Bill and Jerry Chat as Confusing Windows Blitz Begins
September 5th, 2008
Microsoft 
‘s Seinfeld campaign launched Thursday night. The $300 million campaign starring the well-known comedian Jerry Seinfeld, however, didn’t say anything about Windows.The ad shows Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates picking out a new pair of shoes at a discount store. Seinfeld notices him and helps Gates test several pairs of shoes before finally selecting the perfect fit.
What does buying shoes have to do with Windows? Microsoft is calling it an effort to reconnect with consumers around the globe.
Future commercials will highlight how Windows has become part and parcel of the lives of consumers everywhere on PCs, online and through mobile devices. The first ads seek to start a conversation about the Windows brand using Seinfeld’s offbeat humor, Microsoft said.
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14 Comments Add your own
1. Jennifer LeClaire | September 5th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
I thought they were selling shoes!
–
Christine Heinrichs
Author, How to Raise Chickens
http://poultrybookstore.com
2. Jennifer LeClaire | September 5th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
I just saw the commercial and while it’s appealing to me as a Seinfeld fan, it does a lousy job of selling Vista as a superior product. And, Bill Gates is not John Hodgeman, aka PC from those great Mac and PC ads.
Matt Scherer, Telephone: 210-325-4130
President, Scherer Communications
3. Jennifer LeClaire | September 5th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
I, frankly, just didn’t get it. Maybe I wasn’t watching carefully enough as I was doing other things, but I remember thinking, “What the heck are they thinking?”
Cheri Thurston
4. Jennifer LeClaire | September 5th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
I won’t buy Vista, but I think we should take up a collection to buy Bill Gates some new shorts.
Alan Guinn, Managing Director
The Guinn Consultancy Group, Inc.
5. Jennifer LeClaire | September 5th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
As branded as Jerry is with Amex, I kept thinking I was watching another American Express commercial. I was waiting for Bill Gates to whip out his Amex card at the shoe counter.
Thomas Dodson
Dodson Consultants
916.747.0275
http://www.dodsonconsultants.com
6. Jennifer LeClaire | September 5th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I saw the ad for the first time last night and, quite frankly, I didn’t realize it was supposed to be an ad for Vista until I saw your request on HARO. Which to me is a pretty damning indictment of its effectiveness, at least for my demographic (XP-using female small business owner).
Pat Bitton
Partner, Euresto Partners Inc
Sales & Marketing Strategies for Technology Startups
http://www.eurestopartners.com
7. Jennifer LeClaire | September 5th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Can you feel the hate? Hated it. Trying to low ball both mega billionaire personalities into one stupid person was a terrible idea.
I’m now even more turned off to PC because Mac is so much better, even in the ads.
My PR perspective is that they were not selling anything. They were trying to dumb down to be funny to maybe sell something in the next commercial. Since they have billions to waste (my time and theirs) I suppose it doesn’t matter at all that the commercial made Jerry Seinfield look anything but funny and Bill Gates to be a clown in a circus.
And how is that supposed to win business people over to the product?
Roz Wolf
8. Jennifer LeClaire | September 5th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I’m a marketing communications professional, and wanted to briefly weigh in on your question on HARO regarding the new Seinfeld/Gates spot for Microsoft.
If you’re referring to the one depicting Gates buying shoes at the Shoe Circus, I’m not so sure it’s intended to sell Vista per se (to answer your specific query).
The sense I get is that it’s an initial introductory ad with not much more intention than to endear and create some warm, fuzzy feelings perhaps on the part of customers towards Microsoft. Let’s face it, the brand and company could use some polish in this age of Apple (what with all the iPhone, iPod, Macbook love flowing so freely these past couple of years). Microsoft has faced harsh criticism for having products that perform inconsistently and lack innovation, and isn’t a brand with the kind of cult following that Apple has boasted since its inception. Jobs is idolized by customers, employees, analysts and the business world in general… while Gates, well aside from his recent honorable and worthy efforts with the philanthropic Gates Foundation, is considered a much less likable nerd.
While this spot doesn’t do much to reverse that impression (Gates still comes off a bit awkward and inept socially-speaking), Gates is playing a foil to Seinfeld’s musing comedic interludes. So his mono-syllabic answers actually work well with the script.
I would suggest that Microsoft needs to connect with their customers and potential customer base much more emotionally and deeply than it has managed to date. In fact, by having computers arrive on desktops with Windows software and products installed by default during the past couple of decades, it virtually sidestepped having a relationship or dialogue with customers at all. I don’t think you can maintain strength as a brand without having an emotional connection with consumers in today’s age of technology and marketing. Microsoft can no longer rely on distribution channels to force-feed its products to consumers; it has to speak with them directly. Moreover, it really needs to position itself as a solution to consumer’s technology needs, from helping them with their current tech-related problems (often caused or created by Microsoft products, ironically enough), to filling gaps and voids in emerging market demands (mobile connectivity, more portable Internet devices and access, i.e., cloud computing).
I’m guessing this new ad campaign is intended to make up for lost time by getting consumers to actually start to like the Microsoft brand. This first spot starts to humanize Gates a bit (viewers see him shopping for shoes at a discounter using a loyalty card). While I know firsthand that it’s not going to work with the Apple fanboy base, who knows, it may turn around some opinions in the PC user community.
Thanks for listening, and good luck with your piece.
My best,
Sedef Onder
Managing Partner
The Halo Project Inc.
9. Jennifer LeClaire | September 6th, 2008 at 2:05 am
The Jerry Seinfeld Microsoft campaign kickoff underwhelmed me, totally. It is not going to do much of anything to move copies of Vista, but as was stated by Bill Veghte, Microsoft SVP, in an email to all employees the first stage of the $300 million ad campaign, “is designed to engage consumers and spark a new conversation about Windows – a conversation that will evolve as the campaign progresses, but will always be marked by humor and humanity.” With it’s esoteric premise and bizarre brand of humor(?) it will certainly do that.
Wade Meredith
SEM Account Manager – Voltage Creative
10. Jennifer LeClaire | September 6th, 2008 at 2:06 am
I’m the president of GTK Marketing Group and author of CAREER AND CORPORATE COOL™ – One of Entrepreneur magazine’s five “page turners” for women entrepreneurs and a CareerBuilder pick for most interesting career book of ’07 (www.careerandcorporatecool.com
Rachel Weingarten, Style is my business & Shout Out PR – http://www.shoutoutpr.com
*****
Shiny New Launches:
Cool Copy Cats – http://www.coolcopycats.com
11. Jennifer LeClaire | September 6th, 2008 at 2:07 am
I saw one, seemingly long, ad with Seinfeld and Bill Gates. Had I not heard the pre-campaign hype, I wouldn’t have known what they were advertising. I’m a fan of the Cripin Porter Bogusky agency, but this one left me puzzled.
John P. David
Partner, David & Garcia PR
12. Jennifer LeClaire | September 6th, 2008 at 2:08 am
I saw it last night and loved it. Now I’m a Mac-girl, but this wasn’t about computers. It was about an enjoyable ad (so few are now) that kept me entertained (so few do any more) and left me with a smile on my face. It made me want to see it again.
I loved seeing Seinfeld back in his familiar sitcom-ish role. And I loved seeing Gates break out of his typical role.
Most importantly, it got people talking – which really is the point, after all.
Denise McVey
President » S3
13. Jennifer LeClaire | September 6th, 2008 at 2:09 am
I’ve been in PR and communications for over 14 years and I must say that the ad is pretty much everything I tell my clients NOT do.
Ironically though, I wonder if Microsoft actually accomplished the first of its multi-layered objectives for the campaign. It’s true that the message wasn’t clear, the jokes weren’t very funny and people generally did not “get” the spot.
But, wow…that 30-sec spot had LEGS! It left people scratching their heads, still trying to figure out the meaning of this ad. It has launched a flurry of blogs and discussions with everyone trying to come up with their interpretation of what the ad conveys and how it ties-in with the brand.
It kind of reminds me of those cheesy classified ads that screamed “SEX!” in the headline. And once it drew you in, it would read “Now that I have your attention…” and then it’s about some random yard-sale on Saturday. Very juvenile, not very sophisticated but I guess it is effective in grabbing your attention. Maybe Microsoft tried to dumb things down to counter its evil empire image. After all, Bill Gates did come down from his austere ivory tower to shop at a fake leather shoe store.
I was also thinking about when Apple came out with the “Think different” slogan which had people scratching their heads. Many argued that it was grammatically incorrect, but it was intentionally done to make Apple seem more dummy-proof, friendly and approachable – the polar opposite of Microsoft.
Who knows, if this is the first of a series of ads, maybe by the end there will be an “aha” moment (a.k.a. “The Crying Game”) and we’ll think the whole campaign was totally genius.
All the Best,
Bo Park
Halocom
14. Anonymous | September 6th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
I think the Jerry Seinfeld Microsoft ad is more strategically brilliant than most people realize. It’s not going to do squat to sell Vista today. But it’s not meant to. What this ad did exceptionally well was make Microsoft human and likable by making Bill Gates human and likable. He shops for shoes just like everyone else. People expected Crispin to try to make Microsoft cool, but everyone knows that the least cool thing you can do is say “I’m cool.” By making Bill this guy you want to be pals with, suddenly Apple’s commercials feel mean-spirited. The cool kid in high school making fun of the geek. This ad isn’t about selling Vista today. It’s about shifting perception to pave the way for tomorrow. Hence, “The future. Delicious.” Microsoft gets forgiven for royally screwing up Vista because, hey, they’re only human. They’ll get it right.
Of course, I’ll never move from Apple to Microsoft. But that’s my 2 cents on the commercial.
ADAM KLEINBERG | CEO
http://www.tractionco.com
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