If advertisement slots for the last episode of Seinfeld cost between $1.5m and $1.7m for a thirty second slot, then how much was it for a mention in the Microsoft press conference following the Justice Department’s filing of its anti-trust lawsuit yesterday? Microsoft held its press conference at the Microsoft Studios in Redmond yesterday, and had a vast number of journalists listening worldwide via telephone, satellite and on the web using its NetShow videoconferencing software. There was also an additional telephone questions and answer session with Bill Gates and Bill Neukom following the main sessions. The participants managed to slip in two lucrative product placements, which given the media frenzy surrounding the events are bound to end up as quotes in thousands of publications and broadcasts around the world. Even by yesterday evening, National Public Radio had devoted two half hours in its `All Things Considered’ and `The News Hour’ programs to the story. Macdonalds and Coca Cola Co were both used for analogous examples to removing elements of Windows 98. Coca Cola got the best deal, with two mentions. [Bundling Netscape with Windows 98 would be comparable to asking the Coca Cola Co to sell three cans of Pepsi in with every six pack said an incredulous Gates. And hiding Windows would be like asking Coca Cola to remove its name from the can and take something out of the formula. If the companies mentioned weren’t paying heavily for the privilege then Microsoft missed a great opportunity of offsetting some of its legal costs.
