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Latest post 09-09-2008 1:08 AM by bob_on_the_cob. 15 replies.
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  • 08-21-2008 3:50 PM

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    Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    Let's be honest: even if you use a PC you have to admit the Apple "Get a Mac" ads are hip, funny, and clever. Despite our PVR, we will stop in the middle of a commercial skip and watch a new "Get a Mac" ad.

    The latest "Get a Mac" ad, "Off the Air," ratchets up the rhetoric somewhat by saying that "fear of switching is the foundation of customer loyalty for PCs."





    Microsoft's apparently grown weary of these ads and, according to the Wall Street Journal (paid subscription required), Microsoft is ready to unveil a new ad campaign, with the slogan "Windows, Not Walls" as its tagline, and with Jerry Seinfeld as one of the key celebrities involved.
    Those people say the point is to stress breaking down barriers that prevent people and ideas from connecting. The campaign, said to debut Sept. 4, is one of the largest in the company's history.

    The attempted image overhaul comes as Microsoft executives privately acknowledge that Windows -- the company's most important brand -- has grown stale and has been battered by Apple's "Mac vs. PC" ads.
    Personally, the message is more important than the spokesperson, IMHO, as it's not like the Apple ads used A-list stars. Obviously now many people know that the Mac Guy is Justin Long (dating Drew Barrymore didn't hurt), and that the PC Guy is John Hodgman, but in the beginning, they were pretty unknown.
    "They are not seen as cool," says Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, a New York branding firm. "Apple is cool. Can anyone even recall a Microsoft ad? No." Apple and its brand-obsessed CEO, Steve Jobs, have been producing distinctive advertising since its famous "1984" campaign, which debuted that year in the Super Bowl.
    Of course not! Microsoft is definitely not cool. What Windows is, however, is ubiquitous. And perhaps that's something else Microsoft should focus on: Windows Everywhere.



    Microsoft also plans to feature Bill Gates in the ad. While he's definitely an icon in computing, he's also definitely not cool. The campaign was created by Crispin Porter + Bogusky, a Miami-based ad shop that has helped brands such as Burger King recover some of their mojo.



    We'll see what happens, starting Sept. 4th.
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  • 08-21-2008 6:20 PM In reply to

    • 3vi1
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    RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    10 years too late. Literally.
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  • 08-21-2008 6:49 PM In reply to

    • warlord
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    Re: RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    Very true it would have made more sense to use a younger more in ouch actor to attack the younger demograph. That is why macs commercials work
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  • 08-22-2008 12:03 PM In reply to

    • 3vi1
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    RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    Seinfeld probably already helped sell more Mac's than he'll ever do for Windows PCs anyway - since there was a highly visible Mac sitting in Jerry's apartment.
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  • 08-22-2008 12:37 PM In reply to

    • rapid1
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    RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    Maybe they'll make bill gates play Kramer........
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  • 08-22-2008 4:23 PM In reply to

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    RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    "Let's be honest: even if you use a PC you have to admit the Apple "Get a Mac" ads are hip, funny, and clever."

    Um...no I don't. They're annoying, outright fallacious mute-bait. Nothing in the least bit funny or clever in them. If I knew nothing else about Apple, I wouldn't buy a Mac based solely on those commercials. It's a worse ad campaign then those retarded cavemen insurance commercials.
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  • 08-22-2008 6:46 PM In reply to

    • ice_73
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    Re: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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     having used macs, they arent bad for creative stuff ie garage band, photoshop, but for gaming? cmon.... i think a good advantage of windows is that it supports nearly all software (macs need special software), and of course gaming!

    if however macs get some good gaming hardware and all... i just might switch O_o

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  • 08-22-2008 10:05 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    rapid1:
    Maybe they'll make bill gates play Kramer........

    LMAF! That would be sweet.

    If you'r upset because you can't afford shoes look at the man that has no legs. Lifes not so badBig Smile
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  • 08-24-2008 5:38 PM In reply to

    • 3vi1
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    RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    >> "a good advantage of windows is that it supports nearly all software (macs need special software)..." <<

    They *both* need "special" software, i.e. software written for their OS.

    This isn't an advantage for Windows, unless the Windows software doesn't suck compared to the Mac software. With things like Cider, Crossover, and Darwine improving daily, Windows is losing ground.
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  • 08-24-2008 7:02 PM In reply to

    • ice_73
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    Re: RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    3vi1:
    >> "a good advantage of windows is that it supports nearly all software (macs need special software)..." <<

    They *both* need "special" software, i.e. software written for their OS.

    This isn't an advantage for Windows, unless the Windows software doesn't suck compared to the Mac software. With things like Cider, Crossover, and Darwine improving daily, Windows is losing ground.
     


    what i meant is that its harder to find software writen for macs, if you go into nearly any store they will have much more windows software usually.
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  • 08-24-2008 8:47 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    3vi1:


    With things like Cider, Crossover, and Darwine improving daily, Windows is losing ground.

    When I can run games at full settings at full speed. My windows partition will be gone.

    If you'r upset because you can't afford shoes look at the man that has no legs. Lifes not so badBig Smile
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  • 08-26-2008 2:53 PM In reply to

    • 3vi1
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    RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    >> "what i meant is that its harder to find software writen for macs, if you go into nearly any store they will have much more windows software usually."

    How about at the Apple Store?  Big Smile

    Mac (http://www.finkproject.org/) and Linux (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adept_Package_Manager, http://www.nongnu.org/synaptic/ , http://wiki.mandriva.com/en/Docs/Basic_tasks/Installing_and_removing_software, etc.), users don't spend a lot of time in software stores. We look through the list of thousands of packages, click two buttons and the program installs, for free.

    Much of the same software available through these systems is freely available for Windows users too, but MS doesn't really want you to know that so they've kept the "Add/Remove Programs" applet in a crippled state for years.
    • Post Points: 20

  • 08-27-2008 1:54 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    Add/remove software shouldn't even be compared to Synaptic. Synaptic is amazing.

    If you'r upset because you can't afford shoes look at the man that has no legs. Lifes not so badBig Smile
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  • 08-28-2008 1:13 PM In reply to

    • 3vi1
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    RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    Too true. If I don't just apt-get from the command line, I use Synaptic.

    Kubuntu uses Adept by default, but I usually just apt-get Synaptic so that I don't have to use it. Adept v3.0 is improving, but it tends to get broken off and on during the alpha releases while Synaptic has a history of always working. :)

    -J
    • Post Points: 20

  • 08-28-2008 6:55 PM In reply to

    Re: RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    Never tryed Adept.

    If you'r upset because you can't afford shoes look at the man that has no legs. Lifes not so badBig Smile
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  • 09-09-2008 1:08 AM In reply to

    Re: RE: Microsoft to Try "Going Hip" with Seinfeld Ads

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    Not sure if ads like this are helping there image.

    Kinda RIAAish and everyone knows how there image has been the last few year.

    I snapped this off of hardocps homepage.

    If you'r upset because you can't afford shoes look at the man that has no legs. Lifes not so badBig Smile
    • Post Points: 5
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