Jerry Seinfeld And Bill Gates' Microsoft Ads Being Pulled

Microsoft is preparing to pull its TV ads featuring comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Microsoft's co-founder and chairman Bill Gates.

Microsoft spokesman Frank Shaw said the end of the Seinfeld ads was planned well in advance, and wasn't coming in response to any criticism of the spots. "All along we said we were having a teaser campaign," he said. "We're getting ready to start the second phase. This was the plan all along."

The news, broken this afternoon by Valleywag, comes just days after Microsoft aired the latest in the series of commercials, produced by Crispin Porter + Bogusky, featuring the two men in comic situations. The ads have been largely panned as a strained effort on the software giant's part to not only promote Windows but also portray Microsoft as cool and in touch with regular consumers -- basically, to counter the stodgy image painted in Apple's "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" ads.

Seinfeld, who reportedly received $10 million for his efforts, was a superstar in the 1990s with his hit show. Using him now, in 2008, only added to Microsoft's image as being behind the times, critics said.

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Comments

[JackNasty]

If only Microsoft would use the same good sense to withdraw Vista from the market.

[ENK727]

The ads were not funny at all. I can't believe they paid writers to come up with this garbage.

[salemor]

Jerry who??

[smapdi]

These ads are horrible. The Mojave ads are as dishonest as these are unfunny.
The only thing keeping me from Mac is that I can't legally build one for myself.

[shishkabob]

Then thank goodness for KDE 4.1 on Ubuntu or FreeBSD 7

[josephgelb]

the second one is something id write, i should apply for the job

[JTyroler]

Did someone say these were "comedic" ads?

I bought a laptop with Vista. A few months later, I bought a MacBook - I haven't used a Mac since probably 1990. Vista changed that.

[ziggystardust]

Saying Jerry Seinfeld is out-of-fashion in the '00s is like saying Bob Hope was out-of-fashion in the '60s. Seinfeld is a national icon.

And I gotta say, the fact that there is 16 pages worth of comments here saying that the ad campaign didn't work is evidence that it *did* work. It got everybody talking, which is exactly what they were going for. It was a massive success.

I even think they are pretty entertaining to watch. Although I'm probably weird... I like those very surreal interchanges.

[ChristianEcon.com]

Too bad MS doesn't pull its OS too.

[purplefishies]

I can't stand Msft....but i have to say that I like this sort of humor.

I would like to see something good come out of their product line as a result of this. Hopefully its not all marketing.

[stop7997]

This is the first time I've seen the ads. I never once saw any part of them on television. How long did they run?

Actually, I thought they were pretty funny. Bill Gates showed a lot more humor than I would have them him capable. But I had no clue what they were trying to sell.

[joebiz]

It just shows the disdain Microsoft has towards the common folk. Why would they try to connect with the masses? They sell an operating system.

On the other hand, Gates is a super philanthropist and for that he gets kudos.

[marleysghost]

It is probably near time for Jerry to be doing AARP and gap insurance advertisements for old folks facing retirement.

[Elahrairah]

Jerry sounded and looked like a businessman, not a comedian.

[captainindustry]

Bill Gates just shook his patootie in my face.

[thespy]

The ads weren't funny and they had nothing to do (or say) about Microsoft. Good job they were cheap to produce (NOT)!?!?! Now this, on the other hand, is funny, and cheap (except for Ms. Hilton) if she does it, which I'd LOVE to see!

http://givemeamillionparishilton.com/

Pass it on!

The Spy