onto the company and its products. It's got a kind of quirkiness that works really well - this will no doubt help improve sales of more personal product line (such as the Zune) that aren't really compatible with the hygienic, corporate image of Windows and Office.

--
Amnesty International
1. Re:Advertising by Lord_Frederick · 2008-09-12 02:04 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  If the ad itself is being talked about, then it has been successful on some level.
Great summary :-) by Peter+Simpson · 2008-09-12 02:01 · Score: 5, Insightful

I'd like to see them visit a family with a nerdy kid who uses a MythTV box.
"Yeah, I used to use Windows, but it wouldn't record all the shows I told it to -- something about a "broadcast flag content protection error". Ever since I replaced it with Myth, I've had no more problems.".
!!?? Where do you live ??!!?? by hummassa · 2008-09-12 03:05 · Score: 5, Insightful
Facts speak volumes.
As you seem to live in another planet, and one where facts do speak volumes nonetheless, I friendly request that you take me to your leader -- after asserting that your homeworld environment is livable for my pitiful lifeform.
Because, in this planet:
- spin speaks volumes
- hype speaks volumes
- noise speaks volumes
- a beautiful face or a nice body speaks volumes
- knowing how to throw or kick a ball speaks volumes
- engineered lying speaks volumes
- brute force speaks volumes
- money speaks volumes
But facts were never and will never be on the list. Not even close.
--
It's better to be the foot on the boot than the face on the pavement. ~~ tkx Kadin2048
Re:I want to see one by gabec · 2008-09-12 03:12 · Score: 5, Insightful

holy flamebait summary, batman!
Seriously... Slashdot never has made claims at being unbiased, and I have no excess fondness for MS products (I'm currently writing this from my ubuntu desktop) but still... Frontpaging needlessly harsh opinions best left to tongue-in-cheek office humor don't serve the slashdot community.
If I want vitriolic bias, I'll head to Fox News.