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olePigeon · Oct 27, 2009, 12:02 PM

So Microsoft asked Seth McFarland to do a Family Guy episode about Windows 7. I had to ask, does anyone at Microsoft actually watch the show?!

In a statement, a Microsoft representative said the show--a variety show to be done by Alex Borstein and Seth MacFarlane--was not "a fit with the Windows brand." Microsoft had hoped to use the show to tout its just-released Windows 7 operating system.

I saw this freight train coming a mile away. McFarland's going to run the episode anyway. This is going to be awesome.

Big Mac · Oct 27, 2009, 12:07 PM

Yeah, but Family Guy and Microsoft both suck. It sounds like a good fit.

The Final Dakar · Oct 27, 2009, 12:07 PM

I'm guessing all they looked at is the ratings and the demographics.

Man, people are idiots.

KeyLimePi · Oct 27, 2009, 12:16 PM

Wow, it's pretty bad when you can't even live up to Microsoft's standards.

starman · Oct 27, 2009, 12:24 PM

They're running the episode WITHOUT the W7 sponsorship.

Microsoft: Windows 7 + Family Guy = Whoops

besson3c · Oct 27, 2009, 12:29 PM

Yet another PR blunder. I ask again, for a company as big and as powerful as MS is, how come they always get their PR so horribly wrong?

SpaceMonkey · Oct 27, 2009, 12:31 PM

Large, powerful organizations are almost never good at PR. There are too many barriers to internal communication and the news media instinctively wants to take you down.

The Final Dakar · Oct 27, 2009, 12:38 PM

It's the people. How old do you think MSs PR people are? Do you think they consume the same tv as average americans? I doubt it.

besson3c · Oct 27, 2009, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey

Large, powerful organizations are almost never good at PR. There are too many barriers to internal communication and the news media instinctively wants to take you down.

I don't know if I agree with this. Too many exceptions come to mind.

CRASH HARDDRIVE · 01:27 PM

MS made an excuse, but the real reason they pulled out is because they saw the taping (it's a variety show) and as anyone else who saw it could probably tell you....

..err.. nevermind, I'm sure it'll be rip roaring hilarious, critics and fans alike will clamor for more, and any sponsor unfortunate enough to have unhitched themselves up to this amazing entertainment milestone will regret it forever and ever.

osiris · Oct 27, 2009, 01:10 PM

I wouldn't be surprised if the FG producers pull some last minute insults - ya know, to pour salt on the wound.

olePigeon · Oct 27, 2009, 01:27 PM

Maybe the Griffins will throw a Windows 7 party.

SpaceMonkey · Oct 27, 2009, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by besson3c

I don't know if I agree with this. Too many exceptions come to mind.

Oh, there are certainly exceptions. But in general, I think the likelihood of good press rapidly decreases as news media begin to perceive a lack of access and transparency, and large organizations are less transparent almost by definition. It increases the suspicion motive for journalists, and puts PR people on a defensive footing. Large organizations also tend to be the "old" story. Contrast this with something like this vapid wank-fest about Twitter (No ideas? No strategic direction? No problem!).

Thorzdad · Oct 27, 2009, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar

It's the people. How old do you think MSs PR people are? Do you think they consume the same tv as average americans? I doubt it.

Hey, now. It's probably a sure-bet that I'm a helluva lot older than anyone running/working in MS' marketing and PR departments. But, I know better than to think tying, well, ANY product to Family Guy is a winning strategy in any known universe.

SpaceMonkey · Oct 27, 2009, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

Maybe the Griffins will throw a Windows 7 party.

This I would watch.

osiris · Oct 27, 2009, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

Maybe the Griffins will throw a Windows 7 party.

That would be funny.

besson3c · Oct 28, 2009, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey

Oh, there are certainly exceptions. But in general, I think the likelihood of good press rapidly decreases as news media begin to perceive a lack of access and transparency, and large organizations are less transparent almost by definition. It increases the suspicion motive for journalists, and puts PR people on a defensive footing. Large organizations also tend to be the "old" story. Contrast this with something like this vapid wank-fest about Twitter (No ideas? No strategic direction? No problem!).

I agree with this, but I'd also add that I think that in larger organizations the probability of a complete disconnect between the businessey/salesy guys and the engineers is greater in work cultures that are not engineer driven. In this sort of environment a lot of the excitement about the products seems to be fairly masked, and marketing teams often try to make up for this with silly marketing attempts such as the Windows 7 Launch Party video.

In Google's (and Apple's) case, the work culture is more engineer driven. I would bet that the engineers care more about the work they are doing, and this shows in the products that are released. This excitement and energy has got to be infectious, and it certainly makes people more interested in working there - creative marketing types and engineers alike. Google and Apple products are generally more exciting and headline worthy than most of Microsoft's, who has long been a sort of utilitarian sort of software maker that business people like but has had difficulty building a sort of organic level of excitement about.

I'm very interested in the topic of work culture and creating an effective workplace.

KeyLimePi · Nov 9, 2009, 04:36 PM

Made it through about three-quarters of 'Seth McFarland and Alex Borstein's Almost Live' special last night. Better title would have been 'Seth McFarland Really likes to Hear Himself Sing.' Overall I thought it was pretty self-indulgent. Reminds me of one of my favorite movie reviews, describing M. Night Shayamalan's overly-indulgent 'Lady in the Water.' A reviewer said it was 'like walking in and catching your roommate masturbating to a picture of himself.'

osiris · Nov 9, 2009, 04:40 PM

Well, I watched the whole show. It was lame, though there were a few moments.
The Rene Zellweger screen test was funny for a few seconds, as was the Edelweiss song. But yeah, it was mostly Seth worshipping himself.

imitchellg5 · Nov 9, 2009, 06:51 PM

Wasn't there a thread about this already?

residentEvil · Nov 9, 2009, 10:41 PM

Marlee was great; really like her. when the bit started, i knew she would be coming on stage. hahaha.

we tried calling you, but the phone kept ringing and ringing...

want me to teach you some sign language?

hahaha!

KeyLimePi · Nov 10, 2009, 11:45 AM

That bit was actually pretty painful for me to watch. At some point it felt like Borstein was just filling time until Matlin came out. And then, when she did, the payoff wasn't worth it.

Kudos to Matlin, though. I like it when people aren't afraid to come out and allow themselves to be the butt of a joke, but I sort of feel like, if they do, you owe them some decent material.