The tag's use of the word "walls" is intended "to describe the various walls that can creep up in your technical life: walls between work and play and home, having to have different solutions from each of those or the walls between the devices you have, the walls between you and people and the services you want to use," said Webster. "It was a good way to summarize the broad human compatibility that Windows provides."

As part of the effort to put the spotlight on PC users, the brand is inviting customers to join the conversation. Visitors to Microsoft's lifewithoutwalls.com will be able to upload videos and pictures of their stories, which will be showcased on the site and in upcoming outdoor and banner ads and other executions.
 
"It's about the real people who use Windows everyday and helping their stories to be told," said Webster. "It's on behalf of those users that we felt the need to take back the PC brand."

He left the door open for a Seinfeld return: "Jerry is a friend of ours. There is always a possibility that he'll return, but for now that work did its job."

Late yesterday, Valleywag broke the news that Microsoft's work teaming Seinfeld and the software giant's chairman and cofounder Gates would cease. The rep said that effort was always intended as a short-term teaser.

The first Seinfeld-Gates spot, "Shoe Store," which runs 90 seconds, broke two weeks ago during NFL coverage, while the second ad, "New Family," more than four minutes in length, debuted at online venues like YouTube last week.

Though panned by most critics -- Adweek's Barbara Lippert offered a mixed review -- the work generated a level of intense media and consumer interest usually reserved for Super Bowl advertising.

Microsoft will spend an estimated $300 million on the overall brand-building effort.