Today’s Ad Age discusses the first spot in a new campaign for Microsoft that features Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld. In an earlier post, I speculated the pairing would appeal to Millennial’s fondness for underappreciated, surprisingly talented nerds. The first spot does not disappoint. While the Ad Age article calls Gates’ performance ‘hokey’, that is precisely the point. The agency, Crispin should be applauded for celebrating the awkwardness of its biggest brand asset, Bill Gates, rather than ignoring it or trying to be as cool as Apple. I predict Millennials will embrace this new campaign. Now whether it causes them to rethink their fanatic love of Apple is another question, but this is a good first step. I look forward to seeing where they take it next.
