Bill Gates Fires Seinfeld – With Video
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After a confused reaction to the first two instalments of Microsoft’s new advertising campaign, the company have opted not to include stand-up comic and sitcom legend Jerry Seinfeld in the commercials.
The adverts, for which Jerry Seinfeld was reportedly paid a fee of $10m, depicted two scenarios in which Seinfeld and Microsoft founder Bill Gates attempted to ‘connect’ with ordinary people. In the first, the hapless pair went shoe-shopping and in the follow-up stayed with a suburban family. “You and I are a little out of it,” Jerry announced to Gates in the latter of the two ads. “You’re living in some kinda moon house hovering over Seattle like the mothership. I’ve got so many cars I get stuck in my own traffic. We need to connect with real people.”
Whilst many commentators appreciated the adverts’ humour and witty dialogue, the consensus was that they were difficult to follow and that the underlying message – that Microsoft needed to do more to connect with consumers – was too negative to form the backbone of a succesful campaign.
Advertising agency Crispin Porter and Bogusky are at the helm of a PR push for Microsoft believed to be worth in the region of $300m.
The second ad, the one that got him fired:
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