Update - September 18th: Told you so!
Today's big news is that Microsoft has tapped comedian Jerry Seinfeld for their newest advertising campaign. He is to appear alongside Microsoft co-founder and Chairman Bill Gates. Ugh.
Here are ten reasons why this doesn't work for me.
1. There are eight seasons of Seinfeld out there with a Macintosh sitting on the corner of his desk. It will be hard to convince people he's switched to Windows Vista with all of that legacy Mac cred - especially now that Macs are gaining ground on Windows.
2. $10 million dollars and most people would endorse anything. How much would it take a presidential candidate to endorse something like tax breaks for oil companies or health insurance companies? (*ducks - sorry for the politics)
3. Jerry Seinfeld is a writer. Writers use Macs. Everyone knows that.
4. He's also a television personality, he has to be seen with the latest and greatest hardware. Macs = entertainment industry, "it" products.
5. His HP ads, though cool and somewhat entertaining, weren't particularly effective (below). Already the Mac credibility hitting. Notice they don't put an HP product anywhere near him? Won't work.
6. He's already been in an Apple ad (below - at the end). Think Different?
7. Seinfeld and Bill Gates? One of the funniest men in the world with one of the least funny. Steve Ballmer. Now that would be comedy.
8. Just look at this Mac Addict ad from 1996. Enough said.
9. I like Seinfeld. It will be painful to watch him trying to sell an inferior product. Think of the kids! (of the 90's)
10. He's the Mac Guy! George is the PC guy! Kramer runs Linux...Elaine - she's got that pocket rolodex thing that Kramer bought her?
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Thoughts about the Gates-Seinfeld ads
Preston Gralla:
John Brandon:
- The other shoe drops: second Microsoft ad is about connecting
- The brilliance of shoes: What the new Microsoft ad really means
IT Blogwatch:
Eric Lai:
- Seth Weintraub:
- Ten reasons why the Seinfeld-Microsoft partnership doesn't work