Seinfeld and Gates get in touch with regular folks
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted Sep 11th 2008 11:46PM
posted Sep 11th 2008 11:46PM
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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At least Jerry's still doing nothin'...
I HATE SEINFELD WITH A PASSION.
Bill Gates brought me XBOX and HALO as well as the ability to use DX10 on CRYSIS. I am eternaly grateful.
I don't know why he'd get this clown to help him. I'd have gotten Miley Cyrus. Or Penn & Teller so they could do an episode of "Bullshit" about MAC OSX
not likel...Penn is a Mac user
Indeed. Hell, I'd watch a sitcom of Jerry and Bill's misadventures if it's like this. It's very sad to say that I laughed at this way more than any recent TV shows.
"Where are we walking to?" "How about that pink house over there?" :D
@FlashPoint
Come on, Do we really need another 12 year old, Halo fanboy who for some reason likes Miley Cyrus over a great comedian and a rich CEO? No. Now go back to the Xbox your mom got you for Christmas and get the heck out of these comments, it is for big boys...
It's structured in a commedia dell'arte format. It's what Jerry is best at. You can see the difference from the last commercial to this one.
@Flashpoint:
I can't agree with making Miley Cyrus a spokesperson. The murder/suicide rate would spike everytime her commercial came on. I can agree that Microsoft needs a good walk-on to hit some common ground with the youth though. The only person that I can think of that'd fit in well (and relate to the younger audiences) is Michael Cera. He'd be awesome with Seinfeld/Gates and who didn't like Superbad?!
There's some gum in my roll.
OMg that was so funnY!
thank u for making that vid!
Microsoft commercials are strangely addictive now. Just put some cheese on it!
The best thing i can say is that this one was slightly better than the last. But hey theirs room for for improvement. Sorry Bill no internets for you today.
Gates & Seinfeld in another ad about "nothing", but this one is a grueling four and a half minutes long!!! That's 9 times the length of a normal TV ad!
It's both of them being jerks in a family's home (and Gates, the richest man on Earth stiffs the delivery boy out of $30). The "jokes", if you can call them that, aren't humorous at all. Are they selling something in these ads, or is it just to show the world that Gates is Seinfeld's buddy?
im looking forward to the next one...
Tell me Steve, will the next version of office have Mr. paperclip back ? if it is, just kiss me.
that grab more attention than britney/maddona.
All I got out of that was that gates and Seinfeld are out of touch douche bags.
Which seemed to be what they were going for....
...so i guess it was effective?
*shrug*
I like this show much more then the original Seinfeld. More please!
How long 'til it gets warm?
It's interesting to see how Microsoft is going at an older demographic with these ads whereas the Apple ads hit a younger demographic.
Bill Gates and Seinfeld definitely speak to a 30+ something group. A group that watched Seinfeld.
In the PC and Mac Apple ads, the undertone is that Windows is old and out dated and the Mac is young and cool and great. Which speaks to the iPod loving Teens and 20 somethings, that never watched Seinfeld because they were either too young or not alive yet.
If you look at these two strategies, in the long run if you get the teens and 20 somethings you're going to be better off.
That's why most advertising features and targets 20 somethings. So if Microsoft wants to get in with this age group, then need to switch gears and quickly or create a different campaign for that demographic. Though if they do, that's standard MS business technique, do everything for everyone. Which really isn't working for them anymore.
Funny ad though.
I enjoyed these adverts. Maybe the humors a bit dry for some of the audience (see low ranked comments) but hey I'm British we love this kind of stuff.
No mustard for you!!
Harvey: Bill is feeling the pinch now you know! He's not the richest man in the world any more, it's Warren Buffett!
The "gum" and other bad things (the broken car, swimming pool without heater, empty ketchup bottle, repeating the same stale meal twice) represent Windows XP- people getting by with the same old, day in and day out. The grandmother represents an old Windows user, clueless and bitterly disconnected, since she's been "around for 12 years". The scallop potatoes and "fancy" mustard represents XP's attempts to keep modern and with the times. The leather giraffe, here a carry over from the previous "leather" of the first commercial, represents Windows XP itself ("had it in the family 6 years"), and Gate's being planted with it represents the criticism that Microsoft encountered when it tried to take XP away from new machines in an attempt to push Vista. In reality though, the commercial claims that the real reason why people were upset was because Microsoft was infringing on people's space (Seinfeld clipping his nails in the girls room) and so this is why Jerry and Bill leave. And there's something big coming from Microsoft.
I'm no fan of Windows but for some strange reason I'm begining to like these ad's. Very weird indeed.
@az_runn
I dunno; I'm 20 something, grew up with Seinfeld, and loved the ad. Then again I already love vista, so I guess I don't really count.
"Bill Gates and Seinfeld definitely speak to a 30+ something group. A group that watched Seinfeld. "
Strange that you say that - while they were A group that watched Seinfeld, they certainly weren't the ONLY group that watched Seinfeld. I'm 21, and still do watch a lot of Seinfeld. I have friends with younger siblings in high school still that are watching Seinfeld. I think this comment is incorrect - I think they're trying to cater to everybody. :p
Harvey, dont be mad just because you dont get it
@Chuckles McGee
Dude,that all makes sense,
wow.
Props to you.
Hahahahaha
Oh my god, my life is complete with these ads.
Look it may make sense to the geeks and the techies but we aren't who need to here it, the average person does.
I'm 15 and I enjoy Seinfeld.
@Chuckles, an interesting analysis.
How about instead, MS is so out of touch that is convinced by Madison Avenue that this will get it alongside 'ordinary people'.
Instead, MS comes across as hopelessly out of touch and condescending to boot.
Reminds me of the UK song by Pulp, 'Common People' in which a 'star' wants to experience 'what common people do', though in a clueless and arrogant manner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EMd9zyJLgA
WTF?
I think Bill Gates was supporting Piracy...
Bill needs to get a Wii Fit...Oh wait, that wouldn't look to good for Microsoft's gaming division would it?
2008 is gonna end on a high note.
you need to get a wii fit, fatass.
bill is in shape, its steve jobs who isnt looking to healthy these days. zinnngg
Is anyone else getting the feeling that the Microsoft P.R. department is putting in some extra long hours posting up some positive comments and voting down the negative ones regarding these ads???
"Give me a sign, show me some Robot"
(Bill attempts to awkwardly show some robot)
"So, No?"
That was better.
Also girl was cute... like a young lindsay :)
I just saw this on Comedy Central a few minutes ago. I really felt like this was way worse than the first one. I kinda understood the first one, but this one just seemed awkward and made no sense. If you go to Microsoft's website and watch the full thing it makes a little more sense, but still doesn't make it any less awkward, especially the dinner table part.
The guy who thought of doing ads like this might have had some good ideas, but whoever is doing the writing/producing should be shot.
Oh this one makes perfect sense. It's all about integrating Windows into our lives. It's really intuitive and smart. I like it!
@Jeremy
I hope that was sarcastic.
Honestly, I'm tired of being force-fed products by companies. The Mac ads are just this; blatant and in your face.
I'm not AGAINST these style of ads, I just don't think this one (and to a lesser extent the last one) makes any sense. I really didn't understand the point it was trying to get across other than Jerry and Bill are REALLY out of touch. God forbid an ad should try and be straight to the point while ALSO being funny.
Regardless what you or anyone on this site thinks, the Mac/PC have been EXTREMELY successful and well received. I just don't see your average person being able to grasp these. Hell, they can't even grasp that if they vote McCain into office that we'll have our first ever president that dies of old age.
I am with jeremy - these are smart and really quite good. It is nice to see Gates representing his company through ads. It seems like he is really able to laugh at himself and his nerdiness through these commercials - makes me want to meet the guy.
Actually, CB17 don't you remember a few Decembers ago they did focus groups and found that the ads tested as being very negative. Then they stopped showing them for about a month and everyone rumored that they had pulled the campaign. Then they mysteriously started up again and kept playing. While the ads are really funny, and I laugh at most of them, the overall tone is very negative and very condescending. That's what didn't test well back then. But Steve didn't really care, and kept at it. Everyone loving the ads and being good for your brand image can be two different things.
What the ads did do is force fed information in a very funny way. If Microsoft changes their image, and starts putting out a quality first rev of their next OS version and my iPhone bricks again, I'll start to think twice about the information I'm being fed.
You guys are only saying that because you watched the long one, not the one that's being broadcast all over the country.
I don't know know if this is reverse psych just to get people talking about MS or crazy ads to make you think. They're getting news for now, but how long will it last.
I know I can't wait till my goldfish has a website! It already reads my iphone. And I might get an ameba if it will write a blog, though I might lose it!
(ok all fake, but you get my point!)
The humour in these ads are very subtle, with dry sarcasm. I think they'd have better success running them in the UK, as that type of humour appeals here more (I certainly lol'd), whereas the more "obvious" Mac ads suited the US market better.
I lol'd! Great ad.
This ad is kinds funny, but I still have know clue what it has to do with Windows!
At least these ads are better than "The Wow Starts Now" :) :)
The add was about connecting with real people and connecting people. Between the title and the tagline, it was really rather obvious.
Side Note: That was one mad robot Bill was doin'.
@Jupiterthunder
Maybe it was just me, but I didn't see a whole lot of connecting going on in that commercial. On the contrary...
@CB17
It was you.
Yup, it was you.
You guys are only saying that because you watched the long one, not the one that's being broadcast all over the country.
Yes, the ad seems to be about connecting with real people. But the ad showed the duo trying and *failing* to connect with real people. This seems to be an admission that Microsoft and their products are out of touch with real people!
It's okay, there's a firewall.
Awesome!
Bill Gates is so white
Frankly I don't care if its about Windows or not, they are just damn entertaining!!! Really funny, if Microsoft is looking to distance themselves from their persona as a heartless software company, then these "ads" can only seek to help their cause.
Exactly! And that's precisely what these ads are meant to do: Change people's perception of Microsoft in general - not Vista or Microsoft Mice/Keyboard or anything else specifically.
It's a "branding" campaign. Companies do it all the time, but I can't remember when Microsoft last did such a thing: Apple did so with their "Think Different" campaign (which didn't show their product at all), Nike did it a lot in the 1990s - and still do. Every couple of years, a Nike commercial will show up and not mention anything about their products, but position Nike as "cutting edge". I recall Nike's "Masks" commercial from a couple of years ago that did just that. It was very, very weird and in-your-face, but you never forgot who that ad was for.
I think we all thought these ads were supposed to be about Vista specifically, but were we all wrong. And that led to a lot of negative criticism when the first one aired. "Where's the mention of Vista?". "What's this trying to sell me?"
It's not trying to sell you anything. It's Microsoft defining an image for Windows... and not letting others define Windows for them. That's all.
My favourite bit about the ad was "Perpetually Connecting" becoming "PC".
That'll definitely combat the Mac ads directly.
I'm a Mac user and I enjoyed this ad a lot.
Yeah, Nike does have branding campaign right now, with their Take It To The Next Level soccer ad
or New Balence with their LOVE/hate ad (which i love)
Wait a minute...Isn't that the husband guy from Flight of the Conchords?!?!?
I like this even more now.
haha holy shit its Doug, the ex-senior professor of Psychology!
bahaha it is! love these ads now... weird. better than anything else on tv
Amoeba with a blog?
First post:
Hi Guys, I'm Amy the amoeba. My life is pretty normal, I live in a two bedroom apartment with a paramecium...brb mitosis
Yeah seinfeld ads more stupidity than humor, ditch him.
A allusion to Spore. The first one ended with an allusion to Portal. "Will it be moist and delicious like cake?"
Wow, they have way too much time on their hands.
For sure, $300 million worth
I hate to state the obvious, but
No shit.
Definitely some quotable stuff in this one.
Funny.
I'm glad this one was good, i was thoroughly disappointed by the first one and this one was a definite improvement. I don't really understand what Microsoft is going for with these ads, in the Mac ads it was apparent what they were after, slandering the name of their enemy, I'm not so sure with this one.
I know hating these is the popular thing, but I'm diggin them. They are fun in an absurd way, and they threw in little messages about value and being connected. Which really mean nothing, but... Grandma with a chainsaw!!
I thought that was a leaf-blower... but I could be wrong...................!
Actually, the more I think about it the more I think the grandma one of the experienced XP users.
They blew her off at the dinner, she does all the chores around the house, and she's fixing the car at the end.
Microsoft basically ignored the experienced users with the advertising for vista, instead focusing on how it looked, the experienced people end up doing all the computer work for their friends, and I know for a fact that they get asked to do some hardware support.
These are all just metaphors for the past few years.
The commercials are about associating Bill Gates with regular people doing regular things. Bill Gates is still the face of Microsoft and hence Windows.
What's not to get? It's a commercial about nothing. Just like Seinfield.
good assessment. +10
why the HELL was my comment low ranked? that makes no sense whatsoever.
Engadgeteers tend to low rank people who make critiques/compliments about other comments.
Hey, I just made a new word!!!
Hmm, I see. Well, whatever. I was just complimenting a fellow Engadgeteer (I agree, good word, btw). If complimenting gets me low ranked, then I accept the low ranks with open arms.
you better start closing those arms....
I dunno about you guys, but that was WAAAAY better than the first!!!
I don't care what they're about, just gimme more!!!
and I'm still waiting to inform me of what this has to do with windows
uh......um.....ok
They have real issues with length. Most people can't pay attention to a commercial for that long. Other than that, the direction this campaign is going seems rather weird.
They can when it's funny or intriguing. You're talking about the youtube generation for one. For another, it's not like they are putting a product in your face and talking about it for 3 minutes. They're giving you a little sitcom. It's like a minisode and plenty of people can sit through youtube and minisodes.
The long commercial is only for the internet. For TV they'll have a 15 and 30 second ones.
That was excellent - I love what they are doing with this promotion. Funny as ever and great camera and lighting work.
Should be, they cost 300 mil!
That just makes no sense whatsoever.
I'll remember to tell Bill to lower the standards... they keep putting smart commercials that regular Apple people don't get cause as little old steve says people are really dumb and you have to dumb things down so they can understand!
I don't care what anybody says, this stuff is brilliant!
Woah I'm a total mac fanboy who hates pcs BUT that was really good!! I was expecting a blantant pcs are better now shut up ad. I really enjoyed that! That's the first of ad I've EVER liked!! I'm still awstruck!
I get really embarrassed watching these. Is that what I'm supposed to feel? Embarrassment? I don't like it.
The concept is "Seinfeld" was a show about nothing..So "MicroSoft" in the future has nothing. makes sense to me.. Bill needs to connect with real people cause if he keeps turning out trash like vista he will be back living in the suburbs. These are horrible commercials, not funny, not informative, in fact everything that they hint at for the future at the end of the first and second one is crap, networking gold fish? oh yeah that will be handy.
Oh and on a side note the commercials for "project Mohave" are as dumb as the pizza hut pasta commercials.. basically if you are dumb enough to think "Mac and bacon" is a fancy Italian pasta then you will be surprised that Pizza hut delivered the pasta. So looking at a demo of vista gets a bunch of people say oh that's cool so how makes it a perfect working operating system.
Microsoft should stop making commercials and work on all the bugs.
Which bug should we fix first?
Oh that's right you don't know, you've never used windows vista!
I know how you feel.. my obvious dislike of apple and apple drones makes me want to smash my 62" toshiba ever time I see an apple commercial. Here's the difference however, these commercials at least make it obviously clear they're full of bullshit, the apple ones are bullshit pretending to be something totally different.
BY THE WAY, I LIKE IT!
I wanted to see commercials dispelling all of the myths, lies and half baked bullshit from the apple (you're an idiot) commercials. This says two things to me. First, it says, apple who? (they don't give a rats ass what apple do) and second, they're intelligent enough to know that showing a humorous human side isn't a bad thing..
" I got so many cars i get stuck in my own traffic"
hehehe jerry is the man