Posted by Dayngerous at 9/5/08 1:18 p.m.

Since I don't find Jerry Seinfeld in the least bit entertaining, the ad just annoyed me. Total waste of time, no information imparted, nothing of interest mentioned, and the script was lame.

Posted by jafabian at 9/5/08 1:37 p.m.

Interesting Jerry would advertise for Microsoft when he consistently had a Mac in his TV apartment all those years his show was on.

Posted by fletc3her at 9/5/08 1:43 p.m.

I'm curious about what direction they are going to take the ad campaign in. It appears they are setting up Bill Gates as a figure kind of like Dave Thomas at Wendy's. I don't think what's lacking at Microsoft is a spokesperson, what's lacking is a clearly enumerated set of reasons to upgrade to Vista.

Posted by unregistered user at 9/5/08 1:43 p.m.

agreed, dayngerous. this commercial is thoroughly unamusing. where do we request our refund of the minute we wasted?

jafabian, is it really that interesting that actors will do stuff for money?

well, all actors except for my friend phoebe buffay, that is...

Posted by Will in Seattle at 9/5/08 1:46 p.m.

Jerry who?

Didn't he die back last century?

Man, if they're that out of it, no wonder most people don't want Vista ...

Posted by BenStatic at 9/5/08 1:50 p.m.

I kept waiting for the sales pitch - the product pitch... it almost came at the end, but it never came.

As the ad ended, I bust up laughing going "WTF!"

I liked the ad (and BTW - I too hate Jerry Seinfeld) - but I was mesmerized by the ad.

Posted by kingmob at 9/5/08 1:58 p.m.

Mildly amusing. But yeah. What are they trying to sell here?

On another note, I've used Vista for about a year now and have had no problems at all. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say I LOVE it, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

Anybody else using Google's Chrome browser? I'm trying it out. I like how fast it is. It runs circles around Explorer, and even Firefox. And the "Incognito" browser window is kind of cool, though not really necessary. I'm not a huge fan of their EULA, but I've read that they're going to change that for Chrome.

I'll probably switch back to Firefox in the end.

Maybe that's what Microsoft should be focusing on. Improving that mess that is Internet Explorer.

Posted by Mr. J at 9/5/08 2:42 p.m.

I never felt like I wasted time more than I did after watching this commercial. It was totally pointless.

I guess the message MSFT wants to convey is that if you use Vista, you are wasting your time in a big way. Point taken.

Posted by unregistered user at 9/5/08 3:06 p.m.

So I wanted to watch the video, so I went to Microsofts website to watch it. So I clicked on the link and sure enough, I had to download some more crap onto my computer! then it locked up ie explorer. And that was that.... Microsoft just doesnt get it. I dont care if I have to wait five years. Fix your product, then sell it to me. If I bought a car that was half ready, I would sue!

Posted by chump change at 9/5/08 3:12 p.m.

mmmm.... Wendy's

I wish I could download a frostie right now.

Posted by unregistered user at 9/5/08 3:29 p.m.

I was howling. That was the funniest thing I have seen from Seinfeld in years (obviously I not a big fan of his).

I can see why people who like the Mac guy commercials would pan this. After all the Mac guy commercials really aren't that funny unless you like "Mac people are cool and your not" kind of humor.

For the rest of us there is good old fashioned Super Bowl ad type fun. And that's what this is. I give it two thumbs up.

Posted by Wally at 9/5/08 4:23 p.m.

I depressed the "play" button...

What? The point? Does someone actually find it entertaining? What?

It is utterly vapid.

Posted by unregistered user at 9/5/08 5:59 p.m.

Love it! "What are they trying to sell anyway?". Seriously? Do you need words to associate the Windows logo to some ... product? They're selling Windows. You got it, I got it, we all got it. And we're talking about it. And we got to see Bill Gates as a ... well, acting human. So we'll be remembering that next time we see a photo of him, yeah?
Microsoft got their money's worth, no worries.
This is a brilliant commercial, whether you laughed at it or just found it annoying.

Posted by unregistered user at 9/5/08 6:10 p.m.

An endorsement makes sense when there is a true connection between the celebrity and the product, like Michael Jordan for Nike. When there is no connection, like Michael Jordan for Hanes, it's just a waste of money for the advertiser and a nice paycheck for the celebrity.

Posted by unregistered user at 9/5/08 7:38 p.m.

This ad makes perfect sense to me. Windows is about as useful as a leather shoe for my computing needs. Oh, wait, that wasn't the point? Oops.

Posted by unregistered user at 9/5/08 11:13 p.m.

I liked it.

Posted by Rove at 9/6/08 2:22 a.m.

Ok, this ad has potential. It is part of three, an icebreaker they say.

Maybe the underwhelmed don't get it, that's ok, Seinfeld and Gates probably needed it explained and I am just guessing, myself. The jokes are not funny, there are two of them and they are old. Jerry didn't like Bills joke and Bill didn't like Jerry's. They gathered we wouldn't like either. The product doesn't come into play because Bill has retired (recall the last day video).

The Mac ads made me chuckle but I am posing this via my Windows pc, and my eyebrows are raised.

Posted by unregistered user at 9/6/08 8:41 a.m.

Its not a commercial its a mini documentary.

This gem will be used in university and colleges for decades to teach how not to advertise. The "Conquistador" is a metaphor representing Microsoft's dominance in the O/S business, the crushing business tactics that wiped out all competition in the nascent 086 cpu operating system arena. Thus the blatant shoe symbolism, the shoe that walked all over everyone else. "Shoe Circus" is actually an anagram of the phrase "Vista rules and Bill Gates is Satan" as can clearly be seen by simply rearranging a few letters.

Seinfeld kneeling before Bill Gates and fondling his feet is both a metaphorical reference to Jesus having his feet washed and an unnatural sex act between two jaded wealthy businessmen. A mixed metaphor at best that leaves the viewer uncomfortable, and disoriented, and thus "softened up" for the next scene in which Seinfeld discusses his showering habits with Gates, while a pair of wet feet clad in geeky black socks and shoes is juxtaposed to the dialogue, and the visual shot held too long as if this were a satanic ritual of some sort.

Next Mr. G. flashes his "shoe circus" platinum card in a zany parody of Seinfelds American Express card commercials which paid for his first brain transplant, if we look closely at the card we can see the clown is none other than George Bush with a funny nose.

Apparently having bonded, this unlikely couple share phallic shaped pastry and head to a car to consumate this unholy alliance, with Mr. Seinfeld babbling about Mr.Gates having some chewy "software" he can eat like cake, and asking Mr.Gates to shake his backside if he does. The sight of Bill Gates shaking his can, has probably caused many americans to rethink their sexual preferences, and leaves the viewer realizing that Microsoft has too much money, no taste and an affinity for homosexual erotica and bad dialogue.

How can it be considered anything less a smashing success? This commercial was designed to be so bad, that "Vista" would look good in comparison, except they forgot to mention Vista.

Posted by Panzo at 9/6/08 10:39 a.m.

How do you top this? Pauly Shore?

Posted by unregistered user at 9/6/08 11:26 p.m.

Maybe the point of the ad is to make us wonder and think.... So looks like the Ad Campaign is starting on a Successful note....

Posted by unregistered user at 9/6/08 11:40 p.m.

At the risk of being the most unpopular character in technology, I kind of liked it by the end. It's utterly silly.. and that's all it was supposed to be. It's a bit of a departure from the over-thinkable entendre common in MS culture, but I'd like say that's a good thing. It's appropriate when we're no longer in the midst of irrational exuberance.