Apple's Ad Campaign

[Dane D.]

I love the new TV ads, especially the one with the pie chart. I use them as my screensaver at work, running over and over just to drive home to the PC users what BS they put up with. Well, it looks like it is striking a nerve in some PC users.

http://www.slate.com/id/2143810/

The chances that I (driver of a 1996 Saturn with 105,000 miles on it) will buy a luxury sedan are essentially nil.

When I read this article, my personal theory of certain car owners was confirmed. I do not like Saturn cars, and always thought the people that bought them were PC geeks.

Mr. Mac comes off as a smug little twit,

You know the ads work when name calling starts. Just like politics, this writer is emotionally charged up about the ad campaign. He takes it as an attack on him personally.

I hope Apple keeps this up because they are funny, and true.

 

[jsfpa]

I'm smack in the middle of the target demo. I'm a PC user, and I've often considered switching to an Apple.

He "considered switching", if he had he would see just how true the adds are.

Now, I happen to have a digital camera from Japan, and it works just fine with my PC. It did from the moment I connected it.

He didn't say anything about the software he had to load first.

 

[Timepass]

I honestly hate the adds. They are so full of BS. They may work on the average person but any one who knows much about PC it tends to tick off because of how much BS that is in them.

To me Mr Mac is comes off as a smug little prick. And holds the exact veiw of what PC users thing of the mac comminty. It only helps cause more problems in making the view of the mac comminttee as a bunch of smug jerks who just spit out BS even stronger and make it seem even more true.

My mom complained about the ads to me and she not a computer person as all but basicly said they are so full of BS. She said she doesnt have any of those problems they listed. And the computer works the only problems with it are all hardware issues of the fact the computer is 6 years old and is yes slow. Not anything software related at all. And as for the computer getting any real maintance done... yeah I havent really done on thing on if for almost a year now and I would be the only person who would do any of the maintainces on it.

 

[Evangelion]

I love the new TV ads, especially the one with the pie chart. I use them as my screensaver at work, running over and over just to drive home to the PC users what BS they put up with.

You do know that doing that makes you seem like a (dare I say it?) "smug little twit" to your co-workers?

 

[36183]

Apart form the ads being full of BS, they also fail to induce the desire purchase anything, The advert is about a a product called a "mac."

hmmm very interesting, but what is a mac, the ad shows an image of an imac at the end. ok i'll assume that is the product the advertiser is trying to sell me. However if that is the product why make an comparison between a competing software vendor when the main is to sell hardware. It does not make any sense at all.

The contradiction in the "I'm also a pc ad" is where the true error of trying to simultaneously compare software and hard shows. If the mac is a pc and the pc sucks therefore the mac sucks and that is the perspective i believe that majority of people will have.

 

[EricNau]

What BS? I find them to be truly accurate. I'm a very experienced PC user, and virtually all of the problems with Windows mentioned in the ads are true.

 

[36183]

What BS? I find them to be truly accurate. I'm a very experienced PC user, and virtually all of the problems with Windows mentioned in the ads are true.

windows is not the reason that a pcs usually comes in several different boxes that is a choice that a manufacture makes microsoft has nothing to do with that.

 

[celebrian23]

the problem with these ads? Instead of the viewer thinking "man macs seem really cool look at all they can do!" It points its finger at the PCs and says look at everything wrong with them! They don't give good reaons for someone to switch. It makes mac user seem really uppity and like they're better and if you use a PC, well you're stupid and inferior

 

[risc]

Those ads are pretentious, I don't like them at all. They make Mac users and the Apple company look like a bunch of wankers.

 

[zap2]

windows is not the reason that a pcs usually comes in several different boxes that is a choice that a manufacture makes microsoft has nothing to do with that.

What ad are you talking about? and yes it is MS "fault" that PC comes in different boxes, MS could stop that by using only Dell PC for XP(it would be a made move but it could be done)

 

[Phobophobia]

I love the ads. They are edgy and memorable. The key will be for Apple to continue to make better and better products.

 

[Dane D.]

Those ads are pretentious, I don't like them at all. They make Mac users and the Apple company look like a bunch of wankers.

It makes mac user seem really uppity and like they're better and if you use a PC, well you're stupid and inferior

You do know that doing that makes you seem like a (dare I say it?) "smug little twit" to your co-workers?

The old adage 'Humor works when based on fact' is working in these ads. Sure they may piss people off, as the above quote suggests, but for the PC people out there looking at switching I believe gets them thinking about Macintosh. It may strike a chord with some who are fed up with the BS of owning an PC. The key is, people remember them.

 

[EricNau]

windows is not the reason that a pcs usually comes in several different boxes that is a choice that a manufacture makes microsoft has nothing to do with that.

...and your point is?

When does the Apple ad suggest that it is Windows' fault that PCs come in different boxes?

I'll stick by my original statement; the ads are accurate.

the problem with these ads? Instead of the viewer thinking "man macs seem really cool look at all they can do!" It points its finger at the PCs and says look at everything wrong with them! They don't give good reaons for someone to switch. It makes mac user seem really uppity and like they're better and if you use a PC, well you're stupid and inferior

While the ads do point their finger at Windows, they also provide many, many reasons why the the viewer should buy a Mac. Here are some of them...

• Macs do not get viruses
• Macs do not need to restart daily
• Macs are ready out-of-the-box
• Macs come bundled with iLife
• Macs can do fun things (e.g. podcasting, slideshows, music, etc.)
• Macs "speak the language" of many devices
• Macs are highly regarded by Walt Mossberg
• Macs can run Mac OS X and Windows

...Are those not all reasons to buy a Mac?

 

[Evangelion]

[*]Macs do not need to restart daily

Neither does Windows

[*]Macs can do fun things (e.g. podcasting, slideshows, music,

Games ?

[*]Macs "speak the language" of many devices

So does Windows

[*]Macs are highly regarded by Walt Mossberg

Walt Mossberg is widely known as the ultimate Mac-fanboy. Is it any surprise that he likes Macs? John Dvorak prefers Windows, should wethen switch to Windows ?

...Are those not all reasons to buy a Mac?

Yeah, because I buy my computers based on what Walt Mossberg says about them

And before anyone gets their panties in a bunch: I'm typing this from my Mac Mini running Tiger.

 

[EricNau]

Games ?

I guess some people have a different idea of "fun."

So does Windows

No, it doesn't. The other day I plugged in my USB flash drive and it tried to install a digital camera.


Whether or not you consider these reasons valid, they are "reasons" none-the-less. The quote I was replying to said, "They don't give good reaons for someone to switch"; therefore I decided to point out that this wasn't the case.

 

[Evangelion]

I guess some people have a different idea of "fun."

Anything that you can do on a Mac is fun, whereas th things you can do on the PC are not fun?

No, it doesn't.

Yes, it doies

The other day I plugged in my USB flash drive and it tried to install a digital camera.

Anecdotal evidence does not get you far.

Whether or not you consider these reasons valid, they are "reasons" none-the-less. The quote I was replying to said, "They don't give good reaons for someone to switch"; therefore I decided to point out that this wasn't the case.

You pointed out things that aren't issues in the first place. "You can't have fun on a PC". Um, yes you can. "PC's need to be rebooted daily". No they dont. "Walt Mossberg loves Macs!" Well, whoop-de-do! What are we, sheeps that do whatever Walt Mossberg tells us to do?

 

[Phobophobia]

The points in the commercials are valid. Go back to your Mac Mini.

 

[Evangelion]

The points in the commercials are valid. Go back to your Mac Mini.

Some of them are, some of them are not. If you REALLY think that PC's need to be restarted daily, then I must assume that the last time you used a PC was back in Windows ME-days? And if you think that you can't have fun on a PC, then you are deluding yourself.

 

[EricNau]

The points in the commercials are valid. Go back to your Mac Mini.

Thank you.

 

[Evangelion]

Thank you.

Living in denial, eh ?

 

[asxtb]

• Macs do not get viruses
• Macs do not need to restart daily
• Macs are ready out-of-the-box
• Macs come bundled with iLife
• Macs can do fun things (e.g. podcasting, slideshows, music, etc.)
• Macs "speak the language" of many devices
• Macs are highly regarded by Walt Mossberg
• Macs can run Mac OS X and Windows

...Are those not all reasons to buy a Mac?

While I agree with most of those, I have to disagree with Mac are ready out-of-the-box. Especially the way the ads depict it. I just setup a new MacBook for my girlfriend and I spent 10 minutes with all the registration and initial setup and there were free trials on the Mac as well. IMO Macs are not as ready out-of-the-box as they are claimed to be.

 

[Phobophobia]

Living in denial, eh ?

The "PC" character is there to illustrate the substandard computing experience that many people have become accustomed to. It's not intended to represent the best possible Windows experience, and doesn't have to.

 

[Evangelion]

The "PC" character is there to illustrate the substandard computing experience that many people have become accustomed to.

And like I already said: you CAN do fun things on a PC. In fact, you can do MORE fun things on PC than on a Mac (games are fun). And PC's do NOT need to be restarted daily. Yes, the ads do have some true things in them, but they have lots of things that are simply not true.

Yes, the ads are funny. But I'm not sure that how effective they are at converting people to Macism.

 

[Phobophobia]

Whatever. I'm sure someone understood my post.

 

[taytho]

Whatever. I'm sure someone understood my post.

i understand and after having experience with PCs for ever and finally switching because of the frustration i had with them i understand the commercials fully. I unloaded my iBook in front of my parents when i got it after college...... and opened the lid, turned it on. put my name in a couple places and then it was just running....... they were amazed and frankly so was i. I didnt have to run anything, it just worked.

the bottom line is i didnt trust my PC and always felt like it was going to screw me over bigtime. It is a computer. It is supposed to just work, and be a reliable tool and that is exactly what my mac is. Peace of mind.