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Microsoft using Jackass star to match Long?

updated 05:50 pm EDT, Tue March 25, 2008

Microsoft Knoxville rumor

Microsoft is allegedly seeking to match Justin Long's unflappable demeanor with the Jackass antics of the show's creator, Johnny Knoxville. According to Cajun Boy in the City, one reader wrote the blog, citing that they had taken part in a clandestine focus group, which supposedly was run by Microsoft's new ad agency, Crispin Porter & Bogusky – responsible for ad campaigns for Burger King, Miller Lite, and Volkswagen.

The purported advertisement shows Knoxville dropping a PC during a Jackass-style stunt, followed by a quip saying that users should not have to worry about a destroyed PC, due to Windows automatic backup features.

When approached on the matter, Microsoft said that while Crispin Porter & Bogusky is indeed managing the consumer advertising campaign, the spokesman said that there are no additional details available regarding Knoxville's image.

 
Previous Comments

More marketing brilliance

03/25, 06:16pm reply

"I'm a Mac." "And I'm a jackass!"

jimothy

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

0

Title

03/25, 06:25pm reply

What would the title of these ads be: "The Jackass of the Week"?

Will53

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Joined: Jan 2006

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wait... what??

03/25, 06:30pm reply

Let me get his straight... they are going to combat the Apple ads by showing Johnny Knoxville destroying a PC. Wow... I mean wow. Ya, that'll teach 'em.

Omek

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Joined: Jan 2002

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Let Me Guess ...

03/25, 06:41pm reply

Ballmer himself thought of this.

Foe Hammer

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Joined: Feb 2005

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the joke writes itself

03/25, 07:01pm reply

Maybe they can compare working with Vista to getting a bowling ball dropped on your crotch. I can see it now, "Vista: Not as bad as a bowling ball to the crotch!"

Robb

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Joined: Feb 2000

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Apple Snail Commercial

03/25, 07:50pm reply

This might actually hurt PC sales lol...Apple's legacy snail commercial with the PII on it's back actually increased PC sales!

Feynman

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Joined: Aug 2006

0

Brilliant...

03/25, 07:54pm reply

Just the kind of advert I would expect Ballmer to greenlight.

Glad we won't have to worry about any brilliant ideas from MS.

ZinkDifferent

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Joined: Jan 2005

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crispin...

03/25, 08:20pm reply

is well-respected and admired in the ad industry... i wouldn't discount them on this "publicity stunt" as most of their campaigns have had long-lasting impact on consumers' minds... think: ikea lamp, subservient chicken, mini cooper, bk video stunts, etc.

and for the mac fanboys. you'd be glad to know that crispin, like most ad agencies, is primarily a mac house. they were even profiled on apple.com twice.

JohnnyFive

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Joined: Feb 2003

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johnnyfour and a half

03/25, 08:32pm reply

Not sure what world you are from - "Crispin is well-respected and admired in the ad industry" -- they may be admired and well-respected OUTSIDE the ad industry. Inside - they are not particularly thought of that way. Anyway...

This entire thing is a hoax. Focus groups just don't work this way.

Doofuses.

robttwo

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Joined: Nov 2005

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re: robttwo

03/25, 09:50pm reply

you must be from a "world" that lost a major client to crispin. sour grapes. i don't need to convince you about crispin. just go look at the award books you're probably ripping off ads from.

JohnnyFive

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Joined: Feb 2003

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