AOL vs MSN: the TV spots

Undertoad · 12-08-2003, 09:12 AM

AOL: A couple is excited to get an AOL disk in the mail because it completes their massive sculpture of a fish made only of AOL disks. Jerry Stiller comes in to tell them they might want to load this one instead.

MSN: An ugly middle-aged man in a butterfly costume follows people from room to room, cleaning their phone, their dirty socks to try to suggest that MSN "sanitizes" the online experience.

AOL wins this round. The whole "guy in a butterfly suit" concept is just terrible. The original idea of the logo was great and its visual analogy to windows was spot-on. Now they've ruined it. Is there anyone who is intrigued by the notion of having an ugly guy in a butterfly costume follow you around your house? I'm sure there were websites for this sort of thing before MSN, but...

Happy Monkey · 12-08-2003, 09:16 AM

The AOL ad would have been better if they put the disk on the sculpture and then 20 more disks appeared in the mail for them to try out.

Sperlock · 12-08-2003, 10:46 AM

I haven't seen either of these. I can't say that I am sad because I haven't.

juju · 12-08-2003, 10:56 AM

Doesn't the AOL ad have Snoop Dogg in it, too?

Undertoad · 12-08-2003, 11:03 AM

Snoop Dogg does show up at the last minute... to take a big baseball bat in the gonads of credibility. He must have gotten paid or had to do a favor for someone.

juju · 12-08-2003, 11:09 AM

For the right price, I bet we'd all appear in an AOL ad. Though maybe not together.. I'd charge extra for that.

SteveDallas · 12-08-2003, 11:29 AM

I don't think I've seen a commercial in ages. Though I am intending to devote more time to the tube since there are a few things coming up I at least want to sample (The Simple Life (still haven't watched the 1st episode) and the new Battlestar Galactica). So maybe I'll check out some.

The AOL ad sounds like a clever use of the whole "AOL disc = coaster" idea. I've never seen any of the MSN ones but a guy in a multicolored butterfly suit??? I hope somebody had a flyswatter or a can of Raid sized to suit.

wolf · 12-08-2003, 12:17 PM

MSN has been running the geek in the butterfly suit ads for some time. They have worked very well at convincing me I don't want anything to do with an internet service connected with microsloth. (Heck, I won't even have a free hotmail account.)

12-08-2003, 09:12 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	AOL vs MSN: the TV spots AOL: A couple is excited to get an AOL disk in the mail because it completes their massive sculpture of a fish made only of AOL disks. Jerry Stiller comes in to tell them they might want to load this one instead. MSN: An ugly middle-aged man in a butterfly costume follows people from room to room, cleaning their phone, their dirty socks to try to suggest that MSN "sanitizes" the online experience. AOL wins this round. The whole "guy in a butterfly suit" concept is just terrible. The original idea of the logo was great and its visual analogy to windows was spot-on. Now they've ruined it. Is there anyone who is intrigued by the notion of having an ugly guy in a butterfly costume follow you around your house? I'm sure there were websites for this sort of thing before MSN, but...

12-08-2003, 09:16 AM	#2
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	The AOL ad would have been better if they put the disk on the sculpture and then 20 more disks appeared in the mail for them to try out. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

12-08-2003, 10:46 AM	#3
Sperlock Elite Elitist Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 322	I haven't seen either of these. I can't say that I am sad because I haven't. __________________ Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground. - Anonymous http://informationthreshold.blogspot.com, http://spiritualthreshold.blogspot.com

12-08-2003, 12:17 PM	#8
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	MSN has been running the geek in the butterfly suit ads for some time. They have worked very well at convincing me I don't want anything to do with an internet service connected with microsloth. (Heck, I won't even have a free hotmail account.) __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

12-08-2003, 10:56 AM	#4
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	Doesn't the AOL ad have Snoop Dogg in it, too?

12-08-2003, 11:03 AM	#5
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Snoop Dogg does show up at the last minute... to take a big baseball bat in the gonads of credibility. He must have gotten paid or had to do a favor for someone.

12-08-2003, 11:09 AM	#6
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	For the right price, I bet we'd all appear in an AOL ad. Though maybe not together.. I'd charge extra for that.

12-08-2003, 11:29 AM	#7
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	I don't think I've seen a commercial in ages. Though I am intending to devote more time to the tube since there are a few things coming up I at least want to sample (The Simple Life (still haven't watched the 1st episode) and the new Battlestar Galactica). So maybe I'll check out some. The AOL ad sounds like a clever use of the whole "AOL disc = coaster" idea. I've never seen any of the MSN ones but a guy in a multicolored butterfly suit??? I hope somebody had a flyswatter or a can of Raid sized to suit.

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