SEATTLE - Microsoft is going to pay comedian Jerry Seinfeld $10 million to help in a new advertising battle against Apple.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Microsoft plans to launch a $300 million marketing campaign aimed at changing its image.

Apple and other competitors have painted Microsoft as stodgy, uncool and troubled. Apple has been running Mac vs. PC ads which feature a nerdy-looking PC spokesman being upstaged by a hip Mac counterpart.

The WSJ report says people familiar with the new marketing campaign say Seinfeld will appear with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates in the ads. The campaign is expected to use some variation of the slogan "Windows, Not Walls."

A spokeswoman for Mr. Seinfeld declined to comment. A Microsoft spokesman declined to comment on details of the campaign.

According to the report, the marketing campaign, said to debut Sept.4, is one of the largest in the company's history.