Microsoft Ditches Seinfeld Ads

Microsoft is halting its quirky commercials featuring conversations between Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, which met with mixed reviews. "The ads only reminded us how out of touch with consumers Microsoft is—and that Bill Gates's company has millions of dollars to waste on hiring a has-been funnyman to keep him company," says blogger Valleywag. Ouch.

Waggener Edstrom, Microsoft's PR firm, told Valleywag that the company is not going on with Seinfeld but that there is still the potential to do other things with the comedian. The next round of the computer giant's $300 million ad campaign features a play off Apple's attack ads that portray a boring PC character. (This time, the PC guy reportedly will say "Hello, I'm a PC, and I've been made into a stereotype.") The new commercials will also feature celebrities, including Eva Longoria and Pharrell Williams, Bloomberg reports.