Two must see videos here. The first is a hilarious video of Bill Gates shown at the CES earlier this year as part of his final keynote speech. If you haven’t heard, Billy is no longer a full-time employee at Microsoft. The second is the first video of Microsoft’s new 300 million dollar advertising campaign featuring Bill and Jerry Seinfeld.
It’s easy to make fun of him because of the haircut, the nerdiness, the sweater, the Microsoft empire, etc. but the more I reflect on his legacy and particularly, his philantrophy and foundation, I’m simply amazed. I know many younger folks are drawn to Apple’s Steve Jobs but there’s something very appealing about Bill that grows on me.
Check out the video. He’s got some notable friends…with funny cameos by Spielberg, Bono, Jay-Z, Barack Obama, George Clooney, and many more.
So, what do you think of this new ad featuring Bill and Jerry? Does it make sense? Does it work?
EUGENE CHO 
Seems like your classic Seinfeld episode. Everything about nothing.
Don’t get it. Doesn’t make sense…Bill better not give up his day job but Jerry, as always, is brilliant even yadaing around about nothing…..
Would/could someone PLEASE explain that ad to me? I don’t usually ask for/need help but I have seen it several times and don’t know where to buy those shoes.
(Look, if you don’t know me………………..I have a sense of humor, too. I know the ad is NOT about shoes, but I still don’t get it.)
Capt Ralph:
it’s an introductory ad, kind of a beginning of a wonderful friendship (like those wonderful superman and seinfeld ads).
i thought the WSJ (or really the critics) are too harsh on it. the key is all in the last exchange, where jerry asks bill if computers will ever be soft and chewy like cake.
in-no-va-tion.
When I first saw the commercial I honest wondered what company it was for (Amex, a shoe company, something else). Using Seinfeld and that platinum joke mixes the message too much.
They’re not Mac commercials but I think they’re working. It doesn’t make sense because it’s the first of a series but how are they working?
People are talking about it…
That’s how I found out.
hmmm…
maybe i’m not in the target demographic or maybe it’s just not my type of humor, but i didn’t find it funny or engaging at all. what is the message they’re trying to communicate? bill gates is cheap? jerry seinfeld knows his shoes? i don’t think it succeeds in making the brand seem innovative or aspirational or reliable…
plus the endtag took a designer all of 30 seconds to make.
it’s… overly long, and you just wait and wait for something funny to happen… yeah, i don’t get it.
I guess I’m in the minority here (and I had the benefit of knowing beforehand that it’s first of a series…) but I think it’s pretty funny. I love non-sequitors humor, though. Funniest part? All the people looking in the window and saying talking about the brand of the shoe instead of the fact that it’s BG and JS in there trying them on.
And the whole idea of Bill Gates doing a little shorts-adjusting-rump-wiggle? I find that hilarious. I think because it IS so out of place.
Funny stuff, but sadly… Apple ads > Microsoft ads.
They better step their game up!
Confession-
I thought everyone in the Seinfeld tv program was funny to various degrees except- Seinfeld.
Are there others like me.
Could this affect the 300 million ad campaign?
I loved the Shoe Circus ad. Of course, I have an entire blog dedicated to shoe-related trivia and humor.