By Nick Farrell
08 September 2008, 6:24 AM

VOLISH ATTEMPTS to improve profile of Vista with a $300 million advertising campaign starring comedian Jerry Seinfeld are proving about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Advertising reviewers have been looking at the first offering, which stars Software King of the World (retired) Sir William Gates III buying shoes.

While Vole said the first advert (which fails to even mention Windows) is just a teaser, it does look like $300 million would have been better spent giving away free copies of the broken OS. What is perhaps more surprising is that the advertisement is not at all funny and is so embarrassing it is impossible to watch without your fillings dropping out. A moment where Bill wiggles his bottom has to be one of the most vile things seen on TV since Steve Ballmer tried to peddle early PCs.

The advert has been much mocked in the weekend blogs and advertising critics are wondering what it is that Microsoft is thinking of. If you still want to see it after our warning, it is here. Or you can see one with an alternate (and much funnier) ending here.