JERRY SEINFELD - SEINFELD CAMPAIGN ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT?

Microsoft and its ad agency, Crispin Porter Bogusky, were the targets of ridicule Thursday following the decision to yank its ad campaign featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates after just a few days. Owen Thomas, who runs the website Valleywag, which first reported the decision to halt the campaign, commented on the site, "The ads only reminded us how out of touch with consumers Microsoft is -- and that Bill Gates's company has millions of dollars to waste on hiring a has-been funnyman to keep him company." Wired magazine's website quoted Kathy Sharpe, head of digital marketing agency Sharpe Partners, as expressing doubt about Microsoft's official line that it only intended to air the two Seinfeld/Gates spots. "They bought expensive media -- the last ad aired opening night of the football season. To do two spots? It doesn't make sense to me. That last ad only ran one weekend." But Microsoft marketing exec Mich Mathews told the Associated Press, ""The notion that we're doing some quick thing to cancel (the Seinfeld ads) is actually preposterous. .. Media buying is something you have to do months in advance."

19/09/2008