Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012
Microsoft has cancelled its product placement in the November 8 episode of the Family Guy on the Fox network. The software developer said that some of the show?s humor might be too offensive and edgy and it will not blend well with Microsoft?s brand image.
Initially, the 30-minute, no-commercial episode was supposed to be dedicated to promoting Windows 7. Instead, the segment will promote the developer?s newly released OS.
Sources close to the deal say that there will be a new twist to the product promotion and experts say that it will perform well as a viral ad on the internet.
According to ABC News, Microsoft pulled out upon seeing a rough clip of the special episode. Reportedly, the clip featured jokes about deaf people, the Holocaust, incest, and feminine hygiene. While these were regular topics on the Family Guy, these were not images that Microsoft 7 wanted to be associated to.
How the pull out will affect the relationship between the network and the software developer is still unclear. However, the sudden cancellation will scare other media companies from signing deals with Microsoft.
