Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot. September 6, 2008
Posted by craiglp in Software.Tags: bill gates, commercial, jerry seinfeld, microsoft
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By now you’ve seen the new Microsoft commercial. Let’s get it out of the way right now: WTF?
Ok, the Apple Mac v. PC commercials are starting to get a little old. Yes, they are a little smug. Alright, a lot smug. But, come on, this is the best that Microsoft can do with $10 million? And Seinfeld? I find myself being more than a little embarrassed for Bill, and Jerry.
Better luck next time.
I don’t know… I kind of liked it. They’re selling Bill’s celebrity status here.
A Mac commercial has a simple message: “Macs are cooler than PCs, and ‘Mac Guy’ is annoying.” The message in this commercial is more complex. It says, “Bill Gates is down-to-earth enough to shop for budget shoes, but cool enough to hang with Jerry Seinfeld, who is so funny and cool and adorable. Bill Gates == Microsoft (as you know) and Bill Gates == cool and “real” (as you’ve just seen). Therefore, Microsoft == cool and real. Or, not as crappy as you think.”
That’s a lot of info to convey. I can see how they’d end up having to pay someone $10M to get that message out. It would have cost them at least twice that much if they’d put Steve Ballmer anywhere in view.