Microsoft Discovers “Family Guy” Is Vulgar, Water Is Wet

Microsoft thought it would be a good idea to promote Windows 7 to the kids by sponsoring the upcoming Fox special "Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show," starring “Family Guy” creator Seth McFarlane.

Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the animated hit is aware that its shotgun-comedy strategy is “Who can we offend next?” But as Variety reported, Microsoft executives were taken aback when watching the October 16 taping of the episode that included the planned Windows 7 pitch:

For most of the special, however, MacFarlane and Borstein made typical "Family Guy"-style jokes, including riffs on deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest.

Such material was apparently a bit much for Microsoft.

Microsoft, which will think twice next time before asking an intern what the cool kids like, decided to abandon its marketing plan, which included promoting the brand throughout the November 8 show so it could run commercial-free.

This relationship was deeper than when a spot simply runs during a program later deemed offensive. When Capitol One apologized for its ad during a particular “O’Reilly Factor,” it was a sponsorship move that hearkened back to the early days of television, when programs had titles like “The Colgate Comedy Hour,” or more recent ad-exclusivity deals like BMW’s with “Mad Men.”

Embracing a show that closely goes from sponsorship to assumed endorsement, and Microsoft pulled out before more conservative consumers could render Windows 7 “the operating system for those who find it funny to sleep with your sister."

Microsoft probably thought the show, a mix of animation and live action, would not be as taboo-tagging as the typical “Family Guy” episode. AdAge quotes an Microsoft spokesperson who insists the brand plans to work with MacFarlane in the future:

"We initially chose to participate in the Seth and Alex variety show based on the audience composition and creative humor of 'Family Guy,' but after reviewing an early version of the variety show, it became clear that the content was not a fit with the Windows brand," said a Microsoft spokeswoman.

We pose the question to you, dear reader: What brand would be a good fit for a show joking about deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene, and incest? Would it have been worth it for Microsoft to attract an audience that’s hip to that kind of humor, even while risking the wrath of One Million Moms? Even after pulling out, might the brand still have more damage to control?