Microsoft drops Family Guy special over content issues

[AppleInsider]

Microsoft has pulled the plug on its Windows 7 sponsorship of Seth MacFarlane's forthcoming "Family Guy" special after deciding the edgy comedy didn't "fit with the Windows brand."

A report by Variety said Microsoft originally hoped to sponsor the "Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show" on Fox to help launch Windows 7. Rather than using commercial breaks between the show's segments of animated and live-action comedy routines, the company planned to work with MacFarlane and comedienne Alex Borstein to inject messages about Windows 7 directly into the program.

Once Microsoft saw the material being developed, it dropped sponsorship of the show. "Family Guy" has been a bawdy mix of parody and intentionally poor taste for most of the decade. It was canceled after its third season, only to be resurrected by Fox after DVD sales and reruns found a wide audience. It has since spawned two other spinoffs on Fox. How Microsoft could have been surprised by the character of MacFarlane's style of comedy is difficult to imagine.

Just days before backing out of the special, Microsoft marketing executive Gayle Troberman told Ad Age "You'll see us deeply integrated into the content. You'll hear how Windows 7 can help you simplify your PC: it's simple, fast and easy to use."

A promotional spot that did air seemed to indicate that the special would be a mix of the show's old gags with irrelevant mentions of Windows 7. Below, Stewie installs Microsoft's new new operating system in order to use… Twitter.



During production, Variety reported that Microsoft "sent MacFarlane and Fox several notes expressing their concern over the show's content but ultimately decided just to drop out." Fox plans to line up another sponsor for the show and air it as planned.

Outside of the rejected MacFarlane special, Variety reported that Microsoft is still going forward with the rest of its multimillion-dollar deal with Fox One, which "encompasses a wide range of News Corp. properties, including Fox Sports, FX, Hulu, FoxSports.com on MSN, Fox Licensing and Merchandising and 20th Century Fox TV. Partnership includes a 12-week college tour sponsored by Fox Licensing and Merchandising -- featuring events such as 'Family Guy'-themed movie nights."

Past efforts at co-opting cool

Microsoft has struggled in the past with attempts to attach its corporate image to popular culture in order to sell its PC operating system software to users.

In 1986, a younger Steve Ballmer tried to tie "Miami Vice" into Windows by pasting an image of a Ferarri into Windows Write. The ad was an internal spoof, but characterized the type of humor the company hoped to use in marketing its products.



A late 80s promotional spot for Windows/386 that Microsoft actually delivered to retailers featured a white woman dressed like a clownish hooker and rapping away concerns about using Lotus 1-2-3 files within Windows as a sampled dog barks to the beat. Windows/386 was a version of Windows 2.0 targeted at the 386 processor.



At the launch of Windows 95, the company recruited Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston of what was then the new hit show "Friends" to demonstrate its new operating system. The company called the resulting advertisement "the first ever cyber sitcom" offering "more than a few laughs" in "an adventure in computing that takes place in the office of Microsoft chairman Bill Gates."

Along the way "they meet a wacky bunch of propeller heads" while learning about Windows 95 features, and the pace was purported to be "fast and funny."



Another spot employed a non-stop string of stereotypes, puns, and cliches to explain why users should drop DOS and their old keyboard for Windows 95 and Microsoft's new ergonomic keyboard.




Just after Microsoft launched Windows XP, Bill Gates appeared in character on the comedy "Frasier," where he took over Frasier Crane's radio show to answer users' questions pertaining to the newly available software the company was selling. Gates explained to users in 2001 that they "don't need to make a boot disk" using DOS and a floppy, but could now upgrade Windows by just inserting their CD and running the installer. "It's a feature of XP, very quick, very smooth," Gates announced.

Another caller says, "Wow, Bill Gates this is so cool!" and then asks, "I have a question about multilingual user interface ads ons. What are those?"



In an attempt to turn around the Vista launch, Bill Gates pitted himself opposite comedian Jerry Seinfeld in a series of ads that attempted to associate Gates and Microsoft with the quirky oddball humor of Seinfeld's long running show, which by that point had been off the air for a decade. While the first couple ads aired, the series was pulled before the spots ever developed upon their theme and the last episode to be filmed wasn't even broadcast.



With Windows 7, Microsoft targeted its outreach to common people, with a program to sponsor ad banners for home parties and Burger King promotion in Japan selling a bloated 7 patty, 2100 calorie burger. The canceled "Family Guy" show was the company's latest effort to target low brow consumers, but apparently was too much for the company to swallow.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[teckstud]

Smart move.

[Banalltv]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Once Microsoft saw the material being developed...How Microsoft could have been surprised by the character of MacFarlane's style of comedy is difficult to imagine.

[stewie] Not even one person from Microsoft thought to actually watch a Family Guy episode first before deciding to go with it? Not even one? Just one little Microsoft person? Just one little one? Just one to sit down there and em, watch it a little bit? Watch out for anything that em, might interest Upper Management? Anything at all that might, I don't know, raise an eyebrow? [/stewie]

[ajmac25]

Great news. I almost stopped watching Family Guy when I found out they would support Microsoft.

[JamesJpn]

Originally Posted by ajmac25

Great news. I almost stopped watching Family Guy when I found out they would support Microsoft.

But Family Guy still wants the support, they didn't drop Microsoft. I'm sorry to say that with your logic you should stop watching Family Guy.

[lightstriker]

the establishment is to dumb to know that satirist hates the establishment

[Cubert]

Mafia$oft had to know the type of humor that is on Family Guy (my favorite show by the way and a fan since the first episode, I might add). My guess is that Seth et al. wouldn't kow-tow and insert shameless @$$-kissing plugs for The Son of Shitsa.

[DanaCameron]

Every one of those Microsoft spots, especially the promotional videos, was painful to watch. Simply terrible.

[doyourownthing]

Originally Posted by ajmac25

Great news. I almost stopped watching Family Guy when I found out they would support Microsoft.

I almost cared when they announced it.

[LongDukDong]

Originally Posted by lightstriker

the establishment is to dumb...

The Donger say -- ahhh, irony.

Must go now. Donger need food!

[LongDukDong]

Originally Posted by Cubert

Mafia$oft...The Son of Shitsa.

The Donger say -- Not surprised that fan of Family Guy would find that clever.

No more yankee my wankee!

[applebook]

Family Guy stopped being good years ago anyway.

[solipsism]

Has everyone seen the original version it was based of? They did so little extra work to make the ad, and surely MS knew about Family Guy that I have to wonder if it was just too poor for the money that the said screw them.

Originally Posted by Banalltv

[stewie] Not even one person from Microsoft thought to actually watch a Family Guy episode first before deciding to go with it. Not even one? Just one little Microsoft person? Just one little one? [/stewie]

hehe You should have ran with that a bit longer.

[Cubert]

And, oh yeah, I bet the Family Guy writers were salivating at the idea of being paid by Mafia$oft and then subtly slamming them in the show (kinda like how they always do to Fox). Now, it's a full out slobber.

I can't wait.

Giggity-giggity-goo!!!
Aw right!

[Cubert]

Originally Posted by LongDukDong

The Donger say -- Not surprised that fan of Family Guy would find that clever.

No more yankee my wankee!

Cubert say originality much funnier than rehashing 1980's John Waters schlock.

[columbus]

Originally Posted by DanaCameron

Every one of those Microsoft spots, especially the promotional videos, was painful to watch. Simply terrible.

Which is why I didn't watch them.

[Marvin]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Microsoft has pulled the plug on its Windows 7 ad campaign featuring Seth MacFarlane's "Family Guy" franchise after deciding the edgy comedy didn't "fit with the Windows brand."

There were a lot of Macs in the 'behind the scenes' TV documentaries, maybe the writers are a bit biased. You can't help but feel Microsoft are jealous that Apple got such a big mention on the Simpsons and going about it their usual way by trying to match it and failing. They have been mentioned in Family Guy before though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXCRUE4Bip8

Microsoft just seems like the rich corporate loser who is married to a beautiful younger woman (the consumer) and although she's tied to the loser, she's in love with the more attractive gardner (Apple). No matter how much wealth, power and control they have, they want what Apple has. One day they'll learn that some things you just can't buy. Respect must be earned and Apple have earned it many times over.

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

In an attempt to turn around the Vista launch, Bill Gates pitted himself opposite comedian Jerry Seinfeld in a series of ads that attempted to associate Gates and Microsoft with the quirky oddball humor of Seinfeld's long running show

Yeah, I don't think it worked out so well. Here's Seinfeld on the latest Curb Your Enthusiasm episode. The Macbook Pro could hypothetically have Windows on it but it's no PC that's for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muQUPd9UPCc

[Psych_guy]

Originally Posted by Cubert

Cubert say originality much funnier than rehashing 1980's John Waters schlock.

His quotes and handle are from "Sixteen Candles", directed by . . . John Hughes (RIP).

[LongDukDong]

Originally Posted by Cubert

Cubert say originality much funnier than rehashing 1980's John Waters schlock.

The Donger say -- Stupid American should not feel shame that he confused the director of Pink Flamingos with the director of 16 Candles. You are product of shoddy public school system.

Like my sexy American girlfriend!

[solipsism]

Has MS ever put out a good ad? I enjoyed the ones with Seinfeld and Gates, but they didn’t sell the product well so I can’t call them “good”.

Originally Posted by Psych_guy

His quotes and handle are from "Sixteen Candles", directed by . . . John Hughes (RIP).

RIP, indeed.

Is your name derived from the USA network show that often quotes 80’s movies?

[sippincider]

This might be too old, but the Windows 98 "placement" in the South Park movie was fitting.

Ten years later, and the world still waits for MS to finally get it right...

Anyway, did Ballmer ever make it into a South Park episode?

[PaulMJohnson]

Honestly, what the hell did Microsoft expect?

[xwiredtva]

Originally Posted by Banalltv

[stewie] Not even one person from Microsoft thought to actually watch a Family Guy episode first before deciding to go with it? Not even one? Just one little Microsoft person? Just one little one? [/stewie]

Still, uh, working on that novel. Huh. Still, uh, trying to figure out a plot. Wanna, uh, put this in your novel. You know, uh, a little love scuffle between big blue and little white. Huh. You, uh, wanna talk about the, uh, possibilities that, uh, we are gonna have to bash them now on the show. Think, uh, we can make Peter out to be the new Pres of Microsoft, uh, so, uh, that, he can turn the company around. Huh. Think that, uh, maybe we'll do Peter with, uh, sweaty pits, uh, yelling, uh, ------- Oh hell with it, I'm going to bed.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by xwiredtva

Still, uh, working on that novel. Huh. Still, uh, trying to figure out a plot. Wanna, uh, put this in your novel. You know, uh, a little love scuffle between big blue and little white. Huh. You, uh, wanna talk about the, uh, possibilities that, uh, we are gonna have to bash them now on the show. Think, uh, we can make Peter out to be the new Pres of Microsoft, uh, so, uh, that, he can turn the company around. Huh. Think that, uh, maybe we'll do Peter with, uh, sweaty pits, uh, yelling, uh, ------- Oh hell with it, I'm going to bed.

[C C]

"A promotional spot that did air seemed to indicate that the special would be a mix of the show's old gags with irrelevant mentions of Windows 7"

Ummm...maybe that is supposed to be "irreverent", not "irrelevant" ? Of course with Family Guy it could be either...or both!

Regardless, it is amazing even for MS to be so clueless...That they didn't coordinate things earlier and get a better idea of what they were getting into. Also content creators AND advertisers are acutely aware that it's really difficult to pull of this kind of marketing — especially to the younger demographic — without appearing to sell out. I'd expect Family Guy writers and producers would certainly know that and it would greatly affect the content and delivery in a special like this. But it seems like MS just doesn't get it...again.

[C C]

Obviously Microsoft would be deathly afraid of — and completely opposed to — "irreverent" references and content when it came to Windows 7. I'd think MS would insist on striaght-up pimping, the exact opposite of what FamGuy writers would want to do.

[myapplelove]

Originally Posted by C C

"A promotional spot that did air seemed to indicate that the special would be a mix of the show's old gags with irrelevant mentions of Windows 7"

Ummm...maybe that is supposed to be "irreverent", not "irrelevant" ? Of course with Family Guy it could be either...or both!

Regardless, it is amazing even for MS to be so clueless...That they didn't coordinate things earlier and get a better idea of what they were getting into. Also content creators AND advertisers are acutely aware that it's really difficult to pull of this kind of marketing — especially to the younger demographic — without appearing to sell out. I'd expect Family Guy writers and producers would certainly know that and it would greatly affect the content and delivery in a special like this. But it seems like MS just doesn't get it...again.

family guy had been accused more than any cartoon sitcom of being a rip off of other, better shows. I wonder if that has any relation to Microsoft...

In any case, a crass backward moronic show and a sub par software manufacturer... who cares?

Btw, isn't there an ad campaign that ms has NOT first paid millions for and then ditched? When will they realize that their vapourware is the problem and not the campaigns?

[lilgto64]

maybe they (microsoft) should take a page from AA (alcoholics anonymous) and just come out and admit that their product often sucks and has major problems at times - maybe then the healing could begin....

The old Mac slogan - a computer for the rest of us - truly is obsolete - maybe it should be Mac is the computer for the BEST of us - and windows is now for the rest of us.

How funny would it be for bill gates to express frustration when windows crashes - at least that would be something people could identify with.

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by xwiredtva

Think, uh, we can make Peter out to be the new Pres of Microsoft, uh, so, uh, that, he can turn the company around. Huh. Think that, uh, maybe we'll do Peter with, uh, sweaty pits, uh, yelling, uh, ------- Oh hell with it, I'm going to bed.

<Peter>I'm head of Microsoft now and I'm worth over 50 Billion Dollars. Hheheheheheheheheehehehehehehehehehehe</Peter>

<Brian>Get a Mac, dumbass! Where's my martini? And where's Lois?!</Brian>

<OldManHerbert>Oh my! There are sssertainly a lot of young boys on thisssss internet thingy!</OldManHerbert>

<Quagmire>Not to mention a lot of women too! Oh Yeah! Gigiddy, Gigiddy, Gigiddy!</Quagmire>

I know, it's getting tiresome now!

[red_skittles]

Microsoft only dropped out of sponsoring the episode, there are still mentions of Win7 in it though. Its just that at commercial breaks it won't say Sponsored By Microsoft. Atleast thats what I read elsewhere.

By the way, did this site get a name change because last time I checked it was called AppleInsider? I just got confused by the way the article does not mention Apple a single time.

[CurtisEMayle]

Originally Posted by LongDukDong

The Donger say -- Stupid American should not feel shame that he confused the director of Pink Flamingos with the director of 16 Candles. You are product of shoddy public school system.

Like my sexy American girlfriend!

You'd make Gedde Watanabe proud!

[red_skittles]

Originally Posted by lilgto64

maybe they (microsoft) should take a page from AA (alcoholics anonymous) and just come out and admit that their product often sucks and has major problems at times - maybe then the healing could begin....

Are you a moron?

1.) It is completely opinion based whether or not Microsoft products suck. Many people (me being one of them) would disagree with you.

2.) Do you honestly think that Microsoft (or any other company) is going to say their products suck?

[CurtisEMayle]

I don't mean to be argumentative, however

Originally Posted by red_skittles

Are you a moron?

seems overly hyperbolic towards a poster's AA simile.

Originally Posted by red_skittles

1.) It is completely opinion based whether or not Microsoft products suck. Many people (me being one of them) would disagree with you.

To be fair to the poster, he did use the qualifiers "often" and "at times" and specified a singular "product". His is a widely shared opinion, as is yours, based in disagreement.

You may be offended, but neither the simile, nor the opinion seems moronic.

[red_skittles]

Originally Posted by CurtisEMayle

I don't mean to be argumentative, however



seems overly hyperbolic towards a poster's AA simile.



To be fair to the poster, he did use the qualifiers "often" and "at times" and specified a singular "product". His is a widely shared opinion, as is yours, based in disagreement.

You may be offended, but neither the simile, nor the opinion seems moronic.

I have no problem with people bashing Microsoft. Even if he hadn't have mentioned Microsoft and substituted it for any other company, it would still be moronic. Let me ask you this, if you were the head of a company that had produced a variety of products, some of which were poorly received, would you "come out and admit that [your] product often sucks and has major problems at times."

[CurtisEMayle]

Originally Posted by red_skittles

I have no problem with people bashing Microsoft. Even if he hadn't have mentioned Microsoft and substituted it for any other company, it would still be moronic. Let me ask you this, if you were the head of a company that had produced a variety of products, some of which were poorly received, would you "come out and admit that [your] product often sucks and has major problems at times."

I have and know of others that have, albeit "suck" was not included in either a public, nor an NDA statement. Usually, the accommodation is made by release of a new version, substitute product/service, etc. (and quickly). (e.g., Jobs' comments re: MobileMe).

In any event, I'm not certain the poster's comment was meant as a serious recommendation, but as a veiled critique about the company and/or the referenced product.

I have seen postings I'd categorize as "moronic". This one just doesn't happen to qualify (IMHO).

[Quadra 610]

Thank God.

Defacing a great show with MS garbageware. The very thought . . .

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by red_skittles

I have no problem with people bashing Microsoft. Even if he hadn't have mentioned Microsoft and substituted it for any other company, it would still be moronic. Let me ask you this, if you were the head of a company that had produced a variety of products, some of which were poorly received, would you "come out and admit that [your] product often sucks and has major problems at times."

Bill Gates all but admitted it about Vista, point-blank on camera.

Ballmer admitted the same about WinMo recently.

[FuturePastNow]

I love Family Guy, but obviously it had never been seen by any Microsoft execs before yesterday.

[Cubert]

Originally Posted by LongDukDong

The Donger say -- Stupid American should not feel shame that he confused the director of Pink Flamingos with the director of 16 Candles. You are product of shoddy public school system.

Like my sexy American girlfriend!

OK, so I didn't do my research. It was John Hughes. Still, original thought trumps decades old movie quotes. i didn't comment on your post - you did on mine - and as a die-hard Family Guy fan that is war!

Come on! "Son of Shitsa"?!?!?! That's a keeper!

Talk to me when you hit 20 posts and the 1990's.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by FuturePastNow

I love Family Guy, but obviously it had never been seen by any Microsoft execs before yesterday.

Or these clips…

• Family Guy - iPod v. Zune
• Family Guy - Bill Gates thinks people are ants