Microsoft’s “Seinfeld/Gates” ads were good, but not good enough
Posted by: in Companies Competitive StrategyFiled under: Competitive strategy, Microsoft (MSFT), Marketing and advertising
When the first Bill Gates/Jerry Seinfeld television commercial was released about three weeks ago, there were mostly negative reviews of it. After all, the spot was odd, didn’t mention Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) products at all, and really didn’t have any connection to what Microsoft was all about. Most likely, this was by design. This was Microsoft’s attempt to fend off those cute (but now, annoying) Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) ads that have a “hip and cool” actor portraying the Mac Personal computer while a geeky, nerdy actor portrays the Windows Computer. And this was Microsoft’s comeback? That was the question many asked.
The second commercial in the series was much better — but it seemed more like a sitcom mini-episode than anything. The editing and writing was admirable, but still — the connection with Microsoft’s products, vision and former leader and founder was small and light at best. Where was Microsoft going with this? Was the company trying to re-invent Seinfeld’s own award-winning sitcom that aired on NBC until 1998? Who knows? Throughout both commercials, though, Microsoft was generating a buzz. Even though much of the best-covered buzz was negative.
Even though there are reports that Microsoft is “dumping Seinfeld,” perhaps he was just a way to generate initial buzz about Microsoft’s campaign to position Windows Vista and other Microsoft products as helpful lifestyle tools. Even though the company states that a move away from the Seinfeld-Gates shtick was a planned move, maybe it was and maybe it wasn’t. Regardless, Microsoft does have an enormous challenge to really get consumers convinced that a Windows Personal computer can be just as cool as an Apple PC. Maybe a rotation of stand-up comics throughout its spots could do the trick.
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