1995
Product: Windows 95
Campaign: "Start Me Up"
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy

The first TV commercial for which the Rolling Stones licensed their music. Of course, the Rolling Stones don't exactly scream new and innovative.

1996
Product: Windows 95/98
Campaign: "Where Do You Want to Go Today?"
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy

Montage of all the software that runs with Windows. Not trying to be cool -- just utilitarian, like Windows itself. It worked.

2003
Product: Microsoft Office 2003
Campaign: "Evolve"
Agency: McCann Worldgroup

Lame idea: implying that you're a dinosaur if you don't upgrade your software. Worse idea: insulting customers.

2005

Product: Xbox 360
Campaign: "Jump In"
Ad: "Zero Hour"
Agency: McCann Worldgroup

This short-lived attempt to be edgy shows commuters on a train platform engaging in a massive imaginary gunfight. Huh?

2006
Product: Windows Live Search
Campaign: "Ms. Dewey"
Developer: Evolution Bureau

Flash-animated site hosted by a "hot librarian" who gives sassy responses to viewer queries -- a blatant rip-off of the Subservient Chicken site Crispin did for Burger King.

2006
Product: Vista
Campaign: "The 'Wow' Starts Now"
Agency: McCann Worldgroup

These cloying ads -- comparing Vista to milestones like the moon landing -- managed to hype the new operating system while not saying anything about its features.

2006
Product: Vista
Campaign: "Clearification"
Agency: McCann Worldgroup

Webisodes starring comedian Demetri Martin of The Daily Show, who was signed three months after Apple started running its "Mac vs. PC" ads with The Daily Show's John Hodgman. The Martin spots were legitimately hilarious, but the virus didn't catch.

2007
Product: Halo 3
Campaign: "Believe"
Agency:McCann/T.A.G.

Movie F/X whiz Stan Winston created a 1,200-square-foot diorama of a Halo battle scene, complete with 650 figurines in horrific poses. Cool.

2007
Product: Zune
Campaign: "You Make It You"
Agency: McCann/T.A.G.

Psychedelic TV spots show twentysomethings wandering through eerie music videos. It made some noise: Bloggers noted the ad with a Shins song is cooler than the song's actual video.

2007
Product: General Business Solutions
Campaign: "People-Ready"
Agency: McCann Worldgroup