Gawker: valleywag, jackass

Microsoft's "Jackass" non-denial

Jordan Golson — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:40:52 EDT

In response to the rumor that Jackass star Johnny Knoxville is the new Microsoft pitchman, a company spokesperson emails: "Microsoft is planning a consumer advertising campaign with Crispin Porter & Bogusky. We have no other details to share at this time."

Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, Microsoft's PR firm, is surely earning their millions with that non-denial. If I were a betting man — and I am — I'd say the rumor of Knoxville's involvement is completely accurate.

"Jackass" star Johnny Knoxville new Microsoft pitchman

Jordan Golson — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:20:58 EDT

Forget Justin Long as Mac and John Hodgman as PC. The latest computer pitchman could be Johnny Knoxville, star of MTV's Jackass series. A reader of the blog Cajun Boy in the City claims to have been in a focus group for an unnamed company he believes is Microsoft. Redmond's marketing execs recently hired ad firm Crispin Porter & Bogusky, the creators of Miller Lite's "Man Laws" campaign and Burger King's live-action "King." The reader writes:

Microsoft [is] in the midst of preparing an advertising campaign that would make it appear that its software and the PCs that run them are a younger, hipper product.

He continues:

They showed us a number of sample ads that seemed to emphasize global community, peace, love, happiness and environmentalism, etc., and how Microsoft products can bring the world together and make it better place. All of us in the group were struck by how Apple-like the ads were. Some even expressed thoughts that they appeared to be straight rip-offs.

(Photo by AP/Paul Hawthorne)

Is Web video the new "direct to DVD"?

Mary Jane Irwin — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:13:07 EST

Viacom is determined not to fall into the music industry's technophobic trap. Instead, it's embracing the online-video frenzy by releasing Jackass 2.5 directly onto the Web next week. Initially offered as a free streamed video on Blockbuster's Movielink, it will eventually move to pay outlets like iTunes and, yes, DVD — which is where this on-the-cheap knockoff probably would have landed just a couple years ago.

The stunt, as explained by execs at MTV and Paramount, is to prove that digital distribution is a viable business model for long-form entertainment. If so, it only proves this much: Junk distribution channels attract junk content. Instead of going direct to DVD, producers are now saving their worst efforts for the Web. The only difference between Jackass 2.5 and Michael Eisner's Prom Queen is the length of time it takes to bore us.