I've watched the (original) Seinfeld-Gates Microsoft ad a dozen times or so. It's somewhat mesmerizing to see Gates at the mall trying on shoes. And it's kinda funny to relive Seinfeld with Gates playing a George-like character.
But Microsoft has missed with this unlikely tandem because this industry of personal computing is not about celebrities like Bill and Jerry. It’s about demonstrating how a complex product is simple to use, makes us smarter and improves our lives.
Bill and Jerry offer nothing in these vignettes that tells me how Microsoft achieves that and who they are as a brand.
On the other hand, Apple's commercials pound home a clear message which simplifies and humanizes the Mac. They're effective because they bring to life the complexity of PCs in terms and images we all understand. They personify the brand and champion the product, not the people.
The message is undeniable: Mac is cooler than Microsoft.
Successful celebrity endorsements are defined by a "good match" with a brand’s image and objectives (at a fair price of course). As much as I love Jerry, Microsoft has made an ill-advised $10 million investment in “quirky” and “random” and zero investment in their brand positioning. In the meantime, Apple continues to clearly deliver “trendy” and “desirable” through their portrayal of cool vs. nerdy without leveraging celebrity talent. Apple owns “cool.”
Microsoft is obviously trying to grab a share of Apple’s space. But even in its earliest days Apple stormed the scene with a different, if not cool, approach. It’s their heritage. On the other hand, Bill Gates was the nerd who made it big. Microsoft should not be so quick to distance themselves from this nerdy heritage. We're all nerdy in some form. And in Bill Gates case, nerdy was also associated with “smart.”
Perhaps Microsoft should play their own game, not Apple’s. It might be a smarter move. -- Bill Glenn
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