10 Bizarre Microsoft Ads That Will Hurt Your Brain

1. 1. Ballmer Sells Windows 1.0

   If only Microsoft had used this tactic for Vista, it could have meant a different reception for the much-maligned OS. Oh, and bundling in "Reversi" would definitely have helped.

2. 2. Windows 8 Training Camp: Piano

   This isn't so much "lost in translation" as in need of an explanation. Piano-playing-ping-pong-pants what?

3. 3. Microsoft Songsmith Commercial

   This commercial is so gut-wrenchingly, bewilderingly, horrifically, shockingly bad, some assumed it was a spoof. It wasn't. And by all accounts, the software wasn't too exceptional either.

4. 4. Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer Night at the Roxbury

   Gates and Ballmer ask, "What is Love?" We ask, "What is this shiz?"

5. 5. Windows 95 Video Guide

   In which Rachel and Chandler from Friends ask cheesy, scripted questions, such as whether the "task bar" is anything like a Snickers bar. Shudder.

6. 6. Weird Promo for Windows 386

   Stranger than a David Lynch movie, but no less frightening, skip to 2:40 for disturbing footage of an overworked '80s exec clearly descending into madness, as she rushes to finish a project for her boss. Poor woman.

7. 7. Hosting Your Party

   "In an lot of ways, you're just throwing a party with Windows 7 as an honored guest..." In a lot of ways Microsoft was tripping, imagining that the gen pop would host actual parties to celebrate the launch of its latest OS. This utterly cringey video did not help the cause.

8. 8. O.M.G.I.G.P Internet Explorer

   She is puking because he's using Internet Explorer, areweright?

9. 9. Windows 95 Promo Tape

   This promo video starts with the well-known, not at all dubious phrase "whip it on me," and it just gets better from there. Honest.

10. 10. Microsoft Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates Commercial

    One of a series of three totally surreal Gates vs. Seinfeld slots, these were either love-'em-or-hate-'em creations. They were also mad-as-a-box-of-frogs, batsh*t bonkers.

Over the years Microsoft has made headlines for some pretty out-there advertising campaigns. We're taking a look at a few of our favorite weird and wonderful Microsoft videos, from commercials to in-house promos to clips that defy definition.

Take a look through our surreal selection of odd Microsoft-made vids in the gallery above. Link us in the comments below to any other dubious footage from MSFT we've not included.

Homepage image courtesy of Flickr, Betsy Weber