Microsoft is withdrawing its support for a Family Guy show special that will be airing Nov 8 on the Fox network because the computer giant decided that some of the humor is offensive and edgy and does not fit with the brand image it is trying to project, according to ABC News.
The 30-minute clip, "Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show," was written to promote Windows 7 and does not include commercials. Instead, the entire show is devoted to Microsoft's newly released OS.
The show promised new twist to a product launch's marketing campaign, and the initial buzz around the show suggested the clip could easily go viral on the internet.
Microsoft, however, after viewing a rough clip of the special, ultimately decided to pull its support. Family Guy is known for edgy humor and occasionally offensive jokes - and the Windows 7 special, it appears, was no exception. "The special reportedly contained jokes about deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest," ABC said. "In other words, it was just like a regular "Family Guy" episode."
Future Support Unclear
How Microsoft's decision to pull its support will impact future campaigns of this nature is unclear, although the financial ramifications of a last-minute change of heart suggest few media companies will want to take such risks. According to ABC, the Fox network is looking for another sponsor for the Windows 7 special. In general, a 30-second ad during "Family Guy" costs about $214,750, ABC said, which means a sponsor for a half-hour show would be a million-plus dollar deal.
PR Moves and Counter Moves
Microsoft, at least one blogger suggests, has the best of both worlds, PR wise, with its decision to pull out. "It gets to be briefly associated with Family Guy without having to deal with any complaints from anyone who’s not amused by gags about the deaf, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene, and/or incest," writes Henry McCracken at Technologizer.
Unless, of course, Apple were to be the new sponsor, suggests Allison Waldman at TV Squad. "It would also be a brilliant PR move by Steve Jobs and Apple. After all, they could say, "Hey, we're not afraid of the content in Seth MacFarlane's show. We have a sense of humor," Waldman noted.
If nothing else, Microsoft's decision highlights the damage a brand - whether it is a product or service or charitable cause - can receive when it is associated with an over-the-top video or marketing campaign. Backlash against a handful of recent public-service ads illustrates that point.
Backlash in the UK
An online video ad campaign in the UK on climate change recently drew criticism and regulatory scrutiny for its frightening - and some say inaccurate - depiction of the future, the BBC reports.
Similar complaints were voiced over another particularly gruesome UK public service video clip against drunk driving, according to the E-Commerce Times.
