Of all Microsoft'sadvertisingmoves, this certainly falls in more clever side of the spectrum. Redmond et al. have announced they'll be "sponsoring" a November 8th variety special on Fox, "Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show." The episode'll be a mix of live-action musical performance and animated shorts with the usual celebrity cameos you've come to expect. This show will be commercial free, so long as you don't count all the Windows 7 that'll somehow be integrated -- and that's the most interesting mystery of all, how Microsoft will get its brand recognition without too many jabs from showrunner Seth McFarlane and company. If you don't recall the last time McFarlane teamed up with a big company to enliven its image, check out video from "Burger King presents Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy," a venture also done in tandem with one of the ad agencies responsible for this new deal, Crispin, Porter & Bogusky. It's just after the break.
Update: As commenter Zebb reminded us, Bill Gates pulled off a cameo in Frasier "answering caller questions" about Windows XP. We couldn't help but add it to the post just below, jump to the 2:20 mark for the relevant scene.
Clearly we know who the "tards" are here, someone needs to understand the depth and meaning of intertextual humor and/or parody. The goofy front and wacky antics are there so the morons and young kids can follow along but there is a great deal beyond that.
There are much better ways to satirize than through a horribly scripted family of idiotic buttheads. Its jokes at 99% stupid, its characters are 99% stupid. It tells a lot about the people who go "zomg famliy guy is teh b3st show evar!!"
I find it kind of funny considering Seth has made fun of Microsoft numerous times, the funniest being the "things you never hear" skit from his YouTube series. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrGeY9nhMK8 at the 49 second mark.
I just lost all respect for Family Guy. I love Family Guy but I think I will be boycotting from now on. Well it was fun while it lasted FG but you're a sell out.
They did something similar with windows 95 (maybe windows XP) on Fraiser, Bill Gates himself came on the show and took calls on Fraiser's radio show about the new OS. Pretty brillant if you ask me.
That actually sounds so much more interesting... I would've liked to see that if I wasn't an infant at the time. Maybe Bill Gates just irrationally sets of my nerdiness sense.
I know for a fact that not only are the Family Guy offices all mac, the two windows computers they did have are now linux boxes because of a viral problem.
What happened to Engadget? I've read the reviews, and Windows 7 isn't much better than Vista. I've used it myself, in fact, and besides the new interface, I couldn't tell any difference. Engadget, on the other hand, is acting like 7 is the greatest thing ever created, and that every Apple product sucks, which of course, is completely backwards. Every post about Windows is now positive. This ad campaign is not at all 'clever.' It's just plain stupid, unless you are a huge M$ fan, in which case you don't know what's good for you, and you might as well be shot now. They used to keep it pretty balanced. Now I get a headache whenever I land on this site during my every-10-minute news site cycle.
On a completely unrelated note, I've also noticed an increase in Microsoft ads on the site. Coincidence? I didn't think so.
What happened to Engadget? I've read the reviews, and Snow Lepoard isn't much better than Lepoard. I've used it myself, in fact, and besides the under the hood improvements, I couldn't tell any difference. Engadget, on the other hand, is acting like SL is the greatest thing ever created, and that every Microsoft product sucks, which of course, is completely backwards. Every post about SL is now positive. This ad campaign is not at all 'clever.' It's just plain stupid, unless you are a huge Apple fan, in which case you don't know what's good for you, and you might as well be shot now. They used to keep it pretty balanced. Now I get a headache whenever I land on this site during my every-10-minute news site cycle.
On a completely unrelated note, I've also noticed an increase in Apple ads on the site. Coincidence? I didn't think so.
Heh, that just works for about the time when Snow lepoard was released :)
Snow Leopard = $30 for updates to Leopard. Leopard was 129 dollars for updates to Tiger. Tiger was 129 dollars for updates to Panther. Panther was 129 dollars for updates to Jaguar. Jaguar was 129 dollars for updates to Puma. Puma was 129 dollars for updates to Cheetah.
I like to think the 400 dollars for updates from XP is a lot less than the 675 dollars worth of updates to OSX Cheetah.
@derrick: Sucks for you, the rest of us will go ahead and continue enjoying it. Maybe someday when you decide to not let your pointless fanboyism get in the way you can enjoy life too.
@Steveorevo: Since you keep posting that over and over and over again, copy-pasting the same lame nonsensical comment, I went ahead and reported you. I strongly urge everyone else to do the same.
Windows 7 is a major release, which is characterized by the fact that it has an exponentially greater number of new features than Snow Leopard has. It's also not as buggy (read: no random data loss) thanks to a massive public betatesting process, which is something Apple never does thanks to their ego. The upgrade from XP doesn't need a Vista license to be done; if you're still using XP, odds are your apps and your box won't work with 7 anyway, and if you held off of Vista, then a clean install is the route for you. Better than ditching an entire platform the way Apple did with Snow Leopard. The UI does have dynamic updates, which you'd know if you knew anything about how DWM works. Finally, virtual desktops are a productivity drain.
The UI had tons of research go into it (literally, if you look at the weight of the cash spent), which is far better than Apple's arbitrary UI design (explains why Macs aren't intuitive). Windows 7 is one of the most intuitive and easy to understand OSes to hit the scene in a long time. That's why useless crap doesn't exist in Windows 7; all of it is useful and easy to get.
Finally, IE8 is CSS/CSS2 compliant, and HTML5 isn't out yet.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
posted Oct 13th 2009 10:36PM
No company that has haters placing a "$" sign in their name is "getting desparate"
Oh and DOWNRANKED!
First to not give a F***
i heard that herbert will be playing steve jobs.
I can see the windows logo in the blue baloon's reflection.
Oh, and Family Guy and McFarlane in particular is a sell out.
But that's ok, because his show got boring anyway.
WOW! A windows logo in a balloon? Where? I want to see it too!
Interesting...
The manatees are at it again...
First to fuck a duck.
Oh, and downvote @ iKurt X (notice the "i". It's the symbol for Appleism.
drawn using the new Windows 7 Paint ?
lol... actually is was done using Corel Draw! 6...
I have a lower opinion of Microsoft now.
Why?
Because they're sponsering a popular cartoon?
"oh dear god!"
apple would do it.
Because they're sponsoring a cartoon aimed at tards.
Apple already does it like crazy. I think their market share of TV show computers is like 7000%.
"aimed at tards"?
Clearly we know who the "tards" are here, someone needs to understand the depth and meaning of intertextual humor and/or parody. The goofy front and wacky antics are there so the morons and young kids can follow along but there is a great deal beyond that.
Tards? Are you somehow better than me just because I watch Family Guy? That really sounds like a tard-ish thing to say.
There are much better ways to satirize than through a horribly scripted family of idiotic buttheads. Its jokes at 99% stupid, its characters are 99% stupid. It tells a lot about the people who go "zomg famliy guy is teh b3st show evar!!"
yet your name is 10minutehobo and im teh stoopid on3
...that you should think that's a valuable addition to the comment's section.
"replying to iFargle [Undo]"
Clearly, Engadget, the comments system has stumped me again...
*yawn*
I hope that the episode goes well, unlike the day I met Jack Black at the clinic.
*Funny Random Flashback*
Win.
"i told you we wouldn't have to pee on something to get high. Wait this says you're pregnant!"
I find it kind of funny considering Seth has made fun of Microsoft numerous times, the funniest being the "things you never hear" skit from his YouTube series. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrGeY9nhMK8 at the 49 second mark.
That's from the Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy.
Also when Bill Gates is at Carter Pewtershmidt's party.
Carter: "Hey Bill, can you help me program my Zune?"
Bill: "Sure"
Carter: "Oh wait, I got an iPod like everybody else in the world!"
oh boy, another 30 minute tv ad, It will be full of windows the best, greatest OS, atleast they picked a wicked show to go with it!
Or are you the first to wish Apple had thought of this first?
This is hilarious, I love Microsoft for this
some of iKurt X's posts are such blatant apple advertisements it hurts to read them. This post isn't one of them, but it is close.
I just lost all respect for Family Guy. I love Family Guy but I think I will be boycotting from now on. Well it was fun while it lasted FG but you're a sell out.
Not a bad idea.
Alright a Windows 7 party.........YEA!!!!!!!!!!
Am I invited?????
Ill bring the beer.......
They did something similar with windows 95 (maybe windows XP) on Fraiser, Bill Gates himself came on the show and took calls on Fraiser's radio show about the new OS. Pretty brillant if you ask me.
That actually sounds so much more interesting... I would've liked to see that if I wasn't an infant at the time. Maybe Bill Gates just irrationally sets of my nerdiness sense.
I get my copy of windows 7 ultimate tomorrow!!!!!!!!
Windows 7 party?
The best part?
I know for a fact that not only are the Family Guy offices all mac, the two windows computers they did have are now linux boxes because of a viral problem.
Well... that's writers and chubby chasers for ya.
>implying Apple fetish makes for greater people/product.
The best part is you're full of crap and can't prove it.
This will be the least watched episode in the history of Family Guy. Good Move Seth.
What happened to Engadget? I've read the reviews, and Windows 7 isn't much better than Vista. I've used it myself, in fact, and besides the new interface, I couldn't tell any difference. Engadget, on the other hand, is acting like 7 is the greatest thing ever created, and that every Apple product sucks, which of course, is completely backwards. Every post about Windows is now positive. This ad campaign is not at all 'clever.' It's just plain stupid, unless you are a huge M$ fan, in which case you don't know what's good for you, and you might as well be shot now. They used to keep it pretty balanced. Now I get a headache whenever I land on this site during my every-10-minute news site cycle.
On a completely unrelated note, I've also noticed an increase in Microsoft ads on the site. Coincidence? I didn't think so.
Yeah, but be careful not to log in as guest though, or windows will delete all your shit, oh wait... wrong OS. Sure Apple is FAR superior. Dork!
And now to Bizzaro World....
What happened to Engadget? I've read the reviews, and Snow Lepoard isn't much better than Lepoard. I've used it myself, in fact, and besides the under the hood improvements, I couldn't tell any difference. Engadget, on the other hand, is acting like SL is the greatest thing ever created, and that every Microsoft product sucks, which of course, is completely backwards. Every post about SL is now positive. This ad campaign is not at all 'clever.' It's just plain stupid, unless you are a huge Apple fan, in which case you don't know what's good for you, and you might as well be shot now. They used to keep it pretty balanced. Now I get a headache whenever I land on this site during my every-10-minute news site cycle.
On a completely unrelated note, I've also noticed an increase in Apple ads on the site. Coincidence? I didn't think so.
Heh, that just works for about the time when Snow lepoard was released :)
@ThePengwin: That was full of WIN, my friend... awesome!
@ABCLOSER: Why are you even here, then?
Snow Leopard = $30 for updates to Leopard. Leopard was 129 dollars for updates to Tiger. Tiger was 129 dollars for updates to Panther. Panther was 129 dollars for updates to Jaguar. Jaguar was 129 dollars for updates to Puma. Puma was 129 dollars for updates to Cheetah.
I like to think the 400 dollars for updates from XP is a lot less than the 675 dollars worth of updates to OSX Cheetah.
@derrick: Sucks for you, the rest of us will go ahead and continue enjoying it. Maybe someday when you decide to not let your pointless fanboyism get in the way you can enjoy life too.
@Steveorevo: Since you keep posting that over and over and over again, copy-pasting the same lame nonsensical comment, I went ahead and reported you. I strongly urge everyone else to do the same.
WUUUUTTTT???? WWAAAIIIII????
@Steveorevo
Windows 7 is a major release, which is characterized by the fact that it has an exponentially greater number of new features than Snow Leopard has. It's also not as buggy (read: no random data loss) thanks to a massive public betatesting process, which is something Apple never does thanks to their ego. The upgrade from XP doesn't need a Vista license to be done; if you're still using XP, odds are your apps and your box won't work with 7 anyway, and if you held off of Vista, then a clean install is the route for you. Better than ditching an entire platform the way Apple did with Snow Leopard. The UI does have dynamic updates, which you'd know if you knew anything about how DWM works. Finally, virtual desktops are a productivity drain.
The UI had tons of research go into it (literally, if you look at the weight of the cash spent), which is far better than Apple's arbitrary UI design (explains why Macs aren't intuitive). Windows 7 is one of the most intuitive and easy to understand OSes to hit the scene in a long time. That's why useless crap doesn't exist in Windows 7; all of it is useful and easy to get.
Finally, IE8 is CSS/CSS2 compliant, and HTML5 isn't out yet.
lame ass windows 7 nothing but an update from vista
Make that a $120 update. (If you want to go cheap.)