It Appears People Liked The Seinfeld Ads A Lot More Than The 'I'm A PC' Ads
from the great-moments-in-advertising dept
We were among those who were quite surprised that Microsoft gave into the online criticism of its “buddy” ads starring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. As we noted, the ads were getting a ton of people talking, and set up plenty of opportunities to later plug Microsoft products. But, initially, they were just entertaining (if slightly awkward) content that did a good job bringing in viewers. Instead, Microsoft replaced it with the somewhat boring “I’m A PC” spots, that directly respond to Apple’s “PC vs. Mac” ads. While the original critics claimed that these new ads were a lot more effective, I’d disagree. They’re somewhat boring and what you’d expect. They’re easy to tune out. And it appears that lots of people agree. A quick analysis has shown that the Gates-Seinfeld ads received many, many, many more online views than the new campaign. Obviously, that’s not the only metric to use in measuring success, but it certainly suggests that Microsoft may have overreacted in pulling the plug so quickly.
Filed Under: advertisements, bill gates, jerry seinfeld
Companies: microsoft
Comments on “It Appears People Liked The Seinfeld Ads A Lot More Than The 'I'm A PC' Ads”
Seinfeld and Gates ads?
You mean there were ads that had these two together?
I must have skipped by them because they didn’t seem impressive enough to stop during my fast forwarding technique when watching television.
I would venture to say the online viewing was more out of curiosity than was to actually look into buying Microsoft products. But hey, if it works…
Re: Seinfeld and Gates ads?
If people watch your ads, how is that not successful (at least on some level)? The whole point of ads is to generate interest. If people were watching these ads, then there’s the opportunity to turn that attention into money.
I dont believe it
First I dont believe they “gave in” and I dont understand why Techdirt continually wants to spin it that way? Also I think the new ads are exactly what Microsoft needed, they are damn near perfect in my opinion. The apple ads say “im cool cause I use a mac”, while the Microsoft ads say “im cool cause im a marine biologist” the PC, is simply a tool to be used to accomplish something greater (the achievement is in the accomplishment, not the tool). They are great ads, I think they are working well and will continue too and im not sure why techdirt seems to be spinning this thing so much? I know Microsoft is hated in the valley, but comeon, they got this one right?
Re: I dont believe it
Why is pandering and trying to counter the Mac ads a good thing? These ads are rather pathetic, really. They reek of the sterotypical geek trying to talk about how he is cool. The Seinfeld ads at least had something really going for them – they truly were unique, and whether people liked them or not, they sure as hell talked about them. These new ads are totally, utterly, thoroughly bland and forgettable, vanilla-flavored garbage. As Mike says, they are entirely too easy to just tune out – and that’s what most people will do.
Re: Re: I dont believe it
I disagree the Sienfeld ads were “the sterotypical geek trying to talk about how he is cool.” ads in my opinion. The new ads are real people talking about what they DO, being defined by thier accomplishments, not thier computer (which is simply a tool). Its a direct and perfect contrast to the rediculous Apple ads which say “Im cool cause I have a mac”. On top of all this, I think the Microsoft ads work. If you just want to be “cool” then follow the latest fashion and buy a Mac, if you want to actually accomplish something, buy a PC and get on with it . . . thats what those ads say. They are alot like the “JUST DO IT” ads from Nike (which of course were tremendously successful).
Re: Re: Re: I dont believe it
I disagree. The Mac commercials offer relevant information; mostly they just pick on what Windows does wrong (bloated software, buggy systems, etc), but they can also talk about what Mac does right in the same respect. The new “I’m a PC” commercials are dumb precicely because they’re a lame attempt to turn around Apple’s ads, and they don’t actually say anything.
Re: I dont believe it
I didn’t catch the “I’m cool because I’m a marine biologist and the PC is a tool”
I got 2 impressions out of it..,
1) “I’m cool because I use a PC.”
2) “I’m using a PC because my job requires me to use proprietary software that only works on a PC.”
Re: Re: I dont believe it
“I didn’t catch the “I’m cool because I’m a marine biologist and the PC is a tool””
Yeah your missing it as I suspect Mike is as well. These ads are about NOT being defined by your tools, but your accomplishments. They are making fun of the Apple ads, and slyly saying, PC users are defined by thier accomplishments, not thier posessions. Again, if you just want to be part of the cool, fashoin crowd, then get a Mac and you can sit around the cofee shop and talk about how great it is with everyone else. If you want to actually accomplish something however, then get a PC and get on with whatever it is you need a computer for . . . thats what these ads are saying
Re: Re: I dont believe it
Wow, you really are brainwashed by Apple.
The fact that Apple discourages developers from writing code for their products seems to elude you.
Re: Re: Re: I dont believe it
Thank you for the comment. Nothing worse than kool-aid drinkers who see no fault in their fantasy world.
Re: I dont believe it
I completely disagree. I’ll start off saying that I’m no fan of Microsoft and am a big fan of Apple.
I HATE the “I’m a PC” ads. To me they come across as “I’m a monopoly” ads.
I actually LIKED the Gates-Seinfeld ads and watched them. They were cute and quirky in a strange sort of way. Of course, people should have expected that of Seinfeld. They actually made Gates seem more human (even when doing the robot, heh). That was the kind of PR Microsoft needed. An ad reminding them about how many people just use whatever is on their “PC” because Microsoft is a monopoly, isn’t the kind of ad they needed….
Re: Re: I dont believe it
Huh? It talks about who the people are… it doesn’t even focus on Microsoft.
I by far liked the Seinfeld commercials better but I don’t get a “I’m a monopoly” from the new ads. I do like the perspective that it’s about the person, not what they use.
Re: Re: I dont believe it
I agree. I liked the Gates/Seinfeld ad. Regular people don’t hate Bill Gates. They hold him up as Geek Done Good and are happy for him and envious of him.
I hate the ‘I’m a PC’ ads… Because using a PC does not make me any less of a person or any more likely to identify myself with a piece of technology.
I for one loved the Gates/Seinfeld ads. Sure they were not for everyone. They were weird and sometimes uncomfortable. They also did not follow any advertising convention. And they did not really mention any products. But they were funny.
And what critics of the ads forget, is that the show Seinfeld was not an immediate hit. Seinfeld’s brand of comedy took time to gain an audience. The exact same thing would have happened to these ads, if they were given the chance.
It’s nice to know that if Microsoft had run NBC back in 1989, they would have pulled the plug on one of the most successful sitcoms in history. Maybe that’s why Microsoft is in the shitter now. It lacks the balls to take any chances.
Both sets of ads fail
Both sets of ads fail for one reason: They are inadvertently advertising for apple.
Altho “many people are talking” about the microsoft ads, what most people are saying is “apples ads are way better”. This makes microsoft look even more out of touch with its userbase than it really is, which is already pretty out of touch. This makes apple look like it has a clue, while doing the opposite for microsoft.
Which is kinda ironic really, since the whole ad campaign was specifically tageted at making apple look foolish.
I prefer the new ads. The Gates/Seinfeld ads smacked of desperation, grasping for that thing that makes the Mac ads so popular….(the giggle factor).
The new ads, however, take the funny and spin it into “Yea, but I can do stuff that helps all kinds of businesses and people”.
I think those ads are a decent answer to the Mac ads. Sure, they are not funny, but these ads acknowledge the Mac ads, and spin their own take on it. To me, that is more entertaining, because it’s like watching 2 giants go head to head, where the Seinfeld ads fed more into the “we wanna be like Mac sooooooooo bad, that we will try to copy them by finding a funny guy to say funny things”.
seinfeld - gates
seinfeld – gates
2 hall of fame guys
1 in comedy
1 in technology
kiss their plaques and put them back on the air
entertaining the masses
jerry and bill
seinfeld and gates
microsoft heard and knows now what we want
microsoft heard and knows what we want
I think the “T’m a PC” ads are a bit dull, but that’s the image. M$ is never going to “sexy” like a mac and they would be stupid for trying. Just like I’m never going to use a mac for 90% of what I do, why try to beat the little guy at his own game?
The buddy ads were stupid, an inept way of striking back at a successful campaign by Apple. The “I’m a PC” ads go a long way to showing that you don’t have to be cool to own a pc. Being cool is overrated anyway.
Plus I can’t afford the “Mac Tax” so there’s no way I would be cool anyway.
Which Mac ads are
Many of you are refering to funny Mac ads. All I see from them is the same ad over and over; white background, skinny guy from Die Hard 4 patronizes fat nerdy guy. Maybe it was funny when they started the ad campaign a couple years ago? How many times can you make the same commercial and people will still call it entertaining?
Re: Which Mac ads are
Quite simple really, it appeals to mactards.
Microsoft reminds me of an old Rock Band. They had some great hits that the public liked. Then as the times moved on, other companies(Bands) came along and started producing better stuff than Microsoft did, but their PR people said for them to just keep making the same old thing and people will love it. Microsoft needs to get rid of their Good Ole Boy PR Dept and replace them with fresh material. Let them produce something that is relevant in todays society, not something that makes you say “Huh??”
Microsoft did not “Give In” to the pressure of criticism, nor did they drop Jerry Seinfeld. There are still talk of more Seinfeld/Gates ads to come. Those first ads did EXACTLY what Microsoft wanted them to! Strike the curiosity of the public into watching their ads! I would agree, however, that it was short lived. I know a ton of people who watched those 2 ads, then watched only the first one of the “I’m a PC” ads because it just didn’t make them want to watch any more.
I Am Emmitt Smith
And I wear a headband.
Re: I Am Emmitt Smith
Your beard is wierd . . .
Seinfield & Gates-Boring & Bizarre!
I can’t believe anyone would actually want to encourage Bill Gates to continue these ads. The only reason people were talking about them was to discuss how stupid they were. Would you really want to associate your promotion campaign with stupidity? They were painful to watch and made absolutely no sense. Granted, the new “I’m a PC” only helps to demonstrate that the Gates Gang has never been original. They’ve tried to rip-off Apple from the get-go. Why change now?
You know what they say? Imitation is the highest form of compliment!
Mac - PC Ads
I don’t care for the new ads myself, because it looks like (as someone said earlier) that PC is trying to hard to deny something…
The I’m a Mac/I’m a PC ads (IMHO) are funny (for the most part). When a new one comes one, I like to stop fast forwarding and watch it. They make me laugh.
These I’m a PC commercials, I tune out when they start. It’s like PC is the nerd saying “Nu uh… I’m really cool honest”.
It seems like PC took offense to the Mac ads and is on the verge of crying to it’s mom.
“Mom, mom, tell Mac to quit picking on me and my flaws… wahh wahh”. That’s the way I see it.
It reminds me of a tech I used to work with (at an ISP Tech Dept), that kept denying he was a geek. He thought he was a “badass vato”. I had to break it down and let him know that he is indeed a geek.
Instead of trying to say “I’m not a geek, I’m really cool”, PC should work on fixing it’s problems (which is what a lot of the Mac commercials are making fun of).
And for the record, I like Unix/Linux, but I prefer PCs over the Mac.
Having said that, on the flip side, my wife likes the new PC ads. Go figure. She did marry me. 8)
@12: Aerosmith?
M$ Ads
I think “Anonymous Coward” said it best:
“They are making fun of the Apple ads, and slyly saying, PC users are defined by thier accomplishments, not thier posessions. Again, if you just want to be part of the cool, fashoin crowd, then get a Mac and you can sit around the cofee shop and talk about how great it is with everyone else. If you want to actually accomplish something however, then get a PC and get on with whatever it is you need a computer for . . .”
At least they are not sinking to the smear campaign that Apple has going on. That is truly the pathetic ad campaign. I can’t wait until they are done with that campaign and the nerdy hipster has to do reality TV just be relevant.
shoes
The only thing I can really remember from the Seinfield ad is the guy wearing shoes and socks in the shower part. It felt so creepy. *shiver*
Gates/Seinfeld NOT over!
As someone else mentioned earlier, the Gates/Seinfeld ads aren’t over. Those first 2 were really just unplanned fillers before I’m a PC ads came out. I have an inside source at MS who says that there are more to come, they never scrapped anything.
I for one am excited to see more. Also I liked the I’m a PC ads. They are positive ads rather than the negative MAC ads (although they are funny). Ironically, it’s the PC guy that makes the Mac ads funny.
I'm a PC
I like both sets of ads for different reasons. But I think the Sienfeld ads edge out the I’m a PC ads, but it’s really hard to compare the two on any measurable level because the messages they are trying to convey is different than the other.
I’m surprised, that MS hasn’t played the “gamer” card yet on any of the new commercials. If it weren’t for the gaming scene on a PC platform I’d probably not own one (apart from my job requiring a PC).
Re: I'm a PC
“If it weren’t for the gaming scene on a PC platform I’d probably not own one (apart from my job requiring a PC).”
If it wasn’t for the gaming scene on the PC, I would have been a Linux convert years ago.
Liked Um
I like ads that tell a story. They were fun, not always funny but fun.
Christ People, Someone already said it. THe mAc Ad’s work on the peole who need hardware to feel part of something. THe PC ads work the IM already cool and dont need a Mac or Ipod to feel part of something special. Just look at the Mac commercials liek the one with the MAC genius! i will help you transfer all your files. Guess what. Windows already has that built in and is easy to use. No need for a genius. My point? My point is that Mac is working with the crowd that doesnt want to figure anything out and wants to be hip. PC is targeting people who only see a pc as a tool and don;t need to feel special.
Re: Re:
Riiiight, that’s why MS doesn’t throw any celebrities in those “I’m a PC” ads….. oh, wait.
They were ok!
Hmmn I’m another one who liked the ads. They could have done more with the scripts but the idea and the chemistry between Gates and Sienfeld worked for me.
Re: They were ok!
They still don’t compare to Apple’s slick, hip, ‘Mac Guy’ commercials. Mac is a likable, young ‘artiste’ type compared to PC guy. The new round of Microsoft commercials reek of ‘Look at me!’, and the previous buddy commercials with Gates and Sienfeld were just too bizarre. Microsoft alienated regular users, and now the crows are coming home to roost. The monolithic operating system model of computing is dying.
Re: Re: They were ok!
“They still don’t compare to Apple’s slick, hip, ‘Mac Guy’ commercials. Mac is a likable, young ‘artiste’ type compared to PC guy.”
And the PC guy represents the rest of the world.
Re: Re: Re: They were ok!
maybe his fat ass and brown suit represent you, but leave the rest of us out of it please.
Re: Re: They were ok!
“The monolithic operating system model of computing is dying.”
support apple, long live the monolithic operating system model.
I have a better idea. how about I calculate the time you just wasted.
I'm a PC Ads
I know you would all like to think that ads exist merely to entertain people, but reality is that ads exist for one purpose, and one purpose only – to get people to buy stuff. We can argue all day long about whether the “Buddy” ads or the “I’m a PC” ads are cooler or more appealing – but none of that matters.
Microsoft, and Apple for that matter, is in business to sell stuff and they will make decisions based on what ads help them do that the best. The number of people who view the ad online doesn’t amount to anything if those people don’t end up putting some cash down on a PC loaded with Windows and MS office!
Lest you try and argue that the “Buddy” ads were merely for branding, I will say that the goal of branding is to raise awareness of your product, and ultimately to buy it. Branding ads take longer to achieve the desired result, but in the end, it’s still the same thing…
Either way, they are spending a ton of money on these new ads. I was just in times square and they had a HUGE running add on multiple display boards. Something about it did not feel right though. You could see all the “I’m a PC” people moving and mouthing words, but there was no sound, just text below them. It was kind of creepy, especially being the biggest ad in times square.
Whoopee, OS wars!
You fail it proprietary, toy-OS fanboys! The Penguin leads, everything else follows. Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time-a.
“The Penguin leads”
It would be halerious to see the “I’m Linux” guy. Anyone else picture Castro? hehe
Re: Re:
What does a Dictator have to do with Linux?
if you fix it, they will come
The Seinfeld/Gates ads were twice as long as normal commercials. That must have cost a fortune (not that Microsoft can’t afford it), but they really should be working day and night to fix all the compatibility and other issues in Vista if they want to sell their software. I am getting fed up with my new computer’s issues with my existing hardware and peripherals and my computer shuts down all the time for no reason. If Microsoft had only created a new OS that worked, we wouldn’t have these Mac ads making fun of its flaws and Microsoft wouldn’t have needed to make their commercials answering back.
Even though I despise Vista from the depths of my soul, I still prefer Windows over Mac.
Duh
Why do you need to patronize this so much? I think these new ads are actually better as well.
I hate mac users because they think they are cool because they are MAC users. Guess what, I’m actually a Marine Biologist, and I am cool, not because I’m a geek and use Windows/Linux.
=)
Re: Duh
“Guess what, I’m actually a Marine Biologist, and I am cool, not because I’m a geek and use Windows/Linux.”
This is exactly who these ads are speaking too and I think he has it exactly right. If your the kind of person who is defined by posessions, buy a Mac and join the “cool crowd”. If your the kind of person who is defined by accomplishment, then by a PC and get on with being yourself.
Funny too
My favotire thing about the Sienfeld ads was through all those years of his show, there was a Mac sitting on a table in the background of his apartment . . . hehe
the point of advertising is to get people to talk about YOUR product
not someone else’s.
sure, justin long is freakishly annoying as Mac — but when people talk about the Apple ads, they’re not talking about Mac vs Windows/Linux/Unix/etc — they’re just talking about Macs.
MS missed the point on these new, “I’m a PC” ads. There’s no Windows branding whatsoever. None. No one is talking about Windows — and the last time I checked, a PC is fully capable of running an OS other than Windows, so how is this ad beneficial for them? At least the Mojave project ads spoke about their product.
Point is, when you see a commercial for, say, Nissan, you don’t start talking about Ford. When you saw the Gates/Seinfeld ads, you didn’t start talking about Apple. Those ads, while odd, were effective in branding their product — which is the entire point of advertising. Make people talk about and BUY your product. The current “I’m a PC” ad only helps to give more advertising to Apple — and none to Windows.
Re: the point of advertising is to get people to talk about YOUR product
And my old PowerMac is currently running Linux (and has been since Apple effectively axed the PowerPC). What’s your point?
The “I’m a PC” campaign doesn’t really need to specifically advertise Windows. If you watch TV enough to see those types of ads you know exactly what the ad is referring to. It’s a response to a condescending, defamatory ad, nothing more. Just like how Mohave is a response to people who “hate” Vista without even knowing what the bloody thing looks like.
Re: Re: the point of advertising is to get people to talk about YOUR product
“The “I’m a PC” campaign doesn’t really need to specifically advertise Windows. If you watch TV enough to see those types of ads you know exactly what the ad is referring to. It’s a response to a condescending, defamatory ad, nothing more.”
Microsoft is both making fun of the apple ads and “apple culture” (tech as fashion), while simultaneously pointing out that there are millions of people who ACTUALLY USE COMPUTERS to accomplish interesting things, not just to make statements about themselves. These ads are more a defense of the PC being a tool (instead of a fashion statement), then they are a defense of Microsoft specifically. This in the long run makes Microsoft look even better.
RE:Seinfield & Gates-Boring & Bizarre!
“Granted, the new “I’m a PC” only helps to demonstrate that the Gates Gang has never been original. They’ve tried to rip-off Apple from the get-go. Why change now?”
Mr. KFadams allow me to indulge you in a little history lesson.
Microsoft started in 1975 as a software company that released the basic programing language.
Apple started in in 1976 with the apple 1 motherboard assembly that included no keyboard or monitor.
I’ll grant you that Mac did release the first GUI on the market, albeit far inferior to windows it was 2 years ahead of its time.
in 1994 Mac realized that it was way behind the power curve due to it dependence on hardware. It could not adapt easily to newer faster machines. Windows was rocketing ahead with every release of newer, faster hardware.
In 1997 Mac signs a deal with Microsoft that will allow them to incorporate elements of the Microsoft office suite into their new OS. Microsoft is still the industry leader at this point.
in 2001 apple switched it OS over to be based on a unix kernel and in 2005 they handed over their processors in favor of intel’s.
So you see Mac has come out of the dark ages and barely clawed out a market share against microsoft and the other PC makers by simply becoming another PC. Which was a good choice because Mac has almost always been a decaying bloated giant still trying to ride the wave of its initial sucess by constantly introducing inferior computer’s to microsoft and PC hardware.
Mac just can’t innovate fast enough. The iPod was great, till the Zune, The iPhone is cool, unless you have a blackberry. There actually is a reason microsoft has the computing world by the balls, because it is better. So drop out of art history, trash the iBook, pick up a good laptop and take an econ class. Then maybe you’ll nderstand.
THIS IS SIMPLE
As is historically proven Microsoft doesn’t have anything truly original to contribute. They steal innovation and mimmick “cool” wherever they can get their hands on it. Most of the time its from Apple.
Since they can’t get their own identity they respond to the Apple ads in a typical limp dick format that doesn’t really inspire shit but changing the channel.
At least the Seinfeld/Gates ads had a whisper of a soul like a silent fart on an elevator.
Even though I use both PC’s and Macs, in the past 15 years its been clear to me where the true ideas and innovations originate.
Wake me up when someone actually does something worth talking about.
people still watch tv? how quaint!
I’m Stupid so I bought the Apple to feel like I belong to a special crowd.
Re: Re:
The drug scene didn’t cut it for you any more huh?
Re: Re:
> The Ever Brilliant Dana King Sez:
>
> I’m Stupid so I bought the Apple to feel like I
> belong to a special crowd.
My name is Dana King and I am superior to everyone else so I bought a PC. I just love bashing users of other operating systems because I feel so superior to those idiots. But I also love making Mr. Gates even more wealthy because I have an illogical hatred of Steve Jobs. I can’t help it, I’m a PC. I own 95% of the market and you plebes irritate me.
I like both ads, personally I like the seinfeld/gates versions better though.
I do like the I’m a PC ad for the fact that there is finally an ad from microsoft that specifically addresses, in my opinion, the fact that the world runs on PC’s and not on the beautiful, overpriced Mac.
However in the end, I think the Gates/Seinfeld ads will have a better impact because they are more personable. People already know that Macs and linux and all the other competitors to Windows and PC’s can’t hold a candle to MS. Even the folks who bitch and moan about their products know this although they would never admit it publicly. So an ad that is lighthearted and funny will win the day in the end. I mean look at the Mac vs PC ads, at the end of the day they don’t show how much better a mac is than a pc, they are just funny and so they resonate. Microsoft should run both ads. They should go on the attack. They should definitely do a better job of marketing since it appears that the next version of Windows (Windows 7) is going to be awesome.
I like the new ads better
I think the Seinfeld ads were sort of annoying. They were basically a long, irrelevant, rambling story that didn’t say anything. The new ads actually do say something and I think they make a good point. The Apple ads are always about how Macs are so much cooler than PCs and can do so much more. The new MS ads basically say “That’s not true, look at all of the interesting things that people do with PCs.” I think they’re brilliant.
The “I’m a PC” adds are frigging lame.
MSN adds
I really like the new I’m a PC Microsoft adds. I think they are much better than the Seinfeld adds.
Last I checked, neither of these companies are really in the business of making ads, and I’m sure most people are aware of both companies, so I’ll continue to buy from the company with the best product, not the best ad. If you’re buying products from either company based on how cool their ads are, I’m betting you’re not doing anything productive with your purchases anyway, so keep blowing your money.
Bill Gates = Guru Mediation
Geeks like rooting for the Geeky Awkward guy. He appeals to the Startrek-type fans. They build their own computers and feel a sense of pride when they figure out how to get the 3rd party drivers working when the OEM remove functionality, or coding and compiling a driver to run on a *UX variant.
Unfortunately, few sales guys or even those on Madison Ave understood the message because they support the tools that help move the product. Madison Ave misses out on a key learning effort and the experience of “subverting the vista kernel for fun and profit” and thusly never get an opportunity to truly appreciate the work of others.
Guru Mediation could be required, especially if the latest Mac rumors are true and they are are made with lasers and CNC process from a block of aluminum. A manufacturing facility Henry Ford would be proud of? If true, on many levels, that is absolutely fascinating and freaking innovative!
i buy macs for personal use because they are easier to use and more enjoyable to use and just “work” without me fiddling with directory structure or registry files or device drivers etc. I DO know how to tweak things on both platforms, I just think its a painful experience on Windows in comparison to OSX. My mac at home drives my stereo and TV as well as helping me with web development and other business tasks. Managing a library of content on the mac is worlds apart from the PC experience in my opinion, and that DOES have an impact on doing tasks…
People thinking that Macs are simply “fashion” don’t get it. mac and PC BOTH empower marine biologists to get stuff done, its just more elegant and intuitive on a mac for most tasks. The argument mac is just for either fashion or people that don’t know how to tweak things is simply incorrect. Most people don’t know better anyway and want the computer to just get out of their way of doing work. The mac has a slick way of making you not think of files and computer things and just think in tasks and content, which is SOOOO not how managing apps and content on a PC is… PCs ads may be trying to hit this type of “doing” user, but trying to say a PC is better than a mac at that is…insane?
Microsoft needs more than ads
The Seinfeld ads were somewhat funny, although they also portrayed M$ as run by a snob who knows or cares nothing about his customers. (Of course, BG is retired, so why is he in the ads in the first place?) The second ad stupidly admitted that the Mac versus PC ads are right on target. No amount of advertisement will change the fact that Vista is a loser, either viewed as an “enhancement” to XP or when compared to OS X. What M$ really needs is to come out with a truly great OS with Windows 7. Everyone knows who M$ is; if M$ comes out with a great product, everyone will know instantly, without any ads at all.
The “I’m a PC” ads are dull, but so is Microsoft, and no amount of spin is going to suddenly make them “hip.”
The younger generation has moved on to embrace MySpace and FaceBook and whatever comes next. Microsoft is so 1990’s and is no different than IBM: big, bloated, and boring.
The Seinfeld ads were not pulled
Why do you guys continue to insist that the Seinfeld ads were pulled? Do you really think they shot a bunch of ads for two campaigns, decided midway “Oh **** the Seinfeld ads aren’t working let’s pull in the backups!”. Good strategy or not, they were all part of the same campaign, and it wasn’t an instant reversal due to two days of blogosphere coverage of the Seinfeld/Gates ads.
I never saw a single one of the Seinfeld ads. I have seen the “I’m a PC” ads quite often though.
To be honest, they piss me off for one simple reason; “PC” stands for “Personal Computer”. Nowhere in any accepted definition of the term “PC” does it state that it means an Intel/AMD computer running Windows. A Mac is a PC. My old C64 is a PC. PC does not equal “Windows”! No matter how common the usage is, it’s as wrong as saying that “cheese” automatically means Kraft brand cheese.
I do like the blond in the white dress, but the rest of the commercial sucks.
Re: Re:
I believe “PC” is used in the same way as “PC compatible” was used way back when. Considering most of the systems that boot from a BIOS are IBM PC compatible, even today, it’s fair to consider them to be compatible with the IBM PC. Intel Macs, on the other hand, are not IBM PC compatible due to their lack of a BIOS. The term doesn’t automatically equal Windows at any point, but it does indicate a particular architecture. It’s sort of like how an A1200 and a A4000 are miles apart in performance and expandability but they’re both still termed Amigas. PC, as a branding, just happens to be based on an acronym that is meant to be a very general term.
And besides, “PC” sounds better than “Wintel,” right?
Those I’m a PC commercials are extremely irritating and I may have to buy a MAC just because of it. I really do like the MAC/PC commercials, but I’m not going to buy a MAC because of it, but I might because the PC commercial is just annoying
The thing that caught your attention in the Bill GatesJerry Seinfeld ads was you were waiting for them to plug a product and when the commercial just ends you’re wondering what the hell that was about. But the key was that you were thinking about it after the commercial was over, instead of just deleting it from short-term memory and watching the next one.
I think both sets of ads are interesting but the edits are a little strange sometimes. The ad with Bill and Jerry living in the people’s house is edited so you think, “Hey, Bill and Jerry are thieves.” They don’t let the story resolve like in the full length version. I saw one PC ad that ended with “I’m a PC and I make people bleed.” The person was a tattoo artist. I don’t want Microsoft stealing from me and I don’t want to use a product that makes me bleed!!! I’m very impressionable and if those are the impressions I get, I think Microsoft needs to run their ads by a few more people before they air them.
I don’t have any problem with the term “IBM PC” or “IBM PC compatible”, since it identifies the brand and/or type.
I have a problem when “PC” is used by itself. It’s like saying “car” versus “Ford car”. I’ve always used “IBM clone” myself. Technically it would be correct to call a Mac a “PC” also, since it is a “personal computer”. Of course, in today’s world, that would just confuse people.
Amigas were PCs too. 🙂
Maybe I’m putting too much thought into it, but I see it as being a little more sinister than that. The way I see it, they want people to equate “PC” with Intel/Windows, so that when people think of a “personal computer” they automatically think of Windows.
Maybe, but it’s still not as accurate.
I think the ads work because they give a voice to the billions of ordinary people around the world who use Microsoft everyday to teach kids, to launch space ships, to design things, to save the planet, etc. It’s a subtle jab at Apple and their ads that feature a “slacker” character who just wants to surf the net, look at snapshots and make a cute video of their ski trip. Those Apple ads ignore the people around the world who don’t take ski trips. Apple’s ads re-enforce that they have become the sugar water of computers.
I think the Microsoft campaign is empowering to people who use the pc because it proves that PC’s not Apples are changing the world.