Monday, September 08, 2008

Adjust Your Shorts

Well, Drink Moxie is returning after an extended summer hiatus. As always we have some exciting projects in production. But first, let's take a quick look at what Microsoft and Crispin Porter + Bogusky (previously known for BK's "The King" and Miller's "Man Laws" series) have been trying to get away with when they thought we weren't paying attention.



Your first assignment for the semester: Is this something? Whether it is or it isn't, the blogowebsphere is certainly talking about it. Is it, as many seem to suggest, just a vain attempt at copying and countering TBWA/Chiat/Day's John Hodgman-Justin Long "Mac and PC" ads? Is it really responding to concerns that Microsoft isn't "cool" enough? Is it trying to distract us from all the bad press Vista has been getting? Or is it, as one bold columnist suggests, an allegorical gay sex romp? What's it trying to tell us about Microsoft, and what are we actually hearing? And don't forget the most important question in advertising -- what is it telling us about ourselves?

One thing that's for sure is they really want us to see this commercial. In fact, I'm watching it right now. In real time. The full 90-second spot. Will they ever edit it down to a more manageable size? That might be impossible, which would make this a unique achievement in itself.

Time to get to work, class.

ADDENDUM: My research advisor notes that the New York Times has been doing their homework on this, as well:

BUSINESS / MEDIA & ADVERTISING | September 18, 2008
Advertising: Echoing the Campaign of a Rival, Microsoft Aims to Redefine 'I'm a PC'
By STUART ELLIOTT
Microsoft's new advertising campaign is an audacious embrace of the disdainful label that Apple has gleefully affixed onto users of Microsoft products: "I'm a PC."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

it's telling us that the next computers will be made of most and delicious cake!

Anonymous said...

Ad episodes/iterations: 3 and counting. My own thought is that it is all an attempt to turn Bill Gates into a Dave Thomas-style mascot for Microsoft.
Otherwise, it feels like those teaser ads that sometimes build up to the SuperBowl (e.g. Dodge Neon). With Seinfeld in there perhaps they're building up to... nothing?