Microsoft’s $300 million ad campaign continued with part 2 of the Bill Gates – Jerry Seinfeld saga on Thursday, and it was everything we did not expect to be in terms of Microsoft products. However, it did have that humor that only Seinfeld can produce, and a Bill Gates that just becomes funnier with every new ad.

If the first ad was a bit confusing, the two commercials do have a continuity: Bill is still ‘working’ on those shoes he bought last time, and Seinfeld continues to be the “wise” one, always with new ideas. This time, Bill and Jerry come up with a way of better connecting with people, by moving in for a couple of days in a typical American family…

The two mess up a bit the daily lives of the family members, however, it feels like they’re in the right place: regular people (who treat them like “kings,” and even forget to invite grandma to lunch), with regular lives (we all have out little secrets), and regular children (whose “evil” plan makes Bill and Jerry look like some common giraffe thieves).

The ad itself was funnier than the previous one, but still got many people wondering: is this it? Where is Vista? Why aren’t there any concrete Microsoft plans in the ads? Is this worth $300 million? According to Microsoft, this is all just the “warm-up” and we are going to see much more!

But while we wait, we have to admit one thing: Bill Gates is actually getting better at this! I personally find him funny, especially for his total lack of acting skills, but hey, does he really need acting skills with his brain and fame?

Leaving aside the humorous part, everyone expected a more aggressive campaign, aimed to erase the image Apple has created of Microsoft products in its ads. Instead, Microsoft chose to first get in touch with users and re-connect with them before presenting any Microsoft product. Even Jerry Seinfeld seems a bit confuse while trying to guess Microsoft’s plans.

As Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said prior to the campaign, now is the time for Microsoft to tell a story, and that is exactly what they did so far. Both ads give a sense of familiarity, and although they create confusion, they also make us wonder what are Bill and Jerry up to next?

At the end of the day, the campaign is supposed to be about Vista. As Ballmer said, the campaign will “address any lingering doubts our customers may have about Windows Vista,” and we all know what most people say about Vista. Despite all that, perhaps Microsoft’s strategy to get closer to their customers before promoting anything is the best strategy to prove their point.