Microsoft Drops Seinfeld From Vista Commercial

Well, in a way this was sort of expected. According to Valleywag, Microsoft (MSFT) apparently faced with criticism, is pulling its TV ads intended to help Microsoft polish the tarnished brand of its Windows Vista OS, featuring comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates.

Microsoft spokesman Frank Shaw confirmed today that the Redmond software giant is not going on with Seinfeld but said the end of the Seinfeld ads was planned well in advance. What wasn’t planned probably, was a head-scratcher of a commercial played by Seinfeld who reportedly received $10 million for pretending to be a comedian while flexing some new shoes. During the entire spot between him and Gates there was no mention of Vista. How people can make the connection between a pair of shoes and an operating system is totally beyond me. Microsoft is expected to announce the second phase of their $300 million marketing campaign, sometime tomorrow.

Update: NYT reports Microsoft’s campaign will begin Thursday and will carry the theme “Windows”. Microsoft plans to take direct aim at Apple’s “Get a Mac” ads in which John Hodgman who plays “PC” opposite Justin Long as “Mac”.

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