Bill Gates’ wiggling butt is a flop on TV

Microsoft has apparently pulled the failed ad campaign with Seinfeld and Gates visiting a families home after a few days. In corporate marketing spin they are saying it was meant to run that way. Someone approved an ad campaign to only run a few times then get thrown away? How does that make any sense? Don’t watch The Matrix – in fact you will not be allowed back into the theatre, and if you see it in the theatre you will not be allowed to purchase it on DVD. The guy from Spider Man is about to sign a huge deal for the next 2 movies. People invest in solid ventures for the long term. Not a one day flash of garbage.

All the while the Gates ad was running, and before and after, Apple has had a jingle for some iPod device. The song is a cute tune, my wife has it on her myspace page, and if I hear the song on the TV I know what product it is advertising without even seeing the screen.

I liked the comments over at http://minimsft.blogspot.com/2008/09/tap-tap-tap-is-this-thing-on.html about the ad campaign and its feedback as a flop. Want something less partial, read the Newsweek article and its comments at http://www.newsweek.com/id/160064

I thought Bill Gates told the public he was leaving Microsoft to work on his public interest efforts and serve on the Board of Directors. How does having him as one of the two main performers in an ad campaign wiggling his butt help drive product adoption? How does it show the faith of the Board of Directors in the management that a guy stepping out of the picture is now in a brand new ad campaign?

Then in the I am a PC campaign he makes another appearance. Is there anyone in the world thinks he doesn’t use a PC? Get me that mini me actor who did a commercial with the extra large powerbook notebook while sitting on an airplane. Or get me the college wash out guy from the Apple commercials. That would be funny and interesting.

Bill Gates’ butt wiggling isn’t interesting. And having him standing alongside the star of a TV show that aired in the previous decade isn’t going to attract new and younger customers.

What is the name of the jingle in the new Apple commercial for the color iPods? Ask that to people and you will get an answer. Ask them to name the celebrities in the I am a PC campaign and you will probably not get as great of a response.

A great commercial – yes and even more – a great ad campaign: Wazzzuuupppp???????????? – Remember that?  Here comes the King – we all know what beer. How about that piece of classical music that tells us what is for dinner tonight. Very few people know the name of it, or who composed it, but when they hear it, people know beef. Have it your way. I’d like to teach the world to sing. Go back earlier – the fast talking guy – yes Joe Isuzu. Or the fedex guy – take your pick. polop plop fizz fizz. Time to make the doughnuts. Where it history can we gind a great commerical that only runs for a few days and is remembered, drives image, helps sales, or helps profit for the advertiser?

We will not be seeing Bill Gates butt in follow-up’s. Maybe we will see it in a future VH-1 “I love the 2000′s” as worst commercial of 2008.

Filed Under: soapbox

Tags: business, humor, microsoft