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The weirdness buzz grows Microsoft’s Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates “Buddy” Ad Review No. 2

Posted by tom klein September 12, 2008 at 6:15 amtelevision

from the baitshop

At the risk of overloading you with Microsoft news, there’s a second and even stranger Microsoft buddy ad that just came out, featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. In this one, Jerry and Bill are hanging out with a family, trying to get a sense of what normal people do (because of course they’re both so loaded that they don’t have a grip on reality). You could say that they’re conducting an ethnographic observation (something that our friend Don Norman would no doubt approve of!). If you were hoping for the punch line . . . you’ll be disappointed.

who’s it for?

The traditional Microsoft target is the CIO. This is not targeted at the corporate buyer. As soon as they get to some kind of message, maybe the target will be clear. It’s probably oriented toward a younger, tech savvy audience.

why is it being done?

Have you upgraded to Vista? Yeah, that problem. How many of you Zune owners out there?

are the fish biting?

Fishes are standing there with there mouths opening and closing. Huh?

where to from here?

Wait around for ad no. 3 or something else to deliver the real message. Of course, check out the first ad if you haven’t seen it yet.

If you believe the gossipy Valleywag, Microsoft has decided not to move forward with this line of creative.

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A commercial about . . . nothing Microsoft’s Shoe Carnival - Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates - TV ad

Posted by tom klein September 11, 2008 at 8:31 amtelevision

from the baitshop

Microsoft has been Apple’s punching bag for what seems like forever. Apple has invested hundreds of millions of dollars behind both the I’m a Mac ads as well as the ubiquitous iPod ads. We’re so cool . . . it’s painful. Lumbering giant Microsoft saw its weird VIsta launch fall flat. On the other hand, its Zune ads were actually much cooler than the product.

Microsoft has brought in the big gun - Jerry Seinfeld - in an effort to make its brand more relevant, and assumedly to address the thousands of slights dished out by the folks in Cupertino.

When you spend a few hundred million bucks and you’re the giant in the business, anything you do gets attention. This ad does that, though it doesn’t really sell much of anything. Jerry Seinfeld has a weird series of interactions with Bill Gates in a shoe store and the parking lot afterwards.

This is no doubt setting up a series of ads that we can only hope make more sense. This doesn’t tickle the funny bone, doesn’t make much sense, and isn’t something that we want to see over and over again. We are talking about it, but I’m not sure that conversation alone is enough to address Microsoft’s brand deficits. Only time will tell if this turns into something more interesting - but the pilot episode doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence.

who’s it for?

The Microsoft target is the CIO. Remember that Jerry Seinfeld is actually TOO OLD and has been off the air for too long to be relevant to Gen Y.

why is it being done?

Have you upgraded to Vista? Yeah, that problem. How many of you Zune owners out there?

are the fish biting?

Well, there’s some chatter, but the fish are probably just scratching their little heads with their fins, wondering what sort of drugs were involved.

where to from here?

The truth is out there. Well, maybe.

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Vote to change our world American Express Member Project display ad and social network review

Posted by vishi.gondi August 26, 2008 at 7:28 pmcontests

from the baitshop

American Express has setup a site where users can submit their ideas to change the world - call The Members Project. Any Amex cardmember can submit an idea and vote on other ideas. Non-members can’t vote, but can invite others. The winning ideas will get $2.5 million in funding from American Express. Ideas can cover a wide range of categories - Arts and Culture, Community Development, Education, Environment and Wildlife and Health. This is a unique effort to build a social network to support a worthy cause . . . all the while building the American Express brand.

who’s it for?

We found this ad on Lifehacker and other sites heavily trafficked by active online users. The campaign is targeting the young and socially networked . . . naturally.

why is it being done?

Do a little good, shine a little light on the green card folks.

are the fish biting?

Looking at the activity on the site, it does seem to be working.

where to from here?

Go ahead and create, share, and promote your ideas for how to change the world. Be sure to vote by Sept 9.

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What a wonderful world Don’t Know Much (about the economy) TV ad review

Posted by tom klein August 25, 2008 at 4:40 pmcheck my bait, election 2008, television

from the baitshop

Well, we’re past the season of niceness and biographies. Now is when the fun begins. Everyone knew that this quote would come back to haunt Senator McCain. And so, here it is.

This ad features a well-known, though somewhat dated tune by Sam Cooke. Even though neither candidate seems to know that much about business (well, neither, it seems, has ever managed a business), it’s always fun to catch a politician in a moment of unscripted candor. Ads like this should teach everyone a lesson.

Yes, and for anyone feeling cranky and slighted, we realize that a President can’t possibly know everything about everything.

This ad tries to do too much and would have been stronger if it had stayed focused on explaining why John McCain was RIGHT when said that he didn’t know much about economic issues (if that is in fact the main point of the ad).

who’s it for?

The much coveted swing and undecided voter.

why is it being done?

The other shoe had to drop. There it goes.

are the fish biting?

Hard to say, though shouldn’t Senator McCain at least get some credit for being honest (or maybe he was pretending to be honest - drat, how can you ever know)?

where to from here?

More ads to come, though only the swingers will see them.

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Oh courant! Obama’s Running Mate email and text notifier

Posted by tom klein August 20, 2008 at 12:42 pmcheck my bait, election 2008, email

from the baitshop

This is just plain smart. And cheap. And modern. Instead of holding a press conference, the Obama camp has decided that it will send the announcement of his running mate by email and text message. Even better, they’re capturing email addresses and text messages for all sorts of good stuff in the future - ranging from fund raising, to organizing, sourcing volunteers, and then the big enchilada . . . getting people to the polls.

who’s it for?

It’s for the political wonks who have to be in the know. Or maybe just for someone who wants the scoop before it gets to CNN.com or the New York Times.

why is it being done?

In addition to the obvious, it positions the Obama camp as with it and somewhere south of 75 years old.

are the fish biting?

This is a win. Even if McCain copies it, he’s just copying it.

where to from here?

You can sign up to receive the announcement of Obama’s running mate. More importantly, there may be a lesson here for you. Does your company have something that your customers would like to know about - right when it’s available?

Update: It’s Biden, though the noble experiment was a failure. The news hit the presses BEFORE the official message thanks to a leak by an insider.

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I thought it meant Table of Contents Samsung Touch of Color magazine ad review

Posted by tom klein August 17, 2008 at 5:37 pmmagazine ad

from the baitshop

This print ad for Samsung LCD TV’s has us wondering - what are they thinking? If we’re going to imagine a television inspired by art, I think that it might look a little different from every other TV.

Adding along a lot of mysterious and undefined terms, like Touch of Color and Series 6, just serves to cloud the picture even further.

The final insult here is for all of you design-focused readers. At the bottom of the ad, they’ve put the TOC on top of the TV, but have not angled the letters to represent the accurate perspective. It screams too cheap to hire a real designer or intro to Photoshop 101 - not befitting Samsung and certainly not inspiring anyone to drop a few grand on an LCD TV.

who’s it for?

Given that this ad appeared in an upscale magazine, I would assume that they’re targeting a more female audience (than the traditional electronics ad) that’s also upscale.

why is it being done?

To sell some TV’s - and, more likely, build the Samsung brand which isn’t faring too well in the LCD game against Sony and Sharp.

are the fish biting?

It would surprise us.

where to from here?

Check out the selection at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and the like.

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A shot at perfection Patron magazine ad review

Posted by tom klein August 12, 2008 at 6:40 pmintegrated, magazine ad

from the baitshop

Here in the baitshop, we like to think of ourselves as experts when it comes to alcoholic beverages - including the domain of upscale tequila. This magazine ad calls to mind Faith Popcorn’s now timeworn locution of affordable luxury. What used to pass for such a luxury, things like Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, now has an adult counterpart.

As for the ad, it can seem sort of absurd to compare a $40 bottle of tequila with owning a villa in Tuscany. The whole idea behind an affordable luxury is that it represents perfection, but it’s not out of reach. Think of Mont Blanc pens or even a Chanel lipstick. Just about anyone can gain access to perfection, albeit on a small scale.

We’d have to say that the idea that some perfection is debatable leaves us a bit confused. Does the line imply that not everyone can agree on a vacation home, but they can agree on a brand of tequila? Maybe we’ve just spent too much time down in the Keys to know the difference.

who’s it for?

Tequila drinkers with a few extra dollars. Or, maybe someone who’s just looking to impress.

why is it being done?

Remind people to ask for Patron . . . or to remind them which of the 50 different tequilas they should buy when they’re wandering around the liquor store.

are the fish biting?

This brand has been hugely successful - as has the category. What’s the next liquor category that will make the leap to uber super premium . . . rum?

where to from here?

The proof is in the . . . margarita. Cheers.

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Actually, I was hoping for your digits Salesforce.com Napkin Sketch Magazine Ad

Posted by tom klein August 4, 2008 at 3:17 ammagazine ad

from the baitshop

Well, you might be surprised but we do love how hand drawn stuff stands out on the web. What really works here is how this ad makes you stop and try to figure it out. They do take for granted that you know what the heck CRM Solutions are, but hey, that seems okay here. If you’re in business and you don’t know, you’ve probably been on some other planet. However, we would like to see it describe what the heck Salesforce.com does - even if it’s supposed to be a winner in ease of use.

who’s it for?

Business executives. CRM is like brushing your teeth - something you need to be forced to do until it becomes an ingrained habit. companies don’t do it very well.

why is it being done?

Sell a little software as a service.

are the fish biting?

Salesforce.com has all of the momentum. No one wants to go through a big software implementation that takes years. I’m surprised so many companies still go through it. The lesson for most companies is to not try to customize it too much.

where to from here?

Have you hugged a customer today?

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Back to basics John McCain biography TV ad review

Posted by tom klein July 28, 2008 at 9:59 amelection 2008, television

from the baitshop

McCain is nothing if not the biography candidate. This TV ad delivers that biography, juxtaposing a wounded and tortured McCain shot down over Vietnam with long-haired, sybaritic hippies who definitely do inhale. Too bad Senator Obama couldn’t be shown in stark contrast soaking in Woodstock or some other hedonistic festival. The point is that in 1968 Senator Obama had just entered . . . the first grade.

who’s it for?

This ad tells the McCain biography for those who don’t know it. Surprisingly, Senator McCain has made no mention of the fact that his son is currently serving in Iraq.

why is it being done?

Introduce the candidate and explain his bona fides in national defense and security matters.

are the fish biting?

Those electoral fish can be tricky. It seems that the swing states are too close to call, though there’s much talk of a press corps love affair with the other guy.

where to from here?

While these ads are nice, the real battle will happen when the campaign moves beyond biography.

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The smartest of them all HP Touchsmart PC’s flash based 3D ad on a webpage

Posted by vishi.gondi July 14, 2008 at 9:00 amdisplay ad

from the baitshop

HP Touchsmart PC campaign has a 3D ad on a webpage. When you roll over the ad, 3D buttons pop out of the ad and respond to the user’s gestures. Sit tight and get ready to see more of these ads show up as the new flash player supports 3D natively.

You might or might not be able to catch this ad on Lifehacker or Gizmodo, but here’s one more post that talks about it. Update: A video of the ad in action is embedded below.

who’s it for?

The product is targeted at tech savvy users who would set up a touch screen media center at home. It tries to take the place of the regular fridge door with notes, pictures and magnets and it does have a steep hill to climb.

why is it being done?

In an era of something new every day, it’s hard make tech savvy people say, “thats cool!” - this ad succeeds.

are the fish biting?

Looking at the responses online, it does seem to get eyeballs to the product site. But the success of the “HP Touchsmart PC” would depend on whether it satisfies a real need.

where to from here?

The ad is also followed up with some video ads. Look them up on the HP Touchsmart campaign site.

update:

The ad in action.

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Look - free balloon rides! Turkey Welcomes You magazine ad

Posted by tom klein July 8, 2008 at 6:58 pmmagazine ad

from the baitshop

Okay, this is just weird. I know Turkey isn’t exactly France, but what’s with this totally weird ad. I’m a huge balloon fan, but I just can’t figure out how this is supposed to make me want to visit Turkey.

And, I’ve actually heard just amazing things about the place. It’s not as if Turkey is in competition with Disney World. isn’t there something that they could communicate here that would be a bit more upscale and ownable - as in, these are things you can only see and do in Turkey?

By the way, Turkish dudes, we’ve already got a fab balloon fiesta in Albuquerque every year. Balloons, per se, don’t say Turkey in any way, whatsoever.

who’s it for?

This ad ran in Departures, the magazine for Platinum Amex card holders. Target is the road warrior.

why is it being done?

Butts in seats - namely, butts in Turkish Airlines seats.

are the fish biting?

I would bet that this is actually “un-selling” Turkey. It’s turning the cool “I’m going to Turkey” into something that’s decidedly uncool. Definitely not working juxtaposed with luxury Vuitton or Chanel ads.

where to from here?

How about a blog post about things to do in Istanbul?

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Chop chop chop Atlanta Braves direct mail review

Posted by tom klein July 7, 2008 at 6:12 pmdirect mail

from the baitshop

So many direct mail pieces wash over us, it’s a wonder that we notice anything at all. This one showed up and stood out. Well, it helps that I’m a Braves fan (and the tail-wagger even has a Braves collar). Don’t think that our keen bait shop will be swayed by fandom and nostalgia. This direct mail does well on the merits.A great and evocative image. A simple offer. And a handful of thoughtful niceties - things like the square drawn around the URL. The real question - shouldn’t this be a banner ad somewhere that would let me buy something on the spot. When you’re selling something intangible like tickets, you would think that display ads would be more productive than a slick direct mail.

who’s it for?

The baseball fan. Also, given that the back side of this ad reads like something of an insider’s suggestion, it’s aimed at fans, people who already know the players. It’s definitely not targeted, for example, at moms who might be interested in having a fun family outing.