Okay, here’s the deal: In 2003, Ricky Gervais (The Office) and Stephen Merchant (his writing partner) made some hysterical training films for Microsoft for a tidy sum. The fee is rumored to be in the six-figure range, and it was on the condition the films were never made public.
They popped up on You Tube this month. I saw them before they were yanked, and the were very very funny. Fans of The Office will find them hysterical.
The latest rumor is that Microsoft has "started an investigation after two supposedly private training videos made for the software company by the comedian appeared on the internet."
This raises the question of just why these two hilarious Faux Training videos were yanked from You Tube in the first place. You cannot blame Microsoft for the content, which is mild compared with even Comedy Central, (forget HBO). And the gentle insults to Bill Gates? They are so soft-handed, it couldn’t be that.
You would think Mister Softee would be more PR savvy by now . . .
As of this morning, you could still catch them on Google
Video (parts one and two). Better hurry, cause they will be gone by Monday . . .
Sources:
Faux Trainging Video Part I
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9076288729387457440
Faux Trainging Video Part II
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=959125392868390030
YouTube reveals ‘what not to do’ at Microsoft
Aug 25, 2006
http://www.contractoruk.com/news/002818.html
David Brent’s top tech tips
Matt Loney
ZDNet UK
http://news.cnet.co.uk/software/0,39029694,49283062,00.htm
Brent’s secret Microsoft Office
Fran Yeoman
The Times, August 24, 2006
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2326336,00.html
May be this goes toward explaining why Microsoft can’t get Vista out the door?
The actors probably did the videos on the condition that they never be shown outside of MS training. Microsoft might have some liability there. Kind of like how major movie stars do commercials in Japan.
Ridiculous. I actually thought MSoft did this accidentally on purpose to get some buzz going. But no, they are still the confused, Gotta Control Everything, company that has nearly driven them to irrelevance.
These moments are very instructive. Does this show us a company that is nimble, and knows how to handle information? Or does it show us a company that has no idea how an information economy really works?
Whatever about the company, the videos are hilarious!