Update October 30th, 2008:
And they did it again. I’m wondering who is uploading these videos to YouTube, because this version of the most recent ad, uploaded by “WindowsVideos” looks bad, real bad. Also have a look at their site “I’m A PC“. Apparently there weren’t that many people interested saying “I’m a PC”, seeing many duplicates along the grid. Nice one.
There we go again. After the news came out that Seinfeld won’t be in the next commercials, here are the first new, Jerry free ads (the other ads, including two new ones, can be found after the jump):
Oh, by the way, if you try mailing Sean Siler, one of the people with an email address in the ads, you’ll get this auto-reply:
Hello! I’m a PC – and I can’t answer your email right now. I’d like to say that I’m out climbing Mt. Rainier or biking across Europe with the Swedish Beach Volleyball Team, but in fact I’m probably just chained to a desk somewhere in the depths of Redmond pounding out product specifications.
Now that I have been in a commercial, Microsoft has given me access to super-secret “BillyG†level of executive resources. That’s right – I have my own email auto-responder!
This, as you have probably surmised, is my pre-prepared auto-response (All natural, no filler. No animals were harmed in the making of this response. Except for a ferret.) I really would like to have answered you myself, but if I did, (a) I’d probably get no work done, and (b) then I’d get fired, and (c) then I’d have no chance of doing any more of those really awesome commercials.
So let me try to prognosticate a few of your questions and answer a few of them.
Why did they put you on TV?
I think it’s my devastating good-looks and animal magnetism. No, really – there’s a ferret stuck to my leg right now.But really – you aren’t even an actor!
No I’m not. But I play one on TV. I really am a Microsoft Program Manager. I work on IPv6, and other things that you haven’t heard of.How did you get selected?
I auditioned along with a couple of hundred others. I guess I looked very Engineery. And the ferret probably helped.Are you interested in more acting?
Oh no, I think that Engineering is MUCH more fun.What’s with Windows Vista?
You’ve been watching those commercials again, haven’t you? Windows Vista rocks. Listen to real users, not actors. -The Real PC, Sean Siler
These are the other two ads without Jerry Seinfeld:
The first two ads with Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates
Here is the second clip with Seinfeld and Gates about pretty much nothing. It’s getting there, but they are really taking their time to build up to their story, if they actually do have a story. Also I don’t get why they are seemingly making the story all about Bill Gates, who retired from his job at Microsoft a few months back. Here I was, thinking they were producing ads about Microsoft and their products.
It’s like they are looking back at the times when Gates was in charge and Seinfeld had an actual show on TV, rather than looking forward to the things to come. But maybe that’ll all change with the upcoming ads. That $300 million for the campaign better be worth it.
For those who don’t know/remember the first ad, here you go:
I’ll update this post as soon as more Microsoft ads appear.