Comments on: Microsoft Ads Are Genius

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:55:32 +0000

well spoken :) the ads are simply great!

By: Roger Poole

Roger Poole — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:25:31 +0000

I just look at the fact that the entire run of Seinfeld had a Mac sitting in the corner on the desk near the window.

And I think:
1. Someone didn’t do their advertising research.
2. Jerry picked up a lot of cash for someone that had always identified as a mac user.
3. MS got taken because they didn’t know how to do an ad campaign.

Credibility blown.

On the other hand they’re funny and well scripted.

By: Edward Miller

Edward Miller — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 05:10:46 +0000

I don’t know if I’d use the term Genius to describe the new MS ads.

I think the Apple Mac Genius ad where they say go ahead bring in your windows computer and we’ll help you move your files over to you new Mac.

That’s the last reason that most people don’t switch. (That and some unknown uncertainty of working with a new operating system)

Mac Genius.

By: Ashly

Ashly — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:28:51 +0000

I find that I am now looking forward to the “next episode” from Microsoft, and to seeing where Bill and Jerry go next. I want the narrative to keep unfolding, to move forward. Isn’t that clever: I suddenly am willing to see Microsoft as part of the future, instead of the bothersome, boring, aggressive, nasty, controlling, frustrating, clunky, commodity of the past.

http://www.unboundedition.com/content/view/7978/50/

By: Dallas Hockley

Dallas Hockley — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:03:25 +0000

DavidPhillipOster –> Good point! I had not thought (somewhat cynically, no offence) along the stupid/misleading line. That puts it in another light. :-) Thanks for that point of view.

I still think the most brilliant illustration of Microsoft marketing is the “If the iPod packaging was done by Microsoft” movie. It’s on YouTube and elsewhere. Really has a good illustration of design by committee. ;-)

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 18:14:39 +0000

“A more savvy viewer will notice that these ads are not meant to influence the immediate buying patterns of viewers, but instead to alter the long-term impression of the company that develops and markets the world’s leading desktop computer operating system. ”

This is definitely true, but I’m already sick of hearing about it in Web postings about the MS ads.

Why? Because this practice – not directly or immediately trying to influence purchasing decisions – isn’t new or different (hasn’t been for decades), and the problem with the MS ads is that they’re just not good ads, even for this “indirect” purpose.

By: DavidPhillipOster

DavidPhillipOster — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 15:24:50 +0000

The Mojave experiment ads had a point: “We lie to our customers because we think you are stupid, and we are proud of it.”

The Seinfeld ads are more like those Enron ads from the dotCom era (metalman ask why http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ8XM7JVpYw : Those incomprehensible ads of a guy in a tin suit strutting around in various foreign countries.

The message here is that a marketing company that is good at marketing itself has found a corporation with more money than sense.

By: Dallas Hockley

Dallas Hockley — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 03:35:23 +0000

I don’t dispute that there’s some spark of interesting creativity in the ads. I think the one thing that actually remains completely true to form unfortunately is that Microsoft is treating their reputation and perception as a marketing problem. I’m afraid that it’s beyond that point in my opinion, and it’s a situation that they need to fulfill needs and desires with quality products at good prices that just work. They need to take all the brains and capability and do at least a bit of what Apple does. Or even a bit of what Google does.

Today’s public, and especially those on the web that are crawling all over these ads. are getting too savvy with their hard-earned dollars to just go buy something or believe something through marketing effect the way they used to. Trusted brands had successful marketing campaigns. Untrusted ones had additional noise.

I’d rank the Mojave experiment ads as being closer to the point. Get some opinions on Vista not sucking horridly, and with a scientific basis as the storyline. That has a chance of shifting some meaningful opinion. Put together products and quality, useful innovation with the Seinfeld series, and it may have a good effect. Without that, and it’s just additional noise in my opinion.

By: Rob Kouwenberg

Rob Kouwenberg — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:13:32 +0000

Hi !

I don’t know about all the other comments, but hey, am I the only one to fall asleep almost twice ? Single highlight was bill’s clowns club member card.

What’s the point of this ? To bore everyone to death ? Oh my ! There was a giraffe in it ..

Seinfeld is definitely the smartest of all people involved, he at least gets paid for his performance. Still I don’t get the marketing message .. ?! Bored ? Be like Bill perhaps ? Must be, for not once did he shift his glasses (his tic)..

By: Paul D. Waite

Paul D. Waite — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:52:41 +0000

Aw man. I wanted to say “Microsoft and Jerry Seinfeld. Huh. Two things that mattered in the 90s.”

But then I watched the ads. The first one’s a little hit and miss, although I reckon it sets the tone well. And Bill adjusts his shorts with impressive comic timing. Second one was hilarious.

It almost made me feel good about Microsoft’s products. Sadly, I then saw the “Get Silverlight” badge next to the flash video, and it was back to square one.

Looking forward to more ads though.