Comments on: Twenty Thoughts About a Microsoft Ad Campaign I Haven’t Seen Yet

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:40:52 +0000

Are they really going to create a tv character out of gates?
Is the attempt is to replace the Apple’s PC Guy with the a more positive PC guy (gates)?
I feel that they have wildly overestimated the success of the Apple ads.
Apple are succeeding by creating and marketing compelling product.
Once Microsoft do the same they won’t need to waste time and money on this drivel.

By: Dave S.

Dave S. — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:55:49 +0000

I gotta agree with Otis at the top. The choice of Seinfeld is perfect. Reruns of his sitcom still come on 3-4 times a day! High school kids now still talk about episodes and the cult phenomenon has not faded away from Seinfeld. Besides, the demographic that Microsoft is trying to target is not the young, hip, trendy technorati people. It’s the forty-somethings, the families, the small business owners, the IT guys that they want to bring in. Seinfeld is the icon for that demographic, I think.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:48:57 +0000

Windows without walls are just a heap of shattered glass revealing the fake view of the world Microsoft wants you to continue to believe in. Microsoft advertising has always had the depth and appeal of a used car salesman who doesn’t get that the advertising is a joke and is over the top ONLY to gain name recognition. Well everybody already knows Microsoft is shit, there’s no need to spend $300M to drive the point home.

By: Cam Smith

Cam Smith — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:06:05 +0000

Steve Jobs couldn’t have dreamed of a better Apple adoption accelerator than Bill Gates promoting Vista. Essentially what Microsoft is saying is; yes Vista was a steaming turd that nobody could or would use but now two years later you have no choice and a few things work some of the time now that we’ve fixed Vista. Yes were just mimicking Apple’s innovations and yes we do a horrible job of it as always, but please we’re really desperate and too stupid to know any better than to beg, so please please please just continue to blindly accept our mediocrity and stay on the virus platform so we can make money and stay in business.

By: Charles Forsythe

Charles Forsythe — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:28:14 +0000

The Windows/Walls metaphor is perhaps the worst idea I’ve heard since Dennis Kucinich said he’s share a ticket with Ron Paul.

First of all, walls are a prerequisite for windows. A window without a wall is just a piece of glass.

Taking this further, windows relieve us of some of the drawbacks of walls (blocking natural light, nice views or ventilation) allowing us to enjoy the benefits of walls (shelter, security, or organization of space).

Windows don’t eliminate walls, they improve walls, making them more widely used. Perhaps this is a tacit admission of point #10. Windows don’t get rid of the walls, they just make them invisible.

By: It’s nice when I’m not alone in seeing the obvious! « Ronzilla77

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:53:34 +0000

[...] It’s nice when I’m not alone in seeing the obvious! http://technologizer.com/2008/08/21/twenty-thoughts-about-a-microsoft-ad-campaign-i-havent-seen-yet/ [...]

By: Thinker

Thinker — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:32:36 +0000

I second the enjoyment of the McCain-Windows to Obama-Mac comparison.

I was a PC user for YEARS, and just recently switched to Mac – but I haven’t looked back since. Apple’s offerings are just more fun to use and nicer to look at. Plus, like the ads say, they “just work” right out of the box. Even though I’m a power user, I enjoy the simplicity offered by the Mac OS.

I still run Windows XP via Boot Camp on my iMac for gaming though. Maybe that is a hook that Microsoft can use?

By: David Speiser

David Speiser — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:28:55 +0000

Hey Harry,

No. 9 was the most telling for me. A mass consumer product with a shrinking audience, one that’s *trying* to appeal to an ever-widening audience, should not be using tech-heavy jargon (I’m assuming “walls” refers to the concept of a “walled-garden.” I’m astounded by the bad decisions, and presumably lousy guidance and advice they’re receiving.

I guess when you’re the size of MS, with that much infrastructure to wade through and direct, it’s challenging to be nimble and innovative. Still, this whole slogan and celebrity spokesperson seems ill-conceived to me (at least, prior to actually seeing the campaign.)

By: tripfoster

tripfoster — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:47:03 +0000

By: Curtis Thomas

Curtis Thomas — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:02:23 +0000

I do enjoy the McCain-Windows to Obama-Mac comparison… but does that ultimately make Ron Paul the Linux of Washington?