Seinfeld And Gates: Shoe Shopping For Microsoft

The below spot, the first ad produced by Crispin Porter+Bogusky for Microsoft, is being severely criticized and attacked by some Microsoft advocates on twitter and several other social media sites as "bad".



Personally, I think it's hilarious, memorable and one of the first Microsoft ads that will have great appeal to the Mac audience and jaded Microsoft users. It's true that it shows no hardware, software or 'technology' per se but we all know that's what Microsoft does and we don't need to be told that yet again.

Microsoft doesn't need to explain who they are, nor show us a particular product (for that, you can just look at any tech site or magazine), but instead help broaden their appeal and build confidence back into the brand after the Windows Vista release disappointed so many.

This spot makes Bill Gates approachable and likeable as opposed to an 'evil corporate giant' and the message is about the future. Besides The 'shoe circus clown club member' bit (a nod toward Seinfeld's past ads for American Express) is worth the entire 60 seconds.

The spot is the first commercial ad released by Crispin Porter+Bogusky (and apparently one of several to come) for Microsoft but their "Mojave Experiment", a series of internet ads and banners that utilize the unoriginal, but tried and true "try it, you'll like it" approach, has been out for sometime now.