Microsoft Windows Commercial... For Windows 386!

Worst. Commercial. Ever.

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/software/the-most-ridiculous-windows-video-ever-234831.php
from WinCustomize Forums

Ok, so most of us remember the smiling flying people in the commercials for Windows XP, and now we're dealing with the annoying "WOW!" people in the Vista commercials, and we're more or less entertained by Apple's Mac vs PC ad campaign.  Ad campaigns for operating systems are pretty hit or miss, and in the case of Microsoft, typically miss.  So it's no surprise that one of their first, a commercial for Windows 386 is incredibly bad.

Don't believe me?  Well, Gizmodo dug up an old commercial for Windows 386 that's really not much of a commercial since it's 5min in length.  It's got everything you could want from the early 90s... big hair, bad clothes, and painfully bad rap.

Check out the video for a good laugh.

9,103 views 24 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Zoomba, having some advertising training in my background, what really stands out is that commercials like these are written to the level of the anticipated consumer base they are trying to get to use their products. In other words it's a reflection of what big business thinks of us, the consumer. The last time you brought a big ticket item did you feel smarter than the salesperson? Did you believe the "come on" in the advertising?   
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What is so disturbing is the "Mission Impossible" theme music, Hitchcockesque shadows and cheesy 80's rap music. What an amazing combinations on video productions mishmash.
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Great Laugh Zoomba! I especially like the mission impossible music running in the background before the rapping. Was that playing to illustrate the impossible tasks the young lady was going to perform with the 386, or how impossible it was going to be for that loser to get a date with her!!!!!!!! Absolutely astounding.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That was great!

I don't think it was a commercial though. The whole thing is 12 minutes long. It just looks like a promo video.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I want my 12 minutes back.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

having some advertising training in my background, what really stands out is that commercials like these are written to the level of the anticipated consumer base they are trying to get to use their products. In other words it's a reflection of what big business thinks of us, the consumer.

So Apple thinks their user-base are smarmy, precocious supercillious brats that need a kick up their collective arse for being so smug?

Good one, Jobs....

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yeah,I find the Apple ads insulting...they dont really say anything about Apple...just put down anyone who uses Windows(most of US)  

I couldnt watch the whole thing...are all you tube videos that poor quality?I've yet to see one that was worth watching.

I thought video compression tech was getting better.  
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Theres also a 7 minute promo for Win2K. You may actually like this one.

WWW Link
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oh my God! O_º
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What's really sad to me is, I remember using windows 123 and 386. Man how things and times have change.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
God that was just terrible, but it was also one of those "it's so bad you gotta watch it" things. So who exactly was it suppose to be aimed at - rapping executives??

As for the apple ads, while I do find them funny, it is interesting how the big evil corporation that is Microsoft doesn't advertise its products by directly degrading or insulting the competition, while "everyone's favorite underdog" that is Apple is doing exactly that. Just some food for thought...
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
As for the apple ads, while I do find them funny, it is interesting how the big evil corporation that is Microsoft doesn't advertise its products by directly degrading or insulting the competition, while "everyone's favorite underdog" that is Apple is doing exactly that. Just some food for thought...


Amen! That's why I hate the ads sooo much. It's like the only way they can try to get people to switch to their "own a Mac and you'll instantly be cool" product is by trashing the competition....who happens to have so much of the market it should hardly be called competition to begin with.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Is this for real?

How could they ever have thought this was a good idea??
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Stopped it at about the half way point ...my eyes & ears were bleeding.

Any longer and I would have bled out...   
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I could hear fingernails being scraped over a chalkboard. This was a joke...right? I mean...they really didn't put that out there as a real commercial...did they?
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"The Most Ridiculous Windows Video Ever" <--- best explination ugh... I would think a company with as much money as Microsoft would have cutting edge right on target ads (even back then). But your right, historically MS hasn't had any 'stand out' campain ads.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OH GOD...I WAS ONLY HALF WAY THROUGH THE VIDEO...IT GETS WORSE...OH GOD...HOW COULD THIS EVER HAPPEN???



Which leads me to my next point kids......Don't do drugs.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i dont know about you guys, but in australia we have 2 new adds, the 'wow' one for vista (we all have that i guess) and a new one for mac which i think is stupid, its a guy and a doctor and the guy says he's a mac...9 times out of 10 when i see it, i watch it and after it i say to myself...'i dont get it'......so yeah.....insane and LAME
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What's really funny is I still have the original installation disks for Windows 386...LOL
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Which leads me to my next point kids......Don't do drugs.


How can anyone watch that without drugs? WOW! That was soooo bad.
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am glad I don't remember that commerical (if you want to call it that) at all!
That was such a cheesy, lame commerical for Windows/386! Even the theme to mission impossible was totally lame and the rap that woman did, eek!
I never ever seen such a lame commerical then that and it wasn't even pleasent to watch.

So what was Microsoft thinking back then when they made that commerical? Was Bill Gates wondering why it turned out the way it did? Compared to The Apple vs the Mac commerical I reather watch that then that 386 one!