“The long, oft-baffling ‘teaser” ads’ by Microsoft Corp. featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates that kicked off two weeks ago are abruptly ending, the company said late Wednesday, as part two of its $300 million Windows marketing rehab campaign begins,” Eric Lai reports for Computerworld.
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft ought to spend $300 million on coding, not ads.
Lai continues, “Carrying the theme ‘Windows. Life without walls,’ the new ads will show Microsoft ‘audaciously embracing’ the phrase ‘I’m a PC’ — which has been so successfully tarnished by Apple Inc.’s ads the past two years — in order to rehabilitate it.”
MacDailyNews Take: In a world without fences and walls, who needs Gates and Windows?
Lai continues, “One of the new commercials will even show a real Microsoft engineer who is a ringer for John Hodgman, the actor who plays the abused PC character in the Apple ads, introducing himself: ‘Hello, I’m a PC, and I’ve been made into a stereotype,'”
Full article here.
Stuart Elliott reports for The New York Times, “Mr. Gates makes a cameo appearance in the new Microsoft spots, along with celebrities like the actress Eva Longoria, the author Deepak Chopra and the singer Pharrell Williams. But the stars are everyday PC users, from scientists and fashion designers to shark hunters and teachers, all of whom affirm, in fast-paced, upbeat vignettes, their pride in using the computers that run on Microsoft operating systems and software.”
MacDailyNews Take: All of whom have never tried a Mac or they’d be Mac users regaling us with “I can’t believe how stupid I was for so many years suffering with Windows! I’m so glad I finally switched!” Our reader feedback and email inboxes are stuffed full with such bittersweet missives.
These former everyday PC users definitely will not be featured:
• Inquirer tech writer switches to Apple Mac: ‘Fed up with the absolute turd that is Windows Vista’ – July 07, 2008
• Intel sees no Vista on horizon; decides not to ‘upgrade’ 80k employees to Microsoft’s Windows Vista – June 25, 2008
• Axel Springer dumps Microsoft Windows, switches 10,000 employees to Apple Macintosh – July 05, 2008
• 25-year PC vet dumps Microsoft’s Windows for Apple Mac, finds ‘digital heaven’ – March 31, 2008
• Oregon’s George Fox University dumps Windows PCs for Apple Macs – March 03, 2008
• Chris Pirillo: 50 Reasons to switch from Microsoft Windows to Apple’s Mac OS X – February 18, 2008
• Microsoft’s Windows Vista, Office 2007 expelled from British schools – January 11, 2008
• Microsoft’s Windows Vista convinces tech writer to buy an Apple MacBook – December 11, 2007
• SMU Cox School of Business dumps PCs for Apple Macs – October 30, 2007
• Wall Street Journal readers endorse dumping Windows and switching to Apple Macintosh – September 17, 2007
• Boom! Largest automobile processing company in North America dumps Windows PCs for Apple Macs – July 16, 2007
• US National Institute of Standards and Technology bans Microsoft Windows Vista – March 12, 2007
• Windows expert dumps Windows, switches to Apple’s Mac OS X, finds software plentiful – March 12, 2007
• US DOT, FAA ban ‘upgrading’ to Windows Vista, Explorer 7, Office 2007; looks at Macs – March 02, 2007
• Wilkes University to dump all Windows PCs, replace with Apple Macs – February 22, 2007
• Computerworld: Windows expert dumps Windows, switches to Apple’s Mac OS X – February 08, 2007
• Windows sufferer spends six hours trying to ‘upgrade’ to Vista, says: ‘I should’ve bought a Mac’ – February 07, 2007
• Windows Vista woes push BBC News editor to regret never having ‘defected’ to Apple Mac – February 06, 2007
• Windows Vista disappointment drives longtime ‘Microsoft apologist’ to Apple’s Mac OS X – January 17, 2007
• Top Windows developer dumps Microsoft’s ‘pile of crap’ for Apple’s Mac OS X – September 12, 2006
• Sophos Security: Dump Windows, Get a Mac – July 05, 2006
• Sydney Morning Herald Tech columnist dumps Microsoft Windows, switches to Apple Mac – June 13, 2006
• Japan’s Aozora Bank dumps 2,300 Windows PCs for Apple Macs – April 03, 2006
Elliott continues, “Among them are more than 60 Microsoft employees, who are accompanied in the ads by e-mail addresses — even Mr. Gates’s ().”
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft employees affirming their pride in using Windows? That’s convincing. By the way, send Gates massively large images of canned ham; he loves that almost as much as getting leaked code from the next Mac OS.
We guess these guys aren’t in the ads:
• No one’s immune to Microsoft Windows hell – not even Bill Gates – June 25, 2008
• Microsoft executives’ internal emails highlight Windows Vista discontent – March 10, 2008
• Even Microsoft’s top execs ‘burned’ by Vista problems – February 29, 2008
• Microsoft’s Steve Jobs-wannabe J Allard has 9 iPods and uses an Apple Mac – November 28, 2006
• Microsoft Windows Vista developers used Apple Macs for inspiration – November 27, 2006
• Microsoft CEO Ballmer spends two days unsuccessfully trying to clean Windows PC malware – June 05, 2006
Elliott continues, “A giant advertiser responding to the disparagement of a smaller rival can be fraught with peril. Consumers may see it as a validation of the claims, or even bullying. On the other hand, ignoring the taunts can damage images and sales.” Rob Reilly, partner and co-executive creative director at Microsoft’s ad agency, Crispin Porter & Bogusky said that Microsoft’s “celebration of PC users is intended to show them ‘connected to this community of people who are creative, who are passionate.'”
MacDailyNews Take: Is it really a winning sales tactic to celebrate the fact that hundreds of thousands of Internet traffic-clogging Windows PC spambots are connected via TCP/IP to creative, passionate Mac users?
Elliott continues, “The theme of ‘Life without walls’ was the concept for the Microsoft campaign ‘from the beginning,’ he added, because it declares ‘that the goal of Windows is to help remove the walls in your life, now and in the future.'”
MacDailyNews Take: How does shackling yourself to Microsoft “solutions” from which they strive to make it nearly impossible (Outlook, for just one example; by the way, use Little Machines’ Outlook2Mac) to extricate yourself or your business help “remove walls in your life?” It’s just total hypocrisy: Microsoft’s entire business is based on is constructing walls to keep the sheep penned in now and in the future.
Elliott reports, “Coming magazine and outdoor ads focus on how Windows can be used for mobile devices, TV sets and laptops along with PCs.”
MacDailyNews Take: Another one who didn’t get a callback:
• Microsoft sycophant Mary Jo Foley: Windows Mobile is awful; avoid it like the plague – May 08, 2008
Full article here.
@WindozeKiller
You took the words out of my mouth. What a perfect idea for another I’m a PC/I’m a Mac ad.
BTW, yet another MS failure. These guys can’t even do successful ads. I’m telling you, Apple should give MS another $300M to make more ads. Its like giving a kid dynamite and matches.
Finally, since MS is using the ad firm that created those Burger King commercials with the creepy King, I half expect to see a new MS ad with a character sporting a big, plastic Ballmer-head appearing in a home where someone is using a PC.
ok you’ve seen ads that compares an AMC gremlin vs a Ferrari and point out the consistant failures the AMC and you say lets spend money to point out the same failures by selecting a look-a-like product. They just dont get it.
Wow, Microsoft just looks more and more desperate and pathetic by the day. They really are an even bigger joke now than they’ve ever been.
Wait until you see the next batch.
PCworld has a tease, which includes some “real guy” supposedly from Microsoft who’s holding up an “I’m a PC” sign while in a shark cage.
Unfortunately, that shark cage image is an obvious Photoshop hack, not reality.
Look at how the great white shark in the background is at a 45 degree angle to the visible surface. First off, they aren’t able to leap clear of the water like that (the image depicts that the back third of the shark’s body still supposedly being entirely out of the water), and even if they could, there would be “splash” and turbulence in a photo catching this motion, which is not present here.
It seems that more and more, “PC” really means “Poseur Computer”.
-hh
PS: “No cage diving”:
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Pharrell Williams! I’ve lost respect for him… I guarantee that any musician or DJ or Producer worth his salt is not making music on a PC. And Eva Longoria… I always thought she was overrated but now I’ve lost all respect for her too… the rest of the Desperate Housewives should kick her to the curb of Wisteria Lane an pummel her with brown brick Zunes… Deepak Chopra kind of makes sense… he takes original ideas (Hinduism, Buddhism etc.) and re-packages them as his own… kinda like Microsoft does with Apple.
Don’t worry Seinfeld, they’ll be a line up of celebrity fools in your boat soon enough!
So the new ads will feature Gates and a Hodgman lookalike and celebrities and everyday users just like you (who just happen to work at Microsoft). Sounds a little unfocused, which is not good for an ad campaign.
But the real puzzle is this:
“[…]all of whom affirm, in fast-paced, upbeat vignettes, their pride in using the computers that run on Microsoft operating systems and software.”
“Pride”? Pride in using an OS? I’ve never felt proud using Mac OS X. An occasional spark of smugness, perhaps, but pride is not an emotion I associate with OS use. What a bizarre concept.
“actress Eva Longoria, the author Deepak Chopra and the singer Pharrell Williams”
MS should use Eva Mendes instead who has allegedly claimed that she’s had sex in all 50 U.S. states. Just like Microsoft’s customers here who get screwed all over the country.
Microsoft made ITSELF into a stereotype via it’s long history of poor performing, ugly products that are always a half-ass copy of Apple’s futuristic, innovative style.
Slogan should be “Microsoft: Life without Balls.”
Seinfeld played himself out by even being in the ads in the first place. If you don’t have 10 milliion is one thing, but if you do, why make yourself look bad this late in the game?
Seinfeld gets fired after he’s retired, WTF?
I had to cringe at that shoe store one, sad times for you Jerry.
Phase II pitch:
An emperor (Bill Gates) who cares too much about appearances, hires two swindlers who promise him the finest OS from the most beautiful code. This code, they tell him, is invisible to anyone who was either too stupid or unfit for his position. The Emperor cannot see the (non-existent) code, but pretends that he can for fear of appearing stupid; his ministers do the same.
When the swindlers report that the OS is finished, they call it “Vista”. The Emperor then goes on a procession through the land showing off his new “OS”. During the course of the procession, a small child cries out, “But he has nothing there!” The crowd realizes the child is telling the truth. The Emperor, however, holds his head high and continues the procession.
“Brilliant!”
So MSFT will demonstrate that it is so out of fresh ideas it even has to copy the ad ideas from Apple. And it will show just how badly they are even at imitation – Apple makes PC a lovable guy despite his flaws; MSFT will undoubtly show a PC guy who sneers at anything others want to do outside of Windows. And no offense, but unless somebody shows me Eva Longoria or Deepak Chopra coding ASP.NET, I doubt they know they care or can tell the difference what OS they have as long as they can surf the Web and use some writing software.
Just switch already, Bill!
“unless somebody shows me Eva Longoria or Deepak Chopra coding ASP.NET, I doubt they know they care or can tell the difference what OS they have”
But Pharrell Williams you give a pass?
Why does Microsoft insist on looking down its nose at people? Seriously, first they’ve got that absurd Mojave Experiment where they tell us that the real problem with Vista is that the stupid users just don’t realize how “awesome” it is. Now, we’re supposed to embrace MS junk because they’ve got Eva Longoria pitching it. Are you kidding me? Memo to MS (and a lot of other Fortune 500 companies) – contrary to what you may think, many of us out here actually have fully formed egos and do not need or want celebrities “guiding” us in how we spend OUR money, especially not celebs whose sole claim to fame is being part of the drivel that you call “content” on the increasingly irrelevant medium of network programming.
(sorry for the rant, but MS, $300 million spent on bad advertising, and Hollywood celebrities are a really annoying combination.)
Apple should counter by hiring the actors who played the family in the last MS ad. Build a duplicate set. Show them really enjoying the brief visits of Justin Long as Mac… and how helpful Mac is in getting the help with issues they were refused by Gates and Seinfeld in their invasion stay. Justin can just stop by and help grandma trim the hedges, fix the car, advise Dad on his Greek coins, and Mom on her investments. The Pizza guy cans say “Wow! Cool! A Mac!” as Justin hands him real, spendable cash for the pizza…
My wife got a new laptop 18 months ago, and had no choice but to get Vista on it. Last month, after 7 straight days of having to take the battery out to get it to shutdown/reboot, she got fed up and got a MacBook Air. I guess she won’t be getting any casting calls from Microsoft.
Another failure by MS. Geeee
Microsoft = Corporate America = Wall Street
Economic Situation Big Picture becoming clear to you now ?
BC
Eva Longoria????? Desperate time calls for desperate measure and desperate measure calls for desperate housewives! Brah ha ha ha!
MDN said: “Is it really a winning sales tactic to celebrate the fact that hundreds of thousands of Internet traffic-clogging Windows PC spambots are connected via TCP/IP to creative, passionate Mac users?”
I’m sorry. Did I miss the meeting where we were all told to send out our bots to multiply and bear fruit? To clog the ‘net with traffic designed to disable Windows systems? ‘Cuz, I think that’s illegal, besides being “just wrong”! The comment is broken, right? Some part of it is missing? “Say it ain’t SO!”
Macro$#!+ is once again baldly copying former Apple ads and current Apple ads, going as far as to sub a clone of “I’m a PC.”
Billy Goat the Thief is obsessed with piss-poor imitations of everything Apple and stealing as blatantly as possible. Fire up your photocopiers, Redmond, indeed.
It’s like some sort of sibling rivalry where the little brother is consumed with envy and determined to steal and hog and cram everything he can in a fit.
No amount of ads will change the fact that when the TV viewer gets up from the couch and faces his PC running Macro$#!+ he’s getting slimed with sheer crap.
If only he could awaken from his Stockholm hostage nightmare and experience the joyous liberation of using a Mac!
this amuses me greatly
keep on spending microsoft!
“Real people” telling the world in advertisements that they love their PCs? Sounds like MSFT is <u>still</u> copying Apple… This time it’s Apple’s original Switch campaign!!
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Jokes aren’t funny if they have to be explained, so let’s abandon hope you’ll get the joke and try for simple comprehension.
From the article: “Microsoft’s celebration of PC users is intended to show them connected to this community of people who are creative, who are passionate.”
Intended reading: (Microsoft) PC users are creative and passionate. They form a community.
MDN’s deliberate misreading: (Microsoft) PC users are connected via the internet to a community of creative, passionate people who use Macs.
Hence the MDN take: “Is it really a winning sales tactic to celebrate the fact that hundreds of thousands of Internet traffic-clogging Windows PC spambots are connected via TCP/IP to creative, passionate Mac users?”