No more yada yada: Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates ads are ending

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. Some viewers, such as the writers on Ars Technica, said the ads just left them scratching their heads. (If you can't easily find the ads on YouTube, Microsoft provides them on its site).

In the first ad, the two meet each other in a mall and pick out new shoes. In the next ad, which is in two parts, Gates and Seinfeld stay with a so-called normal family so they can work on a shared problem: To break out of their elite bubbles and connect with real people.

But the stay with the family doesn't go well, culminating with Bill Gates telling a little girl, "You're not so real." (I actually howled.)

Just unleash Gates, without the cardigan and avuncular image, sticking it to the smug "I'm a Mac" guy.

-- Michelle Quinn

Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld in a TV ad by Microsoft

Comments

[Hoa]

bad enough

[Just Steve]

I loved the ads. I thought they were clever and put a human face on Bill Gates. I have also enjoyed the Justin Long Apple commercials, and I suppose they talk more about product, but does Microsoft really need to do that?

And Seinfeld out of touch? That show is on syndication all over the place and my 23-year old son's favorite show still. I think there are a lot of people who live to watch the Seinfeld reruns.

[paper street]

M# was NOT trying to be "hip" but poking fun at themselves as UNhip but REAL
That clown store, that family - the whole thing is about REALITY trumping hipness every second of every day. Who better than Seinfeld to join Gates in this? Of course the snark-impaired, for whom the whole universe begins and ends with being "hip," can't get this, any more than they can get that that's what Seinfeld has been about from the beginning. The ads do a terrific job of cutting the floor right out from under the idea that Macs are better because they're "hip."

Unfortunately, that's not what the Mac ads are really about, and nothing in the M$ ads has any actual relevance to the limitations of VIsta or any other crappy M$ product. People are not going to start buying PC's just because they get that Gates is a real human being, not the John Hodgman caricature. But people don't buy Macs or use Open Source because they're "hip" either. THEY'RE BETTER PRODUCTS. That's the real point of the Mac ads.

Can't wait to see Mac's response. I would die to be in Hodgman's shoes now.

[Linda A.]

The ads were as completely incomprehensible as Seinfeld's highly overrated sitcom which, IMHO, was all "sit" and no "com." However, as a stand-up comic, Jerry's a hoot! Gotta give Bill Gates credit for being such a good sport, though. (For a geek, I thought he did a good job in those ads.) Anyway, Bill and Jerry couldn't hold a candle to Apple's "I'm a PC, I'm a Mac," which I think is one of cleverest and most entertaining ad campaigns I've ever seen. (I'm especially liking one of the recent ads in which PC is plugging his line of soothing herbal teas to help alleviate Vista-related tension. Forget herbal teas! I've got the surefire cure for Vista-related frustrations -- GO BACK TO XP!, or get a Mac. :-))

[Jack W. Orf]

I thought the ads were HILARIOUS! Marvelous. We actually see Bill Gates as some sort of human being.

However, from a business standpoint, I don't see that it has much to do with Microsoft or Windows.

But... This could be a GREAT pilot for a new series! "The Adventures of Bill and Seinfeld!" It's a little like Paris Hilton going to live on the farm.

But, come to think of it, I doubt that either Seinfeld or Gates need the money from a new hit comedy. That's chump change to Gates, and not much more to Seinfeld.

But, really, I thought the ads were GREAT.

[dg]

this is an enormous error! m'soft did the seemingly impossible: out-smoothed the infinitely smoother apple brand! the campy, wry wink and nod dialogue gives the leader in cool something to worry about.

[Chris Rose]

Not good ads. Bill looks way too old. Older than he should. Jerry looks bald and kind of out of shape. And the fact that both are filthy rich kind of pisses me off. I find the ads unfunny, condescending and borderline offensive. I'll NEVER buy another Microsoft product as long as I live.

[Jersey Jay]

I didn't know what the point was, but for pure watching, Seinfeld just drags these things down. He had an okay stand-up act, but Larry David was the genius behind the Seinfeld series, and Jason, Julia and Richards pulled it all off. Jerry just ain't funny.

[SaraR]

To the comment made earlier about how there is not one person here who is under 30 and liked these ads, well, my husband and I are both 22 and we absolutley loved them. Some of the replies are just silly. "I'll never buy a microsoft product as long as I live" all because of some ad?...That is just too rich in drama.

Also, for someone to compare a PC to a Mac is just insane. They're completely different tools. Trust me I love Macs, they are vey sleek and modern and once you get used to them can be very simple and user friendly, however, I use PCs (as long as it's XP) for my everyday work and websurfing. So until the day comes where I need to build a web site, I'll be sticking with PC.

[mikeymike]

Am i the only one who thinks that people who post on blogs are clearly not business men to the level of being able to analyze intent past the point of dinner conversation? We're a society obsessed with wealth and long for a chance to waste our breaths talking about people and productswe know nothing about. Save the energy for something that will benefit yourself. - I realize that I too am falling victim here, but I felt the need.