Jerry Seinfield and Bill Gates headline new Windows TV Ad

And so finally Microsoft fought back. Or so it seems.

Yesterday the first of the new series of Microsoft TV Campaign premiered on US television. It was noticed, yes. Discussed, yes. Blogged about, yes. But was it effective? Did it deliver its message across? Or more so, did it deliver the right message to its target audience?

Sadly, no.

Personally, i have waited for this campaign to be shown since i first knew about it weeks ago. I must say, i was even excited about it. The campaign has been reported to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars and will come as a series of television commercials headlined by some of Hollywood’s elite stars. It will even be done by Crispin Porter + Bogusky, a Miami based agency responsible for the award winning ads of Burger King.

So i said to myself: good for you Microsoft. It’s about time you act on it and regain your stance. I am not a Windows fan neither am i an Apple fan. As i have said before, to me they’re tools to make one productive (and not religions to go all cultish about) and I use both operating systems in my daily life and whilst Apple has clearly the design+stability edge, Windows has the flexibility+interoperability advantage (well, at least before Vista came to be). I need these advantages, all of them, so i use them both.

BUT when i saw the ad, i was disappointed. BIG TIME. I expected more from Microsoft. I expected something different and cutting edge. Simple and on-target. I told myself: is this the ad that is suppose to help Microsoft re-establish Vista in the market? Is this the ad that will go head-to-head with Apple’s Get-A-Mac commercials?

For a campaign touted by Microsoft itself to “reposition (itself) to tell a better story about Windows Vista, to counter attacks by rival Apple and let customers know that Vista is finally stable and ready“, the commercial is pathetic. It lacks credibility.

First, the concept+message was vague, it did not hit the target. A television commercial is suppose to get you during the first ten (10) seconds so that you’ll actually watch it till the end and know what it’s telling you about. At least, that’s how I see it.

Second, i know the commercial is suppose to be funny and smart (hey, its Jerry Seinfield! Surprise! Surprise!). But it isn’t. What i find funny about it is Bill Gates himself being in it. The comedic approach to it seemed a bit off.

Third, a Shoe (Circus) shop? Big discounts? Conquistador? Mexicans? What was that all about? Couldn’t it be more tacky?

Okay, okay. I said to myself: Microsoft deserves its big chance. The company worked hard for years to give the world all those Service Packs for XP to make it the BEST operating system the planet has ever experienced! You give it a second spin.

Maybe the commercial is supposed to be interpreted as per every frame and the message is there, as per interpretation, within the: (a)Leather not fitting and being tight on Bill Gates, (b)Seinfield recommeding Conquistador and showcasing its “flexibility and adaptability”, (c)Mexicans being in awe/wondering about the Conquistador (dunno if its referring to Gates or to the shoes), (d)Bill having Conquistador on a BIG discount for having a “loyalty” card (hmmm, could this be a sign that Vista will finally be affordable?), and (e)Bill listening to the need/want of Jerry (Microsoft listens to the consumers! It does, really.)

So i watched it again.

And again.

And again. Just so i am sure to get a clear picture of what Microsoft is telling me.

And i think i got it.

It’s not a Mac.