Recently their has been a lot of talk about Microsoft’s new 300 million dollar ad campaign created in part to respond to Apple’s successful “I’m a Mac and I’m a PC” ad campaign and to try to do some damage control on the Vista brand.
Personally I thought the two Jerry Seinfeld/Bill Gates ads were quite strange, though fun. Like Seinfeld not only were they about nothing, they were also nothing about Vista. After paying Seinfeld 10 million dollars that ad campaign stopped at 2 commercials (which they now say they planned all along.)
The new Microsoft commercials have a John Hodgman look-a-like saying “I’m a PC and I have been made into a stereotype” followed by all kinds of people repeating “I’m a PC.” Now Microsoft playing the victim card and directly responding to Apple’s ad doesn’t seem like a good ad campaign to me. Especially since once again they don’t talk about Vista.
As for myself I am a Mac switcher since last October after having used Windows since 2.0 and while I really prefer iMac and OSX Leopard, I am not a Vista hater. It is not as bad as its reputation and initial driver problems are mostly gone. I make my living as a Windows developer, but ironically Iknow code using Visual Studio on my iMac via VMWare Fusion.
Anyway I want Microsoft to have a good ad campaign, something they have never really had. So I started thinking how effective political attack ads are. What if Microsoft went down that route instead. So without receiving a penny from Microsoft I decided to create a commercial for them with my first YouTube video.
I made my Microsoft ad using iMovie 08 on my Mac, but that’s okay since Microsoft’s “I’m a PC” Ads were also made on a Mac by their ad agency.
16 comments
Haha. Great job, Jeff!
Very funny.
tv trivia — in early episodes of Seinfeld he owns a Mac. Its onthe table near the window in his apartment.
I like. Is that your voice?
joe,
Not only that but Jerry had made an Apple “Think Different” ad, so I guess next he will be doing Linux.
IC,
Yep that’s my voice.
So we have Jerry suit up in a ‘tux’ and share the stage with a Penguin?
OpenSource night at LaughCon?
btw – I use Eclipse now. Feeling much better.
Was doing (forced to do) VB 2005 at the old job.
Drove. me. batty.
Me no likey the microsofty.
Unfortunately, I’m to conscious of this to go Mac: http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/01/30/39-apple-products/
Vista is the technological equivalent of an insolent, indolent, doesn’t-play-well-with-others, larcenous BRAT. I’m going Mac.
Jeff, that is hysterical! I loved the “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” photo!
Well, count me among those now learning OSX. I’ve pretty much been a PC girl ever since I first used a computer almost twenty years ago. Now I’m contracting with a network security company and the president is AAA. (All About Apple)
Meanwhile, I’m like, “Hey! I get to play with something shiny and new and get paid for it! Cool!”
Jeff,
If I may ask, why were comments and ratings disabled?
Can’t wait to watch it. On a different Mac somewhere in the house. (I gotta get some sort of upgrade on my antique PowerBook)
Brand loyalty is easy when you actually have a product that deserves it. We’ve been a Mac family since our first computer in the late ’80s. I must admit that I am forced to use a PC at work and it hasn’t ruined my life, but it also reinforces why I like Mac.
I do like the Seinfeld/Gates ads. They won’t change my mind, but if Microsoft wants to spend all that money to bring a little chuckle into day, let’s consider that an inadvertent charitable act!
Good ad – better than Microsoft’s $300 million ones, so far!
And to Ellyn: You could tell your boss to give you a Mac running VMWare Fusion or Parallels on it—then you’d have the nice Mac for all the important things, and the PC to make it look like you’re still working as a ‘team’ player!
Thats a great video!
I have a love-hate relationship with the Seinfeld-Gates ads. They’re quirky, but now I can’t walk past a churro stand without getting the munchies. Thanks a LOT, Bill!
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