Microsoft Fights Back Against Apple
It was never a fair fight. Apple came out with a legendary series of adverts (Hi, I’m a Mac and I’m a PC) that just seemed to get funnier all the time and made the PC seem so “yesterday”. Both Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates have accused the ads of misrepresenting Vista, which, to be fair, is correct. It’s not as bad as the ads seem to suggest.
Now it’s taken a long time, but the boys from Redmond have, I believe, realized that the ads have been an important component in the resurgence of Apple. Why else would they have hired Jerry Seinfeld and started an ad war.
So watch the ad below and come to your conclusion about how potent it is.
(Note: If your company blocks Internet videos you will not see a video frame below this sentence. In which case, login from home to watch this.)
My verdict is:
This ad is surreal and its entertaining, but it’s missing something crucial – like a punch. So what’s going on. Who’s writing these ads? Has Bill started a new career as a bit part actor? Is Jerry Seinfeld a secret Mac user who’s deliberately sabotaging this campaign? Or are we simply witnessing the fact that Microsoft simply isn’t talented when it comes to advertising?
If it goes toe-to-toe with Apple in an advertising war, it’s going to make a fool of itself. And it has.
I saw this ad last night, and shortly thereafter I saw the “I’m a Mac/PC” ad where the PC is a pizza. Here’s what I was asking after I thought about it…
1. The Mac/PC ad clearly talk about how students are grabbing up Macs because of there ease to use. In the Gates/Seinfeld ad, I was told how Seinfeld showers with shoes on to loosen the leather.
2. I was given Seinfeld’s schtick from his show and stand-up which was fine. Gates looked a little “lost” when it comes to buying shoes.
3. Only at the end did I find out this was a commercial for what Microsoft has coming in the future.
The biggest question I have is for Gates. You retired, right? If so, you’re doing it wrong. Since Vista rolled out, you’ve been on the campaign train for Microsoft and now you’re shooting commercials. Whatever happened to taking it easy?
Honestly, Microsoft, as you did with the Zune, it’s too little too late. Good luck in this “Ad War” against Apple. You might want to rethink your strategy. The surreal approach isn’t one I’d go for.
Missing a punch? The commercial is obviously intended as a setup to something to come. e.g. A billboard with a solid black background and nothing but a date in large white letters and numbers. Setup advertising doesn’t have a punch. That’s the point!
Sounds like a credible theory to me. We’ll see if it’s correct in time I guess.
I like it. Definitely looks like they’re setting something larger up and Jerry has far broader appeal/recognition than the actors Apple is using.
This has me thinking that someone needs to create a spoof “pre-ad” leading up to it. Tell me what you think:
(camera is behind a skinny, blonde-haired guy, similar to those shots of of George Steinbrenner in Seinfeld… he’s rocking at his big desk incessantly)
[man at door]: Mr Gates?
Bill: Yes?
Man: I was supposed to give you an update about our new, $300 million ad campaign, “Windows not Walls.”
Bill: Fantastic! Are we ready to shoot?
Man: I think so. We started working on the script today, but we were using a XP on a machine that wasn’t powerful enough to run Vista, even though it was sold as “Vista Capable,” but it blue screened on us. Then we finished up the dialog between you and Mr. Seinfeld by hand, threw in some jokes, yadda yadda yadda…
Bill: Wait! You “yadda yadda yadda’d” over the best part!
(pause)
Man: Uhm… no, I mentioned the blue screen.
(blackout)
Text w/ Male Voiceover: Windows… not Walls… yadda, yadda, yadda
(fade to black)
My frustration with Vista reached the point where I switched to a Mac. I now use my Vista laptop for a backup only (or when I absolutely have to use an Office program).
Microsoft’s miscalculation with Vista reminds me of IBM’s OS/2 which I was forced to use 15 years ago. It was disastrous and my experience with Vista brings back all the bad memories. But no more …. in a few short days and weeks, I’m more productive and satisfied with my Mac.
However, I never underestimate Microsoft. This is a teaser ad and I’ll be very interested in seeing what they deliver. The question will be “is it too little too late”. Unless my move from Vista to Leopard, I have no reason to move from my Mac back to the PC world.