Jerry Seinfeld: Microsoft's New $10 Million Pitchman

Microsoft Corp., weary of being cast as a stodgy oldster by Apple Inc.'s advertising, is turning for help to Jerry Seinfeld.

The software giant's new $300 million advertising campaign, devised by a newly hired ad agency, has been closely guarded. But Mr. Seinfeld will be one of the key celebrity pitchmen, say people close to the situation. He will appear with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates in ads and receive about $10 million for the work, they say.
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The new ad effort is expected to use some variation of the slogan "Windows, Not Walls," according to several people familiar with the matter. Those people say the point is to stress breaking down barriers that prevent people and ideas from connecting. The campaign, said to debut Sept. 4, is one of the largest in the company's history.

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Comments

[stillfresh]

Love Jerry Seinfeld, but I'm still a Mac girl. Not even Jerry Seinfeld can make me go back to the dark side.

[Tags]

Seinfeld is a smart choice for their marketing. He's funny, smart, and engaging.

Now, if they could just pull out of the fog over cloud computing...

[cwrenn]

That was my first thought? It's clear in multiple episodes that TV Jerry Seinfeld was a mac user. On the other hand, the Jerry Seinfeld that bullies cookbook authors with legitimate plagiarism claims seems to like Windows.

[mcamp52]

Beautiful. I wonder if Microsoft ever noticed the MACs he had in his apartment/set over the years.

[sedum]

I don't suppose you and all the other mac slaves noticed that in 10 years of Seinfeld he never ever once touched the offensive little beast.

[daddydamon]

Seinfeld won't make Vista work better. OSX is still the best mainstream os.

[RButler]

Chevys are better than Fords. Pepsi is better than Coke. The Stones are better than the Beetles.
VHS vs. Betamax. Or is it the other way around. Forever and ever, it's always been my choice is better than your choice regardless of the product. It must be in our DNA. Is DNA better than RNA?

[torrrep]

Is Seinfeld going to make the software more user friendly? I didn't think so.

[SaraPulis]

Microsoft? They're still in business? But hey, Jerry Seinfeld! I'll watch the ads just 'cause I like him.

[ENK727]

$10 million ?? He's kind of 90's and outdated. Surprised they didn't go with someone else that the younger crowd could relate to. My teenage kids barely know who he is and think the Seinfeld re-runs are "lame".

[Jason357]

Ditto. Now, Lewis Black could move some merchandise. "Anything other than Microsoft will make your head explode. Trust me." Then he can do that little Dangerfieldish shudder with the head and hands.

[ENK727]

Good idea. I can envision it now. Lewis Black would be hysterical.

[EdwardEdwards]

Hip is taking two relatively unknown actors and making them famous worldwide. Desperate is throwing a ton of money at a familiar face to remain relevant.

[Boredmonkey]

I heard he’s getting his wife to plagiarize and direct. Bu dum bum *putting in ear plugs anticipating someone to say, “Don’t quit your day job.”*

[unbozo]

Seinfeild is current? Just shows how old a tired Microsoft is.

[iambusto]

its ridiculous to see the amount of jealousy in this forum.

why hate on a guy who hits a 10 million $ payday.

[RanceSpergl]

We're not. We're hating on an OS that sucks.

[BJBirdie]

The richest man in the world appearing in ads with the richest comedian in the world.


Uncle!

[[e-mail]]

Yuk. I can't stand this defamer and his plagiarist wife. One more reason not to buy Microsoft.

[raker]

In other news, John McCain is doing TV spots to tout the coolness of the Flivver over newfangled cars and SUVs.

[OnTheCusp]

Jerry Seinfeld is a prick. And a limp one at that.