Microsoft Enlists Jerry Seinfeld In Its Ad Battle Against Apple

The Wall Street Journal (excerpt) (subscription required) ^ | August 21, 2008 | SUZANNE VRANICA and ROBERT A. GUTH

[HAL9000]

Excerpt -

Microsoft Corp., weary of being cast as a stodgy oldster by Apple Inc.'s advertising, is turning for help to Jerry Seinfeld.

The software giant's new $300 million advertising campaign, devised by a newly hired ad agency, has been closely guarded. But Mr. Seinfeld will be one of the key celebrity pitchmen, say people close to the situation. He will appear with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates in ads and receive about $10 million for the work, they say.

~ snip ~

[HAL9000]

I'm probably the only person on the planet who never watched his TV show.

[eyedigress]

That’s Kooky Talk!

[F15Eagle]

He helped Leapin’ Larry and the Super Terrific Comedy Hour

[HAL9000]

According to the article, the new slogan for the product is "Windows, Not Walls".

Good luck with that.

[John Valentine]

"Windows, Not Walls"

That's a joke, right?

[HAL9000]

The full article is legally available here without a subscription -

http://www.moneyweb.co.za/mw/view/mw/en/page39?oid=221125&sn=Detail

[Lancey Howard]

I'm probably the only person on the planet who never watched his TV show.

Great show. Some episodes are absolute masterpieces, and the casting was always perfect.

[Rummyfan]

He will appear with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates in ads and receive about $10 million for the work, they say.

Not bad work if you can get it.....

[HAL9000]

I'm not knocking Jerry Seinfeld, I just don't watch a lot of network television.

My idea of a good TV show is the Olympics and the political conventions, so I'm watching more TV now.

[JerseyHighlander]

I’d bet Jerry’s young trophy wife used an Apple to plagiarize “her” recipe book.

[Global2010]

No the only one of three people.

KV and I are with ya.

[Global2010]

Geez again in line with us.

With KV being home down waiting to meet with the OHSU surgeons the Olympics and Conventions could not come at a better time.

For me watching network tv or cable shows is like having that creepy crawly low back feeling that makes you want to kick your legs for hours just to fall asleep.

[anymouse]

Seinfield’s great marketing slogan for MicroSoft.

“You like Apples? Not that there is anything wrong with that.” ;)

[Caipirabob]

I'm probably the only person on the planet who never watched his TV show.

I didn't except for two episodes I was chided into see from folks at work. 1) The Contest (TMI for 30 minutes) and 2) Man Hands (Funny, but I had heard the whole story verbatim so it was like watching a rerun of "I Love Lucy".

[Leisler]

On the show, Jerry had a MacIntosh in his apartment.

[SpaceBar]

I'm probably the only person on the planet who never watched his TV show.

You can place me firmly in that club as well. Five minutes of the kvetching Jerry Lewis wannabee was all I could handle.

[taildragger]

I watched 5 minutes once, and was so annoyed by their nothingness I turned it off.

I Wish I could do that with Windows....

[GulfWar1Vet]

Yada yada yada They think a comedian can fix the woes of the PC? What a joke.

[meowmeow]

I'm probably the only person on the planet who never watched his TV show.

Nope - there are at least 3 of us.

[Mr. K]

microsoft should ignore those Apple Ads

they are funny

just point out that Apple is twice the price and always has been

Besides, why ruin their free R&D department

[Locomotive Breath]

I never watched it either. Who cares about a bunch of whiney New Yorkers.

Appearing with Gates, Seinfeld will be the “cool” guy. Just barely.

Maybe Vista will be portrayed as the soup Nazi (I saw it on youtube). Do it my way or “No computing for you!”

I don’t know about everyone else but I can’t pass through a window any more than I can pass through a wall.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Great show. Some episodes are absolute masterpieces, and the casting was always perfect.

Absolutely agree. Incredible bunch of writers too.

[raybbr]

I'm probably the only person on the planet who never watched his TV show.

I never "watched" it except for maybe two episodes. I think Seinfeld is terribly boring.

[MichiganMan]

Microsoft Corp., weary of being cast as a stodgy oldster by Apple Inc.'s advertising, is turning for help to Jerry Seinfeld.

I can see the brilliance in this. This is an incredibly hip move by Microsoft.

If it were 1998.

Yep, nothing shows you're not stodgy than bringing in the guy who had that hip edgy show last century.

You kids! With your Offices, your Two Men, and When I Met Your Mother...aahhh! Now Seinfeld! THAT was a show... Now get the hell off my lawn!

[bert]

.....You kids!.....Now get the hell off my lawn!.....

But pick up all those little green BB’s before you go!!

[Larry Lucido]

I watched 5 minutes once, and was so annoyed by their nothingness I turned it off.

Same here. All during the 90's I got "You look like Seinfeld" or "You look like Kramer" but couldn't stand to even watch the show. The first full episode I actually watched was The Finale.

Then I watched a re-run of "The Handicapped Spot" at a friends house and was hooked, though I refused to admit it at first, and hid it like it was Kenny Rogers Chicken.

[Larry Lucido]

#26 was supposed to be a Seinfeld Ping.

Want to be on our list? You must name names.

[hunter112]

Pushing an OS that’s about nothing, I see. Jerry Seinfeld, from Bee Movie, to B-software...

[Sacajaweau]

It carried a lot of “life lessons”...like “shrinkage”.

[stylecouncilor]

ping

[Swordmaker]

Microsoft recruits Jerry Seinfeld in anti-Mac campaign—PING!

(Pssst... Jerry Seinfeld is a Mac user...) Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[vox_freedom]

Pssssst, Jerry Seinfeld is a “has been.”

[Tribune7]

Jerry was pretty hip in 1996.

Actually, the show was/is pretty funny. I watched a rerun today that broke me up.

[BlazingArizona]

Seinfield’s great marketing slogan for MicroSoft.

I would add:

"No Windows XP for you!"
"Vista - it's European!"

[6SJ7]

I watched 5 minutes once, and was so annoyed by their nothingness I turned it off.

You've got the point of Seinfeld. It was a show about nothing! There were a series of episodes where George and Jerry pitch a "show about nothing" to the TV execs.

[SunkenCiv]

Seinfeld the show was funny, too bad Seinfeld the “comedian” isn’t.

I wonder how many programmers could have have been employed for the price JS charges for this?

[Kirkwood]

“According to the article, the new slogan for the product is “Windows, Not Walls”. “

Levels, Jerry.

[KosmicKitty]

weary of being cast as a stodgy oldster by Apple Inc.'s advertising, is turning for help to Jerry Seinfeld.

And how OLD is Seinfeld now? Got to be in his 50's. The guy who plays PC in the Mac ads is much younger.

[DouglasKC]

Those Apple commercials are perfect fodder for someone like Jerry Seinfeld. Look at it...the PC guy is always dressed nice, always willing to work. Sure he screws up, but who doesn’t? Who is perfect. Meanwhile the Mac guy is never doing anything. He just stands around, kind of laid back. Slacking. The message for business is clear. PC works. He tries. He has ambition. Mac stands around and look cool.

[Uri’el-2012]

Pushing an OS that’s about nothing,

I see. Jerry Seinfeld, from Bee Movie, to B-software...

BINGO !

[antiRepublicrat]

Here too. Never sould stand Seinfeld, the person or the show. Kramer was entertaining though.

[coconutt2000]

It would be funny if the look and feel of the new MS campaign is identical to the Apple ads.