Love ‘em or hate ‘em, it looks like Bill and Jerry’s short-lived Microsoft ad campaign made more of a dent than the current crop of “I’m a PC” spots — at least, when it comes to online interest.

Video viewing trend tracker Visible Measures says the Seinfeld/Gates ads have experienced 4.3 million more views than the “I’m a PC” ones. Both, the firm says, had the same number of placements. And even though the Seinfeld/Gates spots launched two weeks earlier than the current campaign, the figures are clear:

• The Seinfeld/Gates ads grabbed 3.2 million views in their first 10 days; “I’m a PC” pulled in half of that
• Two weeks in, the Seinfeld/Gates ads were still seeing 300,000+ daily hits; “I’m a PC” dropped to 50,000 daily views by the same relative point

So in the end, Microsoft’s often criticized claim of “driving buzz” and generating interest may have proven to be effective after all. The more commercial-typical “I’m a PC” approach, in contrast — while praised more highly by many of the blogosphere’s Seinfeld/Gates naysayers — doesn’t seem to have had anywhere near the impact.

Of course, what really counts is how it all adds up when it comes to actual sales. Any predictions?