Since the Microsoft commercials starring Seinfeld and Bill Gates began to air, they have received mixed reviews by the public. The most common response seems to be just confusion while others either love them or hate them. Recently I have noticed that Microsoft seems to be running less of the Seinfeld commercials and more of the "Mojave Experiment" commericial.
This commercial was definitely a public relations strategy and a crisis response to the overwhelming negative viewpoint of Windows Vista. The question is whether this commercial is more effective than the humorous strategy of the Seinfeld commercials. It seems to me that the Mojave Experiment would be interpreted as more real and effortless, while the message of the Seinfeld commercials seems to be unclear. If they are trying to change the public's image of Window's Vista then the Mojave Experiment might be more successful.
The Mojave Experiment is also a more effective PR response to the Mac ads that have poked fun of Windows Vista multiple times. Such as this one...
The only questionable thing about the commercial is that it could have been a set-up by Microsoft, but I think that it is an appropriate response to the negative publicity that the new program has received. I also think that it was a good choice because they did not respond to the Mac ads by bashing Macs, they just tried to show that the product has been misunderstood and misrepresented, and it could be worth a try.
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I recently heard that they have stopped producing the Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates Microsoft ads. That kind of disappoints me, cause I really liked those ads. The Mojave commercial was all right but it doesn't tell me anything about Vista. When compared to the Mac commercial I don’t think it comes close in any category. Not only does the Mac commercials tell you about the great features of their computers but also it does it in a highly entertaining way.
Waggener Edstrom, Microsoft's PR Firm, has been reacting to the negative publicity surrounding the Seinfeld commercials ever since this announcement. It is interesting to me, however, because WE did not create the ads-Microsoft's ad firm did. And yet, WE is left to clean up the mess and protect their client. Check out the article here: http://moourl.com/ynzqn
I really liked your post this week! I think that the "Mojave Experiment" seems all too set up for it to be convincing. I don't know, I seem to never trust "surveys" in advertisements because the validity is a little rocky. I think the Mac ads work a little better because it is perfect for their audience which is young adults. The use of humor is attractive to people in that particular age group and Justin Long's "hipness" will prove to be a successful advertising strategy in the long-run. I have recently switched to a Mac (which I get on Thursday... SOOO EXCITED!). So I am a new "Mackey". Another problem I find with the commercial is the fact that it focuses on the short-term because long-term, PC's have not been useful to me. I have had to return parts and actual laptops more than once. But it is still interesting seeing what PC will do to combat all the positive attention Mac is getting.
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