The second 2008 Microsoft ad starring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld is easier to settle into than the first, but it still does not explain what Microsoft is selling. Its comedy comes from watching the two celebrities try to fit into an ordinary family’s life; the point, as contemporary critic Tim Conneally saw it, was to introduce the pair and their comic dynamic before making a product case.
What happens in the second ad?
In the 4-minute-30-second version described by BetaNews, Gates and Seinfeld stay with a suburban family. The father asks Gates whether he has eaten scalloped potatoes, and the guests encounter everyday activities such as ping-pong. Seinfeld jokes about Gates’s “moon house hovering over Seattle,” setting Gates’s extraordinary wealth against Seinfeld’s own collection of cars.
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The spot also carries over a detail from the previous installment: Gates is still breaking in shoes he bought earlier. It ends with a recurring “give me a sign” gag, in which Gates does something ridiculous at Seinfeld’s request. According to Conneally’s September 12, 2008 account, the long commercial was divided into two parts to fit broadcast constraints.
So what is the ad trying to say?
The clearest interpretation is that the early spots are introductions, not product explanations. Conneally calls them “icebreakers”: they establish a comic world in which Seinfeld leads and Gates plays the straight man. The joke is that two famous, immensely wealthy men are socially unfamiliar with ordinary family life.
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That is the critic’s reading, not a verified statement from Microsoft’s campaign team. The commercial itself offers little explicit guidance: Conneally says it names no product and refers to Microsoft only scantily. The result is a character-and-tone setup without a clear product message.
Is this one clearer or better than the first?
Conneally found the second installment more welcoming and better paced than the first, but still short of a clear point. The family setting gives the pair a more comfortable comic situation, yet the contrast can also make them look out of touch rather than relatable. That assessment is one contemporary writer’s reaction, not a survey of viewers.
For a reader asking “do you get it yet?”, the fair answer is: you can get the intended setup, but not a specific product claim. The ad asks viewers to follow Gates and Seinfeld’s awkward social comedy; it does not spell out what Microsoft wants them to buy or do.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about Microsoft’s intended explanation?
A reference to a Microsoft Windows Vista Team Blog post titled “What’s up with those ads?” appeared in connection with the campaign, but an official explanation of this specific installment is not established by the available account. The “icebreakers” and “straight man” descriptions belong to Conneally’s interpretation, not a quotation from Microsoft.
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Source: Tim Conneally, “New Gates and Seinfeld ad: do you get it yet?”, BetaNews, September 12, 2008.
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