Comments on: Seinfeld, Gates, and Microsoft: brand rebuilding http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Wed, 23 May 2012 20:32:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: peter spear http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1334 peter spear Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:17:09 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1334 after watching this spot for windows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrmF-mPLybw i'm convinced there was no pulling of ads due to negative feedback. jerry & bill interrupted our meaning and now they're filling it globally, subverting the meaning that's been associated with them. i think it's fair to say that this team is being very wise about how they unroll the meaning around this brand. it's fair to say that there is a portfolio of identities being managed here, which will take some delicate maneuvering after watching this spot for windows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrmF-mPLybw

i’m convinced there was no pulling of ads due to negative feedback.

jerry & bill interrupted our meaning and now they’re filling it globally, subverting the meaning that’s been associated with them. i think it’s fair to say that this team is being very wise about how they unroll the meaning around this brand. it’s fair to say that there is a portfolio of identities being managed here, which will take some delicate maneuvering

]]> By: Charles Frith http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1333 Charles Frith Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:29:19 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1333 People are talking about Microsoft again and my prediction is that we are going to be talking about them a whole lot more. I think Crispin have done an amazing job and even though I hear Jerry has finished his work now with MS. It would make a whole lot of sense to hire a big gun, spin the hell out of a fictional price he's being paid, get peoples backs up and then move on to the meat and potatoes. I now want to know what MS are going to do if I'm ever going to reconsider a PC laptop, and I suspect they've got some interesting news coming. I feel that from the the work I've seen so far that price is going to be an important factor. People are talking about Microsoft again and my prediction is that we are going to be talking about them a whole lot more. I think Crispin have done an amazing job and even though I hear Jerry has finished his work now with MS. It would make a whole lot of sense to hire a big gun, spin the hell out of a fictional price he’s being paid, get peoples backs up and then move on to the meat and potatoes.

I now want to know what MS are going to do if I’m ever going to reconsider a PC laptop, and I suspect they’ve got some interesting news coming. I feel that from the the work I’ve seen so far that price is going to be an important factor.

]]> By: John Dodds http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1332 John Dodds Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:20:45 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1332 Interesting post Grant. My own musings on this subject were limited to the feeling that advertising wasn't, as you say, going to make a very big difference (especially as the association of the old Bill gates with the old bad Microsoft would not be moved) and the criticism that making Bill do wacky things rather than just be atypically human/funny (as in most of the second ad) was a mistake. But in light of your analysis, I wondered if you think that customers and viewers make the same micro-analysis either consciously or sub-consciously? Interesting post Grant. My own musings on this subject were limited to the feeling that advertising wasn’t, as you say, going to make a very big difference (especially as the association of the old Bill gates with the old bad Microsoft would not be moved) and the criticism that making Bill do wacky things rather than just be atypically human/funny (as in most of the second ad) was a mistake. But in light of your analysis, I wondered if you think that customers and viewers make the same micro-analysis either consciously or sub-consciously?

]]> By: rexmanthe http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1331 rexmanthe Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:58:00 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1331 I wrote a tongue in cheek article on my blog about two weeks ago listing my top ten reasons why Jerry Seinfeld should not be punting Windows Vista. Here are some highlights: * The campaign is badly positioned. Jerry is 54 years old. He is basically only representing 7% of the global computer users. * Making me laugh at witty quips is not going to sway any business decision I make, regarding the future direction of my IT department for the next 3-5 years. Also his jokes and good humor will not cover the ever escalating license costs from Microsoft. Here is the link: http://bossmanthe.blogspot.com/2008/08/10-reasons-why-jerry-seinfeld-should.html Enjoy the laughs! I wrote a tongue in cheek article on my blog about two weeks ago listing my top ten reasons why Jerry Seinfeld should not be punting Windows Vista.
Here are some highlights:

* The campaign is badly positioned. Jerry is 54 years old. He is basically only representing 7% of the global computer users.

* Making me laugh at witty quips is not going to sway any business decision I make, regarding the future direction of my IT department for the next 3-5 years. Also his jokes and good humor will not cover the ever escalating license costs from Microsoft.

Here is the link:
http://bossmanthe.blogspot.com/2008/08/10-reasons-why-jerry-seinfeld-should.html

Enjoy the laughs!

]]> By: Virginia Postrel http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1330 Virginia Postrel Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:18:39 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1330 I guess I'm pathetically uncool, but I love this ad, and not in the analytical way Grant does (though he makes a good case). I just find it funny, entertaining, and worth watching instead of zapping. But I don't intend to trade in my Mac. I guess I’m pathetically uncool, but I love this ad, and not in the analytical way Grant does (though he makes a good case). I just find it funny, entertaining, and worth watching instead of zapping. But I don’t intend to trade in my Mac.

]]> By: Patrick http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1329 Patrick Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:54:38 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1329 Here's my take on the spots. Agree, they are making meaning which is key to any substantive repositioning. http://www.unboundedition.com/content/view/7978/50/ Patrick Here’s my take on the spots. Agree, they are making meaning which is key to any substantive repositioning.
http://www.unboundedition.com/content/view/7978/50/

Patrick

]]> By: peter spear http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1328 peter spear Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:49:19 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1328 i think the discomfort and repugnance indicated by james is further evidence of it's efficacy. meaning creates meaning and it feels a bit like a case of protesting too much. i think the discomfort and repugnance indicated by james is further evidence of it’s efficacy. meaning creates meaning and it feels a bit like a case of protesting too much.

]]> By: James http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1327 James Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:44:55 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1327 I think all the analysis rests on a very tenuous assumption: that people will care. Or, to carry on Rick Liebling's analogy, I think people will stop reading, not care and not remember. All the effort towards meaning creation doesn't matter unless the ads are interesting. And the ads are not interesting. I've watched both ads numerous times and it's hard to remember any scenes for anything but how bad they are. The shorts adjustment in the first ad? The clothes in the shower? The pool-filling scene in the second ad? Clipping toenails on the bed? The granny under the car? It's not funny. It's not clever. It's not interesting. It feels like a collection of gags done better elsewhere. The interesting part is how painful it is to watch. The horror of seeing it all unfold for such huge sums of cash. This feels like a huge gasp for relevance from mass marketing. But will people care? Beyond the horror, I don't think so. Following the story just feels like picking at an ichy scab -- it's irritating and present but it will heal. I think all the analysis rests on a very tenuous assumption: that people will care. Or, to carry on Rick Liebling’s analogy, I think people will stop reading, not care and not remember.

All the effort towards meaning creation doesn’t matter unless the ads are interesting.

And the ads are not interesting. I’ve watched both ads numerous times and it’s hard to remember any scenes for anything but how bad they are.

The shorts adjustment in the first ad? The clothes in the shower? The pool-filling scene in the second ad? Clipping toenails on the bed? The granny under the car?

It’s not funny. It’s not clever. It’s not interesting. It feels like a collection of gags done better elsewhere.

The interesting part is how painful it is to watch. The horror of seeing it all unfold for such huge sums of cash. This feels like a huge gasp for relevance from mass marketing.

But will people care? Beyond the horror, I don’t think so. Following the story just feels like picking at an ichy scab — it’s irritating and present but it will heal.

]]> By: peter spear http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1326 peter spear Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:10:19 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1326 what i think this work does brilliantly, and perhaps what crispin is particular talented at producing, is meaning interruption. the burger king work seems to do this as well, though in an agitated fashion that's more target appropriate (old man assumption). it seems that it is the very nonsense and irrelevance that captures our attention and forces us to watch. there is nothing jarring in this ad to believe that they are trying to excitedly capture our attention. rather they are simply attempting us to look inquisitively. it's not an interruption of our attention in a viewership sense, but in our relationship with the brand. meaning interruption. it reminds me of weiden's macro-brew MGD work and makes me wonder if the creative that we love so much is the creative that attempts to stop time, rupture our assumptions, break with our pasts - if only we could hold on long enough to let a brand re-build it's own meaning around it. on a second note - there are two dramatically important elements to the "what" of this ad that i think are particularly powerful. the first is the ordinariness, the mundane humanity of it and the second is the connectedness of the actions. there isn't not a single action in that spot that is not shared. all the memes travel throughout the actors - conquistador, churro, shoes, membership, etc. what i think this work does brilliantly, and perhaps what crispin is particular talented at producing, is meaning interruption. the burger king work seems to do this as well, though in an agitated fashion that’s more target appropriate (old man assumption).

it seems that it is the very nonsense and irrelevance that captures our attention and forces us to watch. there is nothing jarring in this ad to believe that they are trying to excitedly capture our attention. rather they are simply attempting us to look inquisitively. it’s not an interruption of our attention in a viewership sense, but in our relationship with the brand. meaning interruption.

it reminds me of weiden’s macro-brew MGD work and makes me wonder if the creative that we love so much is the creative that attempts to stop time, rupture our assumptions, break with our pasts – if only we could hold on long enough to let a brand re-build it’s own meaning around it.

on a second note – there are two dramatically important elements to the “what” of this ad that i think are particularly powerful. the first is the ordinariness, the mundane humanity of it and the second is the connectedness of the actions. there isn’t not a single action in that spot that is not shared. all the memes travel throughout the actors – conquistador, churro, shoes, membership, etc.

]]> By: Nadine http://cultureby.com/2008/09/seinfeld-gates.html/comment-page-1#comment-1325 Nadine Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:50:46 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=208#comment-1325 You are not as smart as you think you are. Your "reading" of the ad is simply a series of claims without proof. Stick to what you know. You are not as smart as you think you are. Your “reading” of the ad is simply a series of claims without proof. Stick to what you know.

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