When I first saw this ad I was shocked at how bad it was…now I like Jerry and think his stand-up and show are the bomb, but this was so bad I actually had to close my eyes then turn the channel.

Brand Keys, a market research company, did a direct comparison of Microsoft and Apple ads over the last two months. Aside from the obvious conclusions, Amy Shea, executive VP of Brand Keys, had this to say in reference to the doomed to be classic ‘fail’-worthy Gates/Seinfeld clip:

On the other hand, Microsoft’s “Shoe Circus,” in which Mr. Seinfeld helped Mr. Gates buy shoes, failed miserably with consumers. After seeing the ad, both Apple and Microsoft users had a more negative perception of Microsoft in the areas of innovation, technology, trouble-free design, and warranty and pricing. “When you see an ad perform this poorly,” said Amy Shea, the executive vice president at Brand Keys who conducted the research, “you’ve got a real problem.”