Microsoft Hires Family Guy to Sell Windows 7

The release of Windows 7 is just over a week away, and you can be sure that there will be a huge marketing push behind Microsoft's biggest money maker.

With the new operating system, it would only make sense for Microsoft to try to capture every market it possibly can. And what better way to grab the prime time audience than with some Family Guy?

Microsoft has signed a deal with Fox to sponsor a variety show produced by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, AdAge reports. Interestingly, the show will air on November 8, nearly three weeks following the launch of Windows 7.

The program will also run without any commercials, likely because the entire show is already a sponsored event.

The show's current working title is "Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show," which will be a mix of live-action musical performances, animated shorts and celebrity guest appearances.

"Think about metaphors and examples we might use, talking about how simple things are. We'll be evoking the cast of 'Family Guy' in some interesting ways that integrate the product messages," said Gayle Troberman, general manager of consumer engagement and advertising at Microsoft

While I'll reserve judgment of this marketing ploy until after November 8, it could be this sort of promotion that'll help inject some personality back into the PC. After all the work Apple has done to make the PC platform appear dull and lifeless, what better way to fight back than to show that Stewie is a PC?

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
  • dingumf
    Ha I read about this yesterday. In the episode, they're going to have a Windows 7 Party.

    Gonna suck imo
    Reply
  • itrendslave
    Think you missed the "butter" there in the sub-title... a few times =)
    Reply
  • captaincharisma
    cool, have one of the scenes be the evil chicken kicking steve jobs ass :)
    Reply
  • socrates047
    it'll be funny if they can have a short of the dude in the chicken character who fights peter, fight Bill Gates over the fact that vista sucked. after a while they make up and to make it up to him he sends him a copy of Window's Seven but its the one signed by Ballmer and the chicken goes after ballmer. lol
    Reply
  • brendano257
    When all else goes to hell...hire family guy? Oh god save us....XD
    Reply
  • Kaiser_25
    family guy rarely disapoints, ill bet it will be a good laugh. Im curious about how much hes getin paid.
    Reply
  • Gin Fushicho
    lawl?
    Reply
  • Ed Brown
    Hmm, I wonder if Quagmire will try to make Microsoft "Microhard"

    Giggity giggity goo!
    Reply
  • Regulas
    Family Guy writers are a bunch of left wing liberals.
    Reply
  • Flameout
    effin sell outs. i thought the family guy team had much more integrity than this
    Reply