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The second Microsoft ad starring Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld is easier to settle into than the first, but it still does not clearly explain what Microsoft wants viewers to take away. Its four-and-a-half-minute story puts the celebrities in a suburban family’s home and makes their awkward attempts at ordinary life the joke.
What happens in the second ad?
In the 4-minute-30-second version described by Tim Conneally in BetaNews on September 12, 2008, Gates and Seinfeld stay with a suburban family. The family’s father asks Gates whether he has eaten scalloped potatoes; ping-pong and other everyday routines furnish more awkward encounters. Seinfeld jokes about Gates’s “moon house hovering over Seattle,” while Seinfeld’s own collection of cars becomes part of the contrast.
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Gates is also still breaking in shoes he bought in the previous installment. Near the end, a recurring “give me a sign” gag has Gates doing something ridiculous at Seinfeld’s request. The long commercial was split into two parts to fit broadcast constraints, according to Conneally’s account.
What is the joke—and what might the campaign be setting up?
The humor rests on the gap between two extraordinarily wealthy public figures and the ordinary family around them. Their social unfamiliarity supplies the comic premise: Seinfeld plays the instigator, while Gates serves as his straight man.
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Conneally reads the early spots as “icebreakers”—introductions to the characters and the campaign’s world before a product case arrives. That is the writer’s interpretation, not a confirmed statement from Microsoft’s campaign team. The contemporary account does not establish an official explanation for this installment.
Does the sequel make the message clearer?
Conneally finds the second installment more welcoming and better paced than the first, but says it still fails to reach a clear point. It makes no product mention and refers to Microsoft only scantily, so a viewer looking for an explanation of a particular product is left without one.
The family setting may be intended to make the pair feel more approachable, yet the contrast can also make them seem out of touch. That is one critic’s reading of the spot, not a measured finding about how audiences generally responded.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How it compares with the first installment
| Aspect | What Conneally says about the second installment |
|---|---|
| Pacing and comfort | More welcoming and better paced than the first |
| Message clarity | Still does not reach a clear point |
| Relatability | The everyday-family contrast can make the celebrities seem out of touch |
These are the dimensions the contemporary review uses to judge the sequel; they should not be mistaken for audience research or an official campaign rationale.
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