Why cool commercials won't help Microsoft, but what could?

I don't think ads can change how consumers perceive a company. And that's why Jerry Seinfeld isn't going to save Microsoft's reputation with "cool geeks."

What did you remember about Hyundai ten years ago? That they were a cheap car with a long warranty--mostly because a lot was going to go wrong. Well, Hyundai now makes a good car and people have started to realize it. The product rules the day not the commercial. When was the last time you bought a car because of a commercial? What about based upon a friend's recommendation? Probably the latter. Make something good and the rest will follow.

Get that Microsoft?

Here is a commercial that would really prove quality: Take an Apple and Windows based computer and show both computers starting up at the beginning of the commercial. The fact is that a Windows Vista computer can't start up before the commercial ends while the Apple computer would start up fast enough to leave fifteen seconds to discuss why Apple is faster and more reliable.

The problem with Microsoft is that they don't fix problems. They are so arrogant that they don't believe they have to. If they want to fix their reputation they need to fix their problems.

Hyundai dreams of being Mercedes. Who does Microsoft dream of being? My guess is no one.. they figure everyone dreams of being them. That's the problem with monopolies--competition breeds greatness. A lack of competition breeds complacency.

One last thing: Why is Microsoft so interested in getting the approval of geeks when almost everyone but geeks buy their computers? My wife, mother, aunt, cousin, neighbor, etc. don't know or care about the Apple computers but because it rubs a few executives the wrong way they figure they have to strike back. A better commercial would show how parents can protect their kids with Vista, or how you can make photo albums, edit video, write documents, emails, surf the web and more with Vista. Who cares if the geeks buy Macs?

Sometimes the wrong move creates an opening for your worst enemies

A few days ago Google released their browser Chrome. It's got some neat features but you have to wonder if this doesn't create an opening for Microsoft or Yahoo.

I understand that it looks like it could go the opposite direction--after all it is a direct jab at Microsoft. However it also takes a jab at a company that has been a huge advocate of Google: Mozilla. (Mozilla is the creator of the Firefox browser)

I'm using Firefox right now and right at the top right of my browser is a Google search. If I'm Mozilla I have to start questioning my relationship with Google considering the great real estate they own in my browser. If I'm Microsoft or Yahoo I'd be on the phone with someone over at Mozilla wondering how much it would cost me to take Google's spot and reminding them how Google has basically stuck it to them.

Sure, Microsoft has a browser too, but they were in the game before Firefox. The best chance really is for Yahoo who doesn't have a browser but does have a search engine.

Google joining the browser market in my opinion is actually good for Microsoft because the tech savvy users are going to adopt Chrome--the same people who use Firefox. The 80% who use Internet Explorer do so mostly because they don't even know about Firefox. Microsoft might still be at 80% a year from now with Firefox only owning 15% of the marketing and Google with 5%. Or some other variation. The funny thing is this reverses the roll of Google search verses Microsoft search. Microsoft should revel in their new found dominance of Google, but MS better get it right with IE8.