Microsoft is pushing Seinfeld away too soon
I've been a pretty big fan of Microsoft's Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld ads. No, it's not because I'm such a Seinfeld fanboy (I am though) or that I enjoy watching Bill Gates perform the robot on cue.
Instead, I look at the Seinfeld ads as a way for Microsoft to turn the company's poor public image into a positive image that will help it finally fix its Vista PR woes.
But after buckling under the pressure of "what is this about?" articles, Microsoft has shelved the Seinfeld ads (they may or may not come back) and has instead started attacking Apple by explaining exactly what a PC is. (Editor's note: Microsoft says the move away from the Seinfeld ads was always planned.)
What a bad move.
I don't blame Microsoft for trying to battle Apple ads and I even commend it for doing just that. But now is not the right time to do it: Microsoft didn't improve its image yet. And if it hasn't been able to do that, how can it possibly expect to compete with the single company in this industry that has the best image of all?
It's PR suicide.
Any marketer worth his or her paycheck will tell you that marketing a product is effective only if the company's image is in good standing. In other words, if Enron ever came back and started pimping its offerings with Jerry Seinfeld, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra singing "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," it wouldn't help at all.
Microsoft obviously realized that or it wouldn't have tried to use Jerry Seinfeld to its advantage. After all, for what other reason would you hire him? To put him in front of a computer?
Regardless of whether Microsoft wants to admit it or not, the company is perceived to be an "evil empire" that bullies other companies and lines its own pockets without helping anyone out. That may not be true, but when it comes to a company's image, the truth isn't always necessary.
And that's why the Seinfeld ads were so important. No, they didn't need to talk about Windows or Vista or even Microsoft, for that matter. What they needed to do was portray Bill Gates as a likable guy and use Seinfeld to do it. And most importantly, the ads needed to show that Microsoft wasn't as bad as everyone thinks.
But before it achieved that goal, Microsoft shelved Seinfeld and started attacking Apple. Am I the only person who realizes this is the dumbest thing for Microsoft to do right now?
If your company is still suffering from public perception problems, people don't like your hallmark product, and you're trying desperately to turn that tide, why in the world would you want to compete with Apple in winning the public's affection?
Apple? Are you kidding me? Sure, I can see beating up on Linux and maybe even attacking Google. But Apple? No way.
Apple hasn't just become a household name, it has become the most favored brand in the business. Its ads poking fun at Microsoft are blockbuster hits and adeptly illustrate the company's "cool" factor. Apple's ads ooze elegance and value, intelligence, and cunning. And all the while, Apple reaps the benefits of being the most beloved company in the space.
Doesn't Microsoft know that people genuflect at altars erected for Steve Jobs? Doesn't Microsoft know that the power of Apple ads is rooted in its ability to capitalize on Microsoft's PR problems?
And it's for that reason that targeting Apple's "I'm a Mac, and I'm a PC" campaign is one of the worst ideas Microsoft has had yet. It can't immediately attack the single company that can beat it every time in the public perception debate. If Apple, a company that's well-liked and held in high-regard says Microsoft isn't any good, and Microsoft, a company that's held in low-regard tries to say the exact opposite in its ads, which company do you think most consumers will believe?
That's what I thought.
Microsoft pushed Seinfeld away too soon. It should have spent more time improving its image before it took on Apple. But now that it hasn't, it better back off the fight for now, try to improve its image, and take the fight to Apple when the public will listen.
If it doesn't, this $300 million campaign will be nothing more than a waste of money.
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Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
-Don
Metrics like profit don't tell the whole story nor does it mean the future of MS is anything bu dark.
-Don
Momentum.
What idiots!
Having two really wealthy guys that have or should have moved on hawking goods to show they relate to the common person is demeaning.
I'm an Mac user and a Windows XP user, both work very well for my home and business use; my CAD users won't use Vista.
The ads stunk and weren't funny or informative. Like the early Apple ads and a few campaigns by other large firms since - the ads stunk and weren't funny or informative, and I didn't watch them. I'll miss the Seinfeld ads, great time to find something in the fridge...
-Don
http://www.exclusivestm.com/2008/09/19/pharrel-a-pc-everybody-ha-a-price/
-Don
-Don
Apple is loved because their products work, are elegant, are intuitive, provide exceptional value, and genuinely increase productivity and work satisfaction. I used PCs for 20 years before switching about 20 months ago. Now that I know better, I'll never use a PC again. That praise and loyalty isn't due to Apple's exceptionally good advertising - it is due to their exceptionally good product delivery.
-Don
Let's start with just the first part of that -
What kind of person "loves" a computer company? This statement always baffles me, and it's a sure sign that the Jobs hype is working. They are tools. Properly managed I can get the job done on any system I use.
Next - their products "work" - tell that to the iPhone 3g users who are STILL having issues with their phones even after the "fix all" update. Or the folks who wanted to pick up a copy of Spore and found out that in runs in emulation mode because there's far more money in programming for Windows rather than OSX? No, they have issues just like anyone else.
"provide exceptional value" - so, tell me why I get more hardware bang for the buck with a PC maker?
For the life of me, having used both systems for over 30 years, I will never understand how rational, thinking adults willingly make the choice of an OS a jihad. Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages. Pick the one that suits you best, but do it with your eyes open. Don't allow yourself to be lead around by the nose and blind to reality.
I do agree that parodying apples ads is a bad idea. But while I've gotten a chuckle out of apples ads I always thought they were rather distasteful as well. When one needs to stoop to insulting their competitors to get ahead, what does that say about the integrity of those at the helm of the company?
The problem is that they're image was so bad, that people jumped on them for a chance to tear apart a commercial. Its a commercial. Thats how much people hate Microsoft. They will waste time finding things wrong with their commercials (even though, they rate just fine with normal commercials). The people who complained were not the target audience either. Do you think commercials will REALLY sway anyone who reads tech sites?
I'm disappointed with Microsoft. After the first commercial, I was really looking forward to other ones. And I'm not a MS fanboy. I'm a XP, Vista, and Ubuntu user and I'm saving up for a Mac because, honestly, I think they look like useful machines. However, its not because I want to replace my Windows machines. I just like having multiple OSes because they all have their ups and downs. I use multiple browsers, why not OSes?
Huh?
Everyone knows about Vista already, They don't need to be told about the brand again.
The ads shoud be about SELLING Vista.
Exactly what is the point of doing an ad that doesn't even come close to telling you what Vista can do, how much Vista is better than XP and the other operating systems out there, and why you should get up and go buy a Vista PC today?
-Don
They should have stuck to their guns. I was actually enjoying the spots. Of course they were easy to criticize. But my sense was that they were on the road to greatness, given more time to settle in.
I think MSFT's withdrawal of the spots says more about them than if they had the guts to move forward, not caring what the initial reviews were. Many a memorable campaign have started like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hhVjSbV_oQ
-Don
p.s.s. Maybe this is just a ploy to gauge public opinion on the ads so far i.e. to see if people want more...?
Good thought!
-Don
-Don
I converted from PCs WAY back when the Mac SE came out. I use both PCs and Macs, because I have to, but there simply is NO comparison between the two. For so long it was difficult being a Mac user, because people didn't understand the extra value that Macs gave. The iMac, iPod, iTunes and iPhone put an end to all that. Suddenly people saw that the elegance that was an iPod was just the tip of the iceberg compared to a Mac. Once you use a Mac, you'll never go back to using a PC (unless you are like me, and you are forced to because of the company you work for). Slowly though, people are coming around. When my boss saw that I had Mac and Windows dual-booted on my MacBook Pro, he almost soiled himself. The next day he had a MacBook Pro (with every upgrade possible) and was asking what software to buy. After the weekend, he came up to me and said, "I've never had more fun with a computer in my life, this thing is like my new friend". I just nodded knowingly. Since that time, when we need a new computer, he buys a Mac (unless it's for some peon who only needs something cheap). The only reason we even boot into Windows on our Macs is because of Access. Microsoft KNOWS that if they port Access to the Mac, it's all over.
People that are diehard Windoze users, who hate Macs and use the "toy computer" line are one of four people:
1. People that haven't used a Mac. This includes people who are stuck in the past who still think that Macs are "good at graphics" only. They think that Macs today are like the Macs of the 1980s and early 90s. Many of these people can be converted if they use one and do so without prejudice.
2. People that think Macs are too expensive and dislike anything "pricey". They don't understand the value in a Mac. I've seen people who re-install Windows once a *month* and deal with problem after problem, but they just don't realize that this isn't normal! When I tell people that I haven't restarted my Mac in two or three months, they are astonished. You can convert people like this if you can get them to use a Mac for a few hours.
3. Tech-geeks. People that get off on the difficulty of an OS. You'll never convert these people. They like being "gurus" and the fact that Macs are easy to use and offer even beginners real power infuriates them. There are tech geeks using Macs, who love the fact that you can operate in Terminal mode, basically using Unix raw, but they aren't people that get off on the difficulty of a system.
4. Hard core gamers. It is true that there are many more games for the PC then there are for Macs. Most of the biggies are available on Mac (World of Warcraft, Sims, etc). People who severely mod their systems for games don't like Macs because they feel they can't be modded like a PC (and to a certain extent they are right). It is true that if you are a super hardcore gamer, the PC platform is your best bet. But, if you aren't a person who buys a PC simply to game with, a Mac is the better machine. Bottom line though, Macs have some ground to make up in this department.
Some PC users consider Mac users pompous or arrogant, and sometimes we can come off that way, but it's only because Macs are so much fun and so user friendly. It's almost like getting religion, you want to share that with all your friends and you can seem obnoxious because you are so committed. Happily, because of the iPod, iPhone, iMac and iTunes, people are beginning to understand why Macs are so much fun, and it's why now Macs are the number one laptop on college campuses.
The main thing about Apple is quality. Apple products are simply MUCH better designed and they constantly push the envelope. Also, the products last longer in both hardware durability and in usability. I have had my current (personal) laptop for over 5 years, it runs the latest OS (Leopard), is quick and there isn't any software that won't run on it, except for the few apps that are "Intel Mac" only. It is in excellent shape, despite the fact that I have used it like a madman. The bottom line is, Apple products are simply far, far better than any other products on the market. Apple innovates and everyone else plays catch up. My first generation iPod (with the mechanical click wheel) still works, and works fine. I bought my boys a brand new Sony PC three years ago for gaming, they never use it. They fight over the 24" iMac. The boy that has to use the Sony PC groans and is constantly asking me to fix problems. Bottom line, the "toy computer" days are long gone. If you want to easily spot someone ignorant of today's Mac (and an Apple hater) all you have to do is hear "toy computer", that tells you all you need to know.
17 crashes two different Vista OS since March 2007. Crashed last week and June 7th.
Apple is "well-liked" so therefore Microsoft shold blow $300 million on Seinfield ads that teh man in the street finds totally meaningless?
Tell this, how many Macs did Apple sell in the last quarter worldwide, despite all this "Apple love" you are talking about?
Apple sold a measelly 2.9 million Macs worldwide, as compared to a massive 70 million Windows PC's in the last quarter.
This is not about making "retro' or "with it" ads, or having the tiny number of people who buy Macs turn round and start liking Bill Gates or Microsoft.
These ads are about SELLING Vista. Period.
If you make an ad to sell Vista, and the target market (ordinary consumers), look at the ad, and shake their heads in puzzlement, then you have totally failed. Its as simple as that. It's not rocket science.
I think you are suffering from the same sickness that has hit Microsoft's execurves. You have lost all touch with reality. Your cushy job, has made you cluless about the grim reality of actually trying to sell something.
The Seinfeld ads ARE about selling Vista. They first build up the image and then use that as a foundation to make more ads talking about Vista. It's simple, it's easy, it would have worked.
And don't try to demean my "cushy job" because you don't agree. If you actually read the logic, you would know that the argument speaks directly to what marketers have been saying forever: image and product go hand-in-hand.
-Don
Also, you're forgetting that Microsoft is only in the OS business (when it comes to computers). Apple is in the OS and hardware business. So, Microsoft has to sell a LOT more stuff to make the kinds of profits Apple does (per unit).
Microsoft is smart enough to realize that the tide has turned and people are finally fed up with all the BS. People are turning to Apple in droves and MS wants to stop that tide (smart). Because, just because you're the leader today, doesn't mean you will be tomorrow. Remember IBM PCs? How about Apple II computers? Lotus 123 ring a bell? All those products dominated the market in their day, but that changed.
This is a fight for the hearts and minds of YOUNG people, the people who will be making the buying decisions when they grow older and become the managers, business owners and heads of corporations. If the trend continues, those stats you love to recite will be the other way around in 10 years.
The bottom line is, Vista is a HUGE failure. It is because MS is arrogant and doesn't give a rats ass about it's users. Do you know that the next big version of the Mac OS will have almost NO new features? That's right. This next version, Snow Leopard, is going to be about taking the OS to the bones and making it as lean and mean and bulletproof as possible. They promised that Snow Leopard will run significantly faster than the previous OS. Can you imagine MS doing that? No. All they do is continue to pump out a buggy, bloated OS that bogs down a computer so badly, you have to buy a new one to run it!!! What would happen if MS totally revamped Windows to be lean, mean and bulletproof, and running FASTER than Windows XP? How cool would that be? But it's not going to happen, because MS doesn't think that way. Apple does. Apple is about elegance, user friendliness and the experience of using Mac being as excellent as possible. The problems with MS aren't people's perceptions of Vista, that's bullcrap. I got a new PC at work with Vista on it and three of us totally wiped the hard drive and went back to XP because Vista SUCKS!!! You can do all the Mojave Project nonsense on me that you want, but it still won't fix a BLOATED piece of CRAP.
The day that MS finally begins to really respect and love it's users is the day that they will seriously compete with Apple for customer satisfaction, and not until. The bottom line is, MS has no class. They don't innovate, they just copy and they do that poorly. Apple is "well liked" because their products are GREAT, and their customer service is GREAT, and their OS is GREAT, and they treat their customers like GOLD!!! You can take your computer into any Apple store and they will bust their butt to fix it that day. They will help you with any problems you have, they have training, it's just a great place. Where is this place for MS? NO where. Apple is just a great company and MS isn't. You can't paint a turd, and Vista is a turd... a big stinking one.
-Don
-Don
Take the iPod for example. VERY easy to use, but is it not powerful? Hell yes it is. The same brilliance that went into the iPod and iPhone goes into Macs. Macs can dual boot into Windows and Mac, or Linux and Mac. Can PCs do that? No. You can hack the Mac system using Terminal and use any Unix software you want. VERY powerful, easy to use.
More and more people are beginning to understand that easy is hard, making something easy to use is VERY hard. Making Vista an unruly lump of garbage was EASY. I don't hate MS products just because they are from MS. I have an XBox 360 and love it (except the fact that I had to return it because the capacitors blew up). I have a MS trackball and I will NEVER use anything but that trackball, it's a great product. I don't hate MS, I hate what they DO TO US CUSTOMERS! I hate it that they don't give a rat's ass about us and keep churning out bloated, buggy, lousy OSes. Doesn't that make you mad? Come on, be real.
Macs have downsides, sure, but the advantages FAR out weigh those. When you get tired of working *on* Windows, rather that working with it, then try a Mac. Trust me, you'll wish you'd done it YEARS ago. I use both, I have to, which only highlights daily how bad Windows is compared to the Mac OS. There simply isn't any comparison. None. Macs just work, and they keep on working. If you don't like that, then nothing will change your mind.
-Don
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/f3800/msjudgex.htm
Even though things are a little different these days, since Apple uses Intel's chips and the Internet is where we do most of our work and play, Microsoft is still required to follow this thing called a consent decree in order to avoid further prosecution until 2009.
http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/misc/01-29ConsentDecree.mspx
Even if Apple had 10 percent market share overall--not just laptops--Microsoft would indeed still be a monopoly. How can you possibly argue otherwise? Are you unclear on the definition of the term? Calling Microsoft a monopoly is not "the common argument thrown out by MSFT haters," it's echoing the position of the U.S. government.
Personally, I don't even consider the two operating systems to be geared towards the same user. I've used OS X quite a bit, and it is a great OS, but it sacrifices control for ease of use. I use Vista on my computer, and I've never had a problem with it, but I can see how some would.
-Don
-Don
So explain why Microsoft is bothering with this gnat?
So what that Apple has a cutesy ad campaign. Based on these numbers Apple is wasting money creating the ads and doing any marketing.
If as you say Microsoft is so huge, why are we even discussing this anyway? Why are you Microsoft fans so upset? It shouldn't matter to you one way or another.
This new ads now try to show a new face for Microsoft, a more consumer-oriented interest.
If Microsoft didn't do a thing, people would eventually stop buying their products. With the bad reception Vista has had (which I actually think is quite unfair, Vista is a SO MUCH BETTER OS than XP) the next Windows version would probably have even worse sales than Vista, people would start looking at different options (Macs are selling a lot more than in previous years and university students are all buying them, which could lead to a potential increase in Apple's market share).
-Don
- by Anchelspain September 19, 2008 1:29 PM PDT
- Don, I think you got it all wrong.
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- by dd13reis September 19, 2008 3:19 PM PDT
- So you think Microsoft had this planned the whole time? No way. MSFT wanted more Seinfeld ads and wanted to enter the public psyche with them before they pelted us with Vista ads. MSFT got out too soon, it's that simple.
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- by Anchelspain September 19, 2008 11:32 PM PDT
- Oh, it's not that I think so.
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- by The_Decider September 20, 2008 12:05 AM PDT
- You mean Seinfeld made $10 million of two ads? Not bloody likely.
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- by Anchelspain September 20, 2008 10:20 AM PDT
- They were not rushed at all. Again, this campaign has been under development for many months. I recommend you read this article back from May in which they talk about Alex Bogusky. The article is from about three months after he started workign on the campaign: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/126/believe-it-or-not-hes-a-pc.html
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- by ckurowic September 20, 2008 10:42 AM PDT
- dd13reis: maybe too late? M$oft is already 2 years behind Apple in regards to the ads. Maybe they ought to take that 300 million and try to make an OS worth it's weight.
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Showing 1 of 4 pages (133 Comments)First of all, Microsoft hasn't changed the ads because of the reactions of people. It is a campaign that has been in development for several months and everything is well-planned way before it starts airing. I am studying advertising and public relations after all and I can assure you this is no casual thing.
Microsoft first wanted to attract people's attention in a light-hearted way. That's why Seinfeld was hired for the first ads, he is a well-known character who, with Bill Gates, would do something different for the company, take people's minds away from "Microsoft trying to sell a new product to us".
They could have gone further with those ads, sure. But there was no need for it. It was planned to move on to the next phase in the campaign.
This second phase doesn't try to seel you any product directly either. It's supposed to shape people's idea of Windows. And NO, it is NOT attacking Apple in any way. It just takes a cue from their ads and uses it for its own good. Never does the "I'm a PC" ad say anything wrong about Apple and it doesn't try to critizice their ads directly. Instead, it allows for people to see a different side of the coin. Apple has shown the problematic side of the Windows coin, now Windows wants to show people the positive one.
And the greatest thing is that in the meantime they don't try to sell you anything. They just give you a bunch of people saying that they are PCs as well. That's the single best part of the campaign: it's not selling you Windows Vista or a new PC or even a mobile phone. It just wants you to get a general idea of what the Windows brand means (the new re-designed and simplified Windows brand that includes Mobile, Live and Vista). If you get a good feeling about the brand name, then you'll be more likely to buy products from them later on.
And by the way, I bet Seinfeld will return for one last add. Mark my words here: when the last of the new Microsoft campaign ads airs, Seinfeld and Gates will both be in it, in the same style as the first two ads. They will be closing the campaign as if a TV serial had been where there's a beginning, a middle part and the end. In that closing ad, everything that has been shown so far will finally mix together and make sense into the "connecting with real people" thing they were doing in the first place.
Don't forget that.
And I'm with you on that bet. Seinfeld will be back -- as soon as MSFT realizes its mistake (probably too late).
-Don
A really important thing about this campaign is that Alex Bogusky has direct control over the PR department of Microsoft until the campaign ends. It is simply one of the requisites Crispin Porter + Bogusky ask before they get started in any campaign. The company believes that in order to create a successful communication with their customers it is necesary to obtain full control of every single act that relates to the public opinion. They don't just create some ads. They create a whole campaign. And in a big campaign such as this one, every single move has to be perfectly measured. The cost could be way too expensive otherwise, $300 million is not a number you can play with by cancelling and restarting again some ads.
So yes, this change from one kind of ads to the others is not a mistake by Microsoft. It is Alex Bogusky himself who had carefully drawn a timeline on when each ad should air. Changing a single ad before time would mean breaking up a campaign they have been preparing for many months. You can't just cut and paste different ads as you wish, they have to be PLANNED.
And again, Microsoft is not planning on selling Vista here. Their objective is not set on sales improvements for this year or the next, but instead to make sure that by the time the next series of Windows related products arrive, people won't receive them with such a negative-oriented mind.
These new ads were rushed, and it shows. Like Vista, they are a bad copy of Apple.
The Seinfeld/Gates ads were embarrassingly retarded. However wrote it now qualifies for a handicapped sticker.
And I'm afraid you're not going to like this, but this is the same guy who has worked on some Apple advertising campaigns. Seing how much you love Apple, you'd have to apply that their campaigns have been made by the "handicapped sticker" you mentioned in your comment.
Before I finish, Vista is NOT a crappy copy of OS X. It is an evolution of Windows XP at its best, learning some improvements from other markets as well, but creating their own ideas too (which Apple has copied sometimes as well). When you create something interesting in a market, it is just plain stupid not to follow the trend in your own products as long as you don't cause copyright infringements. The simplified Control Panel from XP allowed Apple to create a new Control Panel for newer OS X versions. The Widgets system from Konfabulator (later on Yahoo! Widgets) inspired Apple and Microsoft to include them in ther OSs. Google Desktop Search inspired Apple and Microsoft to include them as well in Tiger and Vista.
If you are going to criticize Microsoft for copying Apple, please provide examples of what you're saying instead of just making claims as if those were everything we needed to know.
Anchelsprain: right back at you, the burden of proof lies with those making the allegations. You provide NO credible sources for your arguments. If you expect people to listen to what you have to say, give us some citations. And yes I do have a source for stating M$oft is 2 years behind Apple with ads, simply look at the Apple web page, the ads started in 2006. It is now 2008.