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The second Seinfeld and Gates Microsoft ad

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Re: The second Seinfeld and Gates Microsoft ad

#72

Post by astine »

timr wrote: post #60
halo wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the opinion that the 'misunderstandings' largely consist of either preconceived notions of what the ad campaign would be like or, more commonly, anti-Microsoft sentiment repeatedly raising its ugly head and any Microsoft advertising campaign would not please those people. I think the ads are generally quite strong - kooky, memorable, unique and a talking point... if not particularly funny (FWIW, I didn't find…

"I have the opinion that the 'misunderstandings' largely consist of either preconceived notions of what the ad campaign would be like or, more commonly, anti-Microsoft sentiment repeatedly raising its ugly head and any Microsoft advertising campaign would not please those people." They're trying to change anti-Microsoft sentiment with these ads. If the ad does nothing for people who don't like Microsoft, than arguabl…

The trick isn't to convince the hard line critics, but to marginalize them. The vast majority of people have no hard fast opinions on the matter and are only aware of what the trends are. If Microsoft can put out a positive message and get that message repeated and talked about, the naysayers will begin to look silly. There's just enough latent resentment against the snobbishness of the Mac campaigns for this to work.

This is not just marketing, it's politics. You could draw parallels to current US presidential election, but I won't because I know where it will lead.

Re: The second Seinfeld and Gates Microsoft ad

#73

Post by astine »

shaunxcode wrote: post #63

Do you think the reference to the "old car with weeds growing over it's tires" is a reference to mac os x being built on top of *nix?

No. It's a reference to the nosy suburbanite stereotype. Cars weren't featured enough in the commercial for it to work as a Mac vs PC metaphor.

Re: The second Seinfeld and Gates Microsoft ad

#74

Post by Tichy »

froo wrote: post #43
Tichy wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait, I can create buzz by creating something bad and gradually making it better? That sounds brilliant - suddenly a lot of my projects have gained a new perspective...

exhibit a) cuil I rest my case.

Has cuil gained some traction now? I lost track when it was in the "bad" stage.

Re: The second Seinfeld and Gates Microsoft ad

#78

Post by gojomo »

neilc wrote: post #70
gojomo wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The comments pro or con are irrelevant; the submission and ranking (currently the #2 story) are my concerns. We're giving free placement to a company that is (1) rich enough to buy our attention, if it needs it; (2) arguably 'dead' as an animating force for our industry (as in PG's 'Microsoft is Dead' essay). Their desperate-but-cutesy ad campaign does not deserve to be our 'news'. Voting up this goofball lowbrow cra…

Nonsense. The ad is interesting and faintly amusing, and the advertising strategy from which it is drawn is worthy of discussion. I think you are vastly overreacting to say it is "goofball lowbrow crap", or that it "makes us into Microsoft's tools": YCers are more than capable of viewing an ad without being brainwashed, I think.

Again missing the point. Of course we won't be brainwashed. We're all media-savvy and generally ad-resistant.

But should a 4+ minute skit from Microsoft be 'top of mind' news for hackers? Did watching it make you a better hacker? Did it give you marketing insights that work for anyone other than a fading monopolist with money to burn on sitcom celebrities? Do the best hackers spend a lot of time watching, and chit-chatting about, giant companies' clumsy viral marketing efforts?

The value here is in finding what is uncommon. Content-free celebrity-filled Microsoft ad campaigns are as depressingly common as you can get.

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