Is it even possible to hear the name “Bill Lumbergh” without instantly adopting a slightly scratchy voice and saying, “Yeahhhh, so…” in the most douchey way imaginable? Yeahhh, so I’m gonna have to say no on that one. Lumbergh is back, though sadly not for an Office Space sequel. But he’s just as lunkheaded as ever for this series of ads from the innovative service HipChat. Check him out below.
Arguably actor Gary Cole’s most memorable role, if not exactly his deepest, Bill Lumbergh is the epitome of terrible bosses, and one that was already far behind the times when we first met him. Now, he’s the equivalent of a caveman. Incidentally, I don’t think any of the characters in Office Space could stumble upon HipChat and know what the hell was going on right away. If Peter Gibbons worked here, I’d foresee some broken computers and projectors in this office’s future.
What’s that? You say you want to hear Lumbergh rattle off some more office jargon that’s completely outdated in today’s increasingly digital world? Here you go.
HipChat is a team chat service that’s made specifically to use within the work zone, and because you can put it on any device, it also turns any area into a work zone. That technically sounds pretty awful to anyone wanting to get away from work at any point, but it’s still pretty nifty. HipChat is hip and in the now, which is why Lumbergh makes the perfect anti-spokesperson for the product. Actually, he’s kind of the best person to use for any product. Except flair, I guess, but that doesn’t get advertised.
Here’s the longest of the ads that HipChat has released, and it features Lumbergh getting all of his frustrated workers together for a Labor Day meeting, mmk? The way he passive-aggressively looks at his watch when the one guy walks in late is priceless.
Now all we need is for Joel from Extract and Joe Bauers from Idiocracy to join Lumbergh in creating the Mike Judge Advertising Trifecta.
