Schadenfeld: Microsoft Does Take-Two With Gates and Seinfeld
Schadenfeld: Microsoft Does Take-Two With Gates and Seinfeld

Schadenfeld, as defined by the Post-Advertising Dictionary, is the urge to like anything that Jerry Seinfeld appears in. Then why do I feel nauseous after watching this:

This is the second in the series of Seinfeld/Bill Gates/MS ads meant to make Gates and MS look less evil, more attentive, creative, etc. While I took a few long graphs to explain why I liked the last ad and what I thought it might mean, I'm completely flummoxed when it comes to this spot. 

There is one thing I know, and that's that MS's marketing problems won't go away until its products improve. As stated before, Vista is pretty crappy in comparison to Windows XP, and MS Office 2007 is blatantly insulting. Crispin Porter + Bogusky can't do much about it, but I don't really think anything the agency does for MS will make a difference until MS fixes these products. Fix them, and we'll talk.

Comments

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September 16. 2008 7:46 AM

MC Word

There’s a million profitable businesses out there with who manage to combine shoddy products and a decent public image, so there’s no reason to suppose the campaign is doomed to fail. It’s a long road for Microsoft, but I think these first two ads are a very good start.

As one who hates Microsoft (particularly the evils of Office 2007), I’ve got to take my hat off to the guys who made the latest ad. Okay, it’s too long – way too long – but it achieved something I wouldn’t have thought possible: for the first time in my life, I felt (momentarily) warm about Microsoft.

Why? Because it made me laugh half a dozen times.

That’s all it takes.

MC Word

September 15. 2008 1:46 PM

juntajoe

Everyone is blogging about these ads. Sounds like Mr. Softy is getting exactly what they want out of them, even if they make no sense at all to me.

juntajoe

September 15. 2008 1:25 PM

a classy lady

I laugh at Microsoft's solution. Featuring two really rich and famous guys in their ads is too small a band aid that doesn't do much to cover up the real problem - that Vista is a crappy product.

a classy lady

September 13. 2008 7:16 PM

becks182

Bad sign when Bill Gates gets more laughs than Jerry Seinfeld.

becks182

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