Pharrell in New Microsoft Ads

Neptunes rapper/producer Pharrell Williams will be featured in the next phase of ads by Microsoft.

Recently Microsoft unveiled a new $300 million marketing plan aimed to challenge Apple and make the PC brand cooler and hipper.  The initial phase featured Jerry Senfeld and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.  Many where critical of the ads saying they were confusing and did not make the company seem any cooler or hipper.  After less than two weeks on the air, the company is pulling the Seinfeld ads, in favor of a new campaign and bringing in new celebrities more in tune with their message.  Seinfeld was paid an estimated $10 million for the endorsement.

The new ads will debut tonight (9/18) and feature Pharrell Williams, Eva Longoria Parker, Tony Parker and Deepak Chopra.  It takes aim at Apple’s “Mac vs. PC” campaign that has portrayed personal computers running Windows as uncool.  It starts with a real-life Windows engineer who resembles the uncool PC guy in the Mac ads, saying “I’m a PC and I’ve been made into a stereotype.” and will then feature a montage of celebs and normal folks, saying “I’m a PC.” 

Microsoft Senior Vice President Mich Matthews , said  the goal of the $300 million advertising campaign is to “take back the PC brand” and these new ads were designed to counter the PC stereotype being defined by Mac.

The campaign, designed by Miami-based ad agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky, will be supported with billboards, online and newspaper ads pushing the theme of “Windows vs. Walls” — the concept that Windows allows for a life without walls.  

It's not the first time Williams has teamed up with Microsoft. Executives have previously called on "The Neptunes" producer to help launch their Xbox 360 computer game "Halo 3" in the U.K.

To read a NY Times article on the campaign click here.

VIDEO: Microsoft Ad featuring Bill Gates & Seinfeld