Microsoft follow up with Seinfeld ad axing

Not surprisingly, that Microsoft ad has been axed just two weeks after its first appearance.

The article below even describes it being referred to one of the worst ads in history. I would have a hard part disagreeing with them there.

Apparently the TVC was meant to be promoting Windows Vista, but I was so baffled by it I though it may have been promoting a new updated system. Don't mind me though, some people just went with the shoes! Furthermore, I don't know why they would be musing on about the future being delicious when promoting Vista, since Vista is hardly new to the market now.

More info can be found here:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/seinfeld-is-axed-ndash-even-he-canrsquot-make-bill-gates-look-cool-935071.html

Brand Extensions gone bad

I couldn't find an actual product image but the above is in reference to BIC trying to enter the panyhose market... can anyone justify a logical link from biros to pantyhose for me please... anyone?
Crystal clear Pepsi... and the point was??????
Harley Davison Bakery Crafts - Martha Stewart eat your heart out!

Hooters Air took the promise of in-flight entertainment to a whole new level...

Mark Ritson, one of my favourite marketing spokespeople slash writer, has a good article on stupid brand extensions from a 2007 issue of UK Marketing mag. http://www.marketingritson.com/documents/brandextensiondisease.pdf

The current state of the Australian Liberal Party =

Marketing Word of the Week

Can someone please remove the word leverage from the English and/or brand management dictionaries? It must be right up there with intangible, in terms of one of the most overused expression I've currently heard my marketing peers use. Anyone got any other pet hate words?

Apple Store to Open in Melbourne... in Chadstone

Melbourne Fanboi's you're in luck. Apple is heading South and opening a flagship store in Melbourne, which of all places, will be in the depressive monolith that is Chadstone Shopping Centre. The store will open this weekend at 10am, and the first 100 visitors will receive a free Apple T-shirt.

Whilst in Sydney last week (I hope you noticed the lack of posting!), I visited the George Street Store featured above (thanks Gizmodo for the pic) and was pleasantly surprised. The store was really buzzing and plenty of friendly eye-candy staff were on hand to help out if needed. If you're backpacking, don't head on down to an internet cafe, save yourself $2.50 and head to an Apple store instead - if you don't mind standing.

Microsoft Shoe Circus TVC feat. Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates

Microsoft launched a new TVC featuring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, who reportedly received USD$10 million to appear. The whole thing is a bit of a teaser for Microsoft's future, which is tagged as "Delicious" at the end.

Judging by some of the YouTube comments (which should be used as an infallible source of market research!), I don't think the desired result is what was hoped:

Jazkiljok says "Billionaire Bill shops at tacky shoe store at crappy mall where he coincidentally runs into Jerry who being out of work and having nothing to do all day - also hangs out in the same sad ass mall. Jerry makes inane comments cause he's bored, Bill wiggles his ass cause his haemorrhoids are itching."

luvmasterr comments, "The 90's are over, we want our commercials to be about something."

ifoundthemissinglink... "Sorry. The Mac and PC Commercials are still better. At least they make sense. At first I seriously thought this was a shoe commercial."