Microsoft has totally lost its marbles

[Miasma]

I don't know if they're actually supposed to be funny.  It seems to me that they are trying instead to humanize Microsoft, which I think the ads do accomplish.  They aren't trying to make you like them so much a they are trying to make you not hate them.  The ads are supposed to be a bit odd and awkward.

[HaemishM]

#2 - 5 minute version w/Bill Gates doing "the Robot" at the end
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBWPf1BWtkw

But is it FUNny? No, not really, Jerry needs to give Larry David a call. Or something.

Dear fucking God, just stop it. PLEASE? It hurts.

[naum]

Now this OTOH is funny:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2bxO3NluXA

[Yegolev]

My boy likes the one where PC is inside a pizza box.

[WayAbvPar]

Those Mac commercials make me want to punch Justin Long in the dick.

[Tebonas]

I like the Mac commercials, but I don't think I'm supposed to like the PC guy and dislike the Mac douche.

But I totally do.

[naum]

I like the Mac commercials, but I don't think I'm supposed to like the PC guy and dislike the Mac douche.

I  the Mac commercials and dislike the Mac guy too… …John Hodgman is the star and comedic genius of the deal…

[NiX]

In other news...

By now you’ve probably seen the Gates/Seinfeld commercials from Microsoft.  If not, you have no need to worry.  It seems two “episodes” as some have called them are all we’ll see.  The next phase of the $300 million marketing campaign will start soon.  The next step: have a Microsoft engineer that looks a lot like John Hodgeman of the Mac commercials to say “Hello, I’m a PC, and I’ve been made into a stereotype.” What follows will be celebrities and Microsoft employees, including Bill Gates showing that they, too, are PC users.

Rest of the article here.

Edit: Didn't know the video was out. You can watch it here

[Trippy]

Microsoft’s ‘I’m a PC’ Ads Created On Macs

Not surprising but still amusing.

[lamaros]

I like the Windows ads much more than the Mac ones. As it was so eloquently put above, my response to the Mac ads is on the same level as my response to hipsters.

[stray]

That Mac guy.. the actor.. he's funny, but those commercials don't do it for me. For one, they just play into that whole hipster shit that you guys loathe... and being "hip" isn't even the issue at all on why Apple's machines are a good choice or why Mac people have used Macs this whole time. I mean, I'm with you on that being a shitty point to sell something.

Besides, the "hipsters" are a myth. They never existed. Yet, now they probably do, just because of those commercials.

Before, Apple had a lot of artists, film geeks, and musicians as a heavy fan base -- who just "happened" to be fairly worldly/cool people who preferred Macs for creative uses. They may or may not have been "hip", but if they were, it had nothing to do with them using Macs.

Secondly, after OS X, you had a lot of UNIX gurus jumping on board. And I'm talking real UNIX gurus -- the kind that look like Santa Claus, and used to punch cards and shit -- these kind of guys started showing up at Macworld as well.

But that's really it.

[naum]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1JIa5r5nkE

[stray]

Very funny! I haven't really been following this thread and have no clue why you posted that here, but it was good.

Funny that it was just cycling through the same photograph too.

[NiX]

He posted it because John Hodgman is the narrator in the video.

[Venkman]

Welp, that's the end of that. But apparently, it was all, part, of the, plan 

[lamaros]

Not sure why you've gone for the  , there. I think it is entirely believable.

[Venkman]

Oh, not the question the veracity. It was just because of the "all part of the plan" quote from The Dark Knight

[stray]

Microsoft has it all wrong. *shakes head*

All they need to do is show (and keep on showing) some hot, cool chick that no one really dislikes using windows. Say, Gwen Stefani. Want to "humanize"? Then it's that simple. And sad. Pharell Williams isn't a bad idea, but not enough people know him. Also, he's not a hot girl.

"Deepak Chopra" is not a step up from Seinfeld. Might as well put in Joel Osteen and Tom Cruise.

[edit] Scratch all of that. Just put Jack Black in the same room as Bill Gates. THEN it will be funny. Whether it made sense or not.

[lamaros]

Most people are not you Stray and Gewn Stefani and Jack Black would do shit all for them. You've got to stop saying things that you would like as if they're objective points. Using a "hot cool chick" to sell something isn't exactly a novel idea.

[Surlyboi]

Not everybody's you either Lam. To each their own.

And I know for a fact Pharell uses Macs to sequence his beats.

[stray]

Most people are not you Stray and Gewn Stefani and Jack Black would do shit all for them. You've got to stop saying things that you would like as if they're objective points. Using a "hot cool chick" to sell something isn't exactly a novel idea.

Uh, I don't personally care much about Gwen Stefani or Jack Black. They're just examples for a type. Don't get all caught up on some bullshit about me trying to parade "favorite celebrities", or whatever it is you're doing there. I'm just saying... Gwen's a musician whom people of different tastes like, and she's attractive. Fit someone else in there with the same profile if you like. See if I give a fuck. The only reason why I mentioned Jack Black is because a comedic schtick like they had with Seinfeld would be more memorable (not to mention younger) with Black. Nothing more. I have no clue on whether Black prefers Macs or not, but to me, he fits the profile of the other "geek" to me. On one hand, you have the "I'm a PC" guy variety that Apple makes fun of. On the other, you have the "hipster" Justin Long variety. Bring in Jack Back to act out the third type. He's cooler than both. And again, if you don't like him, then fit someone else in the profile.

Basically, Apple has forced Microsoft into a "who's cooler" contest with their commercials. You can play it straight and respond with a hot, talented chick doing useful things on her computer (edit: in fact, now that I recall... HP does just that with Gwen Stefani herself), or do some comedic bit with an even cooler type of geek.

Also, there's no need to accuse me of trying to claim to be novel. I never said I was. The whole point on why I said "hot cool chick" is precisely because it isn't novel. I spelled it out : I said that it was "that simple and that sad".

[Merusk]

Bullshit chest thumping out of the way, MS's new commercials are much better.  I saw the first one last night and they should have gone this route from the start.   Although the little African village bit was kind of out there.  I don't think of Africa when I think of technology, or well, anything not having to do with guns and violence.

[Yegolev]

What's funny about the fat beardos who used to use punch cards, those guys roll(ed) their eyes at the UNIX hipsters.  Circle of life or something.  Anyway, getting into a who's-cooler slapfight is a dumb move when your OS is garbage.

[stray]

Yeah, it sucks. I'm just saying though. For the sake of talking about advertising. Not so much for the product per se. 

[Yegolev]

If Scarlett Johannsen dropped by my house, she might be able to convince me to buy Vista.  It would be a tough sell over television, though.

[Surlyboi]

Nah, it would take Scarlett Johannsen, Kiera Knightley and Natalie Portman, (complete with hot grits) to make me even think of letting Vista into my home.

[Yegolev]

Ah, shit, those three together would even get me to install it!  Assuming they all have the afternoon free and like Boone's Farm.