Seinfeld ad

I hear a lot of people are saying the new Seinfeld ad for Microsoft is horrible, but I think the Jerry Seinfeld Microsoft ad is more strategically brilliant than most people realize. It's not going to do squat to sell Vista today. But it's not meant to. What this ad did exceptionally well was make Microsoft human and likable by making Bill Gates human and likable. He shops for shoes just like everyone else. People expected Crispin to try to make Microsoft cool, but everyone knows that the least cool thing you can do is say "I'm cool." By making Bill this guy you want to be pals with, suddenly Apple's commercials feel mean-spirited. The cool kid in high school making fun of the geek. This ad isn't about selling Vista today. It's about shifting perception to pave the way for tomorrow. Hence, "The future. Delicious." Microsoft gets forgiven for royally screwing up Vista because, hey, they're only human. They'll get it right.

Of course, I'll never move from Apple to Microsoft. But that's my 2 cents on the commerical.