# Microsoft's Ad Department Needs to be Killed **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 16, 2009, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570 "2009-01-16T06:33:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wunderkammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@wunderkammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wunderkammer)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/21 "2009-01-18T01:09:57Z")
I think the ad is proof that irony is also subject to an [uncanny valley](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_Valley). Shudder. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/22 "2009-01-18T01:41:36Z")
On one hand, that ad was terrible. On the other hand… excuse me, my trial just finished downloading and I have to go play with it now… ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/23 "2009-01-18T04:09:36Z")
I feel a bit apprehensive saying it, but the Lisa part is a total earworm. I listened to that part for more than 10 times today… aaah! ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/24 "2009-01-18T06:19:29Z")
This is sideways to the discussion, but relevant to the title of the OP: Some of our BART (commuter train) stations have been plastered over with Microsoft’s answer to “I’m a Mac” TV ads, with posters saying “I’m a PC” with a dozen or so different taglines. Here are a few that I can remember (after having seen them every day for weeks, they are easy to remember :() I’m a PC, and I’m one in a billion (translation: I’m lost in the crowd) I’m a PC and I spray art (translation: I deface other people’s property) I’m a PC and I mix genres (translation: I don’t have any original work, I just smash together stuff that other people have done) I’m a PC and I don’t need a TV (because I can lamely waste all my time in one convenient spot, with TV, and games, and TV, and never have to get up, oh yes, I can watch TV on my PC) I’m a PC and I play the PC (translation: I have some lame Microsoft software that lets me think I am making music instead of drooling insipidity) I’m a PC and I write truth (translation: I have a blog that nobody reads) You get the idea. Die, MS advertising department, die! Sooner is better! Ta, Roddy ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/25 "2009-01-18T07:04:20Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Some of our BART (commuter train) stations have been plastered over with Microsoft’s answer to “I’m a Mac” TV ads, with posters saying “I’m a PC” with a dozen or so different taglines. Actually, if you start bringing the Mac ad campaign into this, you run the risk of making MS look good. Those “I’m a Mac” ads made me want to smash Justin Long in the face with a baseball bat, and then use the same bat to crush any Apple product in sight. They made Macs look like computers for smug, self-satisfied wankers. I cam across [this](http://www.slate.com/id/2143810/) a while ago, and it sums up, in rather more temperate language, why those Mac ads are so awful. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/26 "2009-01-18T21:34:11Z")
Having worked in advertising, I think you’re missing the real reason that the laptop in question is a Mac. That’s what they (the advertising agency people) have. Somebody did try to sticker over the distinctive logo, but they did it the way they would have done for Dell or any other brand. They didn’t realize that the form factor alone would tip people off. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/27 "2009-01-19T00:58:17Z")
Has anyone seen the print ad in the January 26 issue _Time_? They’re touting some sort of business consulting service; the text is the statement of a very severe, old-school, autocratic manager. It looks as if someone has tried to obliterate the ad with a red marker, until you notice that a few words were left as is. The unaltered words read “It’s everybody’s business to be in the know.”. It’s quite creative at that–but, what was it they are trying to sell again? And what was that URL? Duh, I know, [www.microsoft.com](http://www.microsoft.com), but it would help to have a direct link to what they are promoting here. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/28 "2009-01-19T02:18:23Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > If you were unaware that I am a developer for Mac PowerPoint, then that’s a pretty accidentally funny thing to say to me. > > If you were aware, fuck you. 🙂 😕 What the other poster said would be a compliment to Macs, not an insult. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![AllWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@AllWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllWalker)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/29 "2009-01-19T02:52:07Z")
Based on this ad, I shall now boycott glow in the dark towels. That was all flavours of bad. The fact the ad was made by marketing and featured someone working in marketing means every time I see an ad of any kind I’ll feel increasingly ill. ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/30 "2009-01-19T23:09:28Z")
[Songsmith in action.](http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/148560-wtf-radiohead-van-halen-the-police-the-cars-oasis-the-doobie-brothers-microsoft-songsmith-remixes-videos) ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/31 "2009-01-19T23:16:34Z")
> [@Kid\_A](#): > > [Songsmith in action.](http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/148560-wtf-radiohead-van-halen-the-police-the-cars-oasis-the-doobie-brothers-microsoft-songsmith-remixes-videos) That Radiohead is _awesome_. It’s kinda dub, kinda cheesy Chuck E Cheese cabaret, with really great bass notes. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/32 "2009-01-20T03:29:31Z")
I am afraid. I am very, very afraid. I couldn’t dedice whether to laugh or stab myself in the eye. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/33 "2009-01-20T04:13:24Z")
I saw an ad on tv starting the other day and my immediate thought was “this ad sucks and it feels like it’s a microsoft ad”, sure enough it was. (some lady talking or something and then a red line pointing to the right, etc.) I was kind of proud that I was able to correctly determine the company based on the poor quality of the ad. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/34 "2009-01-20T12:15:29Z")
I can do that with Wal-Mart ads. They have a certain slick smarmy smugness that leaps off the screen and shoves itself down your throat until you gag. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/35 "2009-01-20T12:49:44Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > 😕 What the other poster said would be a compliment to Macs, not an insult. Yes, but it’s an insult to Microsoft products _for_ Macs, e.g. Mac Powerpoint. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/36 "2009-01-21T20:30:16Z")
If nothing else, the ad appears to be effective. I never would have been aware of the product if it was not for everyone deriding the commercial. While the video is definitely campy, the product itself seems interesting. I found myself listening to the various compositions people had put together and posted online. Most of them are horrible, but I suspect that that was intention–to mock the application. I am looking forward to hearing more creative ones along the lines of the [Oasis](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1e_h1OJfS4) piece. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/37 "2009-01-21T20:45:52Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > I am looking forward to hearing more creative ones along the lines of the [Oasis](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1e_h1OJfS4) piece. But as far as I can tell, there’s no creativity involved. The guy just played the vocal track from Wonderwall, and Songsmith determined the style and the chords to go under the vocal. That was it, wasn’t it? -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/38 "2009-01-21T20:48:56Z")
> [@ZebraShaSha](#): > > That Radiohead is _awesome_. It’s kinda dub, kinda cheesy Chuck E Cheese cabaret, with really great bass notes. Are you serious?? That Radiohead remix is like Creep being done by a Coldplay cover band. GAH! ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/39 "2009-01-22T03:24:06Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > But as far as I can tell, there’s no creativity involved. The guy just played the vocal track from Wonderwall, and Songsmith determined the style and the chords to go under the vocal. That was it, wasn’t it? From what I can tell, you choose what style of music you want, the tempo, and various components of the instrumentation. It is more involved than the “one finger chord” feature found on most home keyboards. Based on other examples, it appears difficult for some users to even get the tempo right, creating a grating mash-up that does not fit at all. The creativity comes into play in choosing background music that neither attempts to emulate the original nor shoots for a Muzak quality. Finding the right juxtaposition that works, I imagine, takes a bit of patience and trial-and-error. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570/40 "2009-01-22T03:47:45Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > If nothing else, the ad appears to be effective. I never would have been aware of the product if it was not for everyone deriding the commercial. While the video is definitely campy, the product itself seems interesting. > > I found myself listening to the various compositions people had put together and posted online. Most of them are horrible, but I suspect that that was intention–to mock the application. I am looking forward to hearing more creative ones along the lines of the [Oasis](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1e_h1OJfS4) piece. That is amazing…now I want to buy Songsmith. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-ad-department-needs-to-be-killed/481570.md?page=3)