- Adweek Staff

BOSTON Iconic TV comedian Jerry Seinfeld will appear as a pitchman in an upcoming $300 million Microsoft ad campaign, according to a report in today's Wall Street Journal.

Seinfeld will receive $10 million for his participation in the effort, which will also star Bill Gates, the WSJ reported.

The campaign is being devised by MDC Partners' Crispin Porter + Bogusky in Miami and will likely use some variation of the phrase "Windows, not walls," the WSJ reported.

Crispin offered no comment and referred questions to Microsoft, where a rep declined comment.

Ads will break in early September and comics Chris Rock and Will Ferrell may also appear, per the WSJ.

One source described the effort as a broad multi-level push to promote all elements of Microsoft's Windows platform, noting that the work would not solely focus on the Vista operating system. The advertising associated with the initiative will be handled exclusively by Crispin and won't provide a template for other roster shops -- such as McCann Erickson -- to follow, the source said.

Microsoft hired Crispin in February following a review. At the time, sources said the winning agency would develop a global campaign defining Microsoft to consumers in the context of its mobile, Vista and Live platforms.

Per sources, Crispin had pitched the line "Windows, not walls" to win that new assignment.