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Microsoft Picks Jerry Seinfeld to Spruce up Windows Stale Brand

Microsoft Picks Jerry Seinfeld to Spruce up Windows Stale Brand

by , 3:05 PM EDT, August 21st, 2008

As part of Microsoft's US$300 million advertising campaign, Jerry Seinfeld will be paid $10 million to help the company sprice up its stale brand, according to the Chicago Tribune on Thursday.

The new campaign has the slogan "Windows, Not Walls," and is intended to stress breaking down barriers that prevent connections between people.

The ad campaign kicks off on September 4. According to the newspaper, Microsoft officials privately acknowledge that Windows, the company's most important brand, has grown stale and has also been battered by Apple's "Get A Mac" ads which have been a continuing success.

Brand experts pointed to Apple's successful branding ads going all the way back to the famous 1984 Super Bowl ad. "They [PCs] are not seen as cool," said Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, a branding firm in New York. "Apple is cool. Can anyone even recall a Microsoft ad? No."

A combination of effects have been given credit for Apple's rapid gain in market share -- with sales growing at about three times the rate of PCs. Its "Get A Mac" campaign is one of them.

Microsoft not only plans to use Mr. Seinfeld, but will also exploit the notoriety of Bill Gates who will join Mr. Seinfeld in the ads.

Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer recently explained the ad campaign to his employees: "Now it's time to tell our story."

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Guest
Subject: Of course...

...because nothing says that you're hip and trendy like...

Jerry Seinfeld?

And they're going to use Bill Gates, even though he's not in any official capacity with the company anymore?

This should be funny.

Close Name:rpaege Posts: 96 Joined: 16 Dec 2005
Subject:

"Now it's time to tell our story."


It's a bedtime story.

Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 792 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Subject: Is it?

Is it a commercial about nothing

Close Name:Guest
Subject: they arent even original in their advertising

Even in telling "their story" they have to copy the format of company they are chasing. Very hip and compelling

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Hypocritical Jerry?

This ad campaign lacks credibility before it even starts--On Seinfeld, Jerry always had a Mac in his apartment. Did Microsoft execs even watch his show?

Close Name:Guest
Subject: I'm a PC....

.... and I'm a dork

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Seinfeld always had a Mac

As another observer points out, Seinfeld always had a Mac in his apartment. I think that was actually a Larry David thing: for a season or so on his own show, he drove a Prius, then switched to a Ford Escape Hybrid.

Of note: "It will also focus on changing negative perceptions about Windows Vista."
Gee, hadn't heard anything about that.

And the new Mac ads are out: <http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/>
I like "Off the Air" best.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Why not??

I think that Microsoft choosing a great comedian as its spokesperson is perfectly appropriate. After all, everybody knows that Vista's a joke!

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Good one!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Vista. So what?

Seinfeld could give a rats ass about Vista.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: This is 2008

2008 Mac OSX

1988 Sienfield

Close Name:xmattingly Posts: 266 Joined: 31 Jul 2007
Subject:

Seinfeld is one of the best sitcoms of all time - and my personal favorite, but Jerry doesn't always achieve that level of credulity (B Movie, anyone?) It's interesting the things that celebrities will endorse, regardless of their real connection with the product. Tiger Woods drives Buicks? Yeah RIGHT! Even Guy Kawasaki has unabashedly sold his soul for an inferior product, all in the name of the big mamoo.

It sounds like a lot of folks are making that "he had a Mac in every Seinfeld episode" connection, and I really have to wonder - especially since the show is still running in syndication - how credible his commercials will come off as. And on a side note, I really, REALLY have to question what he really uses at home. I seriously doubt it's Vista.

Quote
Sir Harry Flashman wrote:
Is it a commercial about nothing
LMAO - that's a good one!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Demographic

Because the people at Microsoft make all of their decisions by committee, they have probably determined through some arcane focus group-oriented logic that Seinfeld resonates most strongly with their target audience (I guess they've given up on young people all together at this point. Way to wave the white flag, boys). Watching the folks in Redmond just not get it, again, and again, and again, and again, i.e., trying to manipulate and hoodwink potential customers through what amounts to mega-funded propaganda is just staggering to me. Their avarice for a by comparison, small company like Apple is even more staggering. And yeah-every Seinfeld episode shows the Mac in his apartment; anyone still watching is going to notice. What a bunch of maroons.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: I'm not a Vista user

but I play one on tv.

Close Name:markfleser Posts: 1 Joined: 22 Aug 2008
Subject:

What better way to advertise a washed up brand than to use a washed up comedian.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Mac SE to PowerBook Duo 2300

Jerry had a Mac in every episode of Senfield. How is he going to explain that? Replace Superman for Spiderman?

Yada Yada Yada

Close Name:ldrhawke Posts: 815 Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Subject:

Jerry could play the Mac and Kramer could be the PC with Vista on it.

Close Name:salparadise Posts: 17 Joined: 02 Apr 2008
Subject: admission of defeat

When you start to try to copy your rival it's an admission that your rival has the edge.
If they wanted to hit back they should have gone for someone a lot funnier and with more bite.

Poor old Microsoft, the trailing edge of technology grows ever more clueless.

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