Family Guy and Microsoft

The incredibly funny (fact, not opinion) Fox show Family Guy was slated to release an episode with a bit of a different twist. Instead of breaking for regular commercials every 15 minutes, they teamed up with Microsoft so that Seth McFarlane would say some witty words plugging Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows 7. This would be a nice break for the viewers because everybody hates commercials, and it would be good for Microsoft, as they are trying to appeal to the college aged, or at least college educated, consumer. After a representative from Microsoft was invited to a screening, the company backed out. They were turned off by the show's off color humor and style of comedy.

It's kind of a fine line in this situation because obviously this is the perfect show to target the intended audience, but Microsoft runs the risk of being associated with the values of that show if they choose to sponsor it. Ultimately, they pulled out of the agreement and the creators of Family Guy are now left to do some creative editing work to make it a smooth show. This comes down to the idea of branding and how companies want to be perceived. There are certain associations consumers make with certain companies. Mac users associate Apple computers with being fun and reliable. PC users may expect something a little more professional because as of right now it caters to an older demographic. If Microsoft wants to be recognized as a younger brand, it may have been a good idea to suck it up and keep the spot on Family Guy because it is sure to be seen by all the people the company wants to receive that message.