After Apple legal threats, Microsoft quietly changes ads

[AppleInsider]

Last week, Microsoft bragged that Apple's legal department had contacted them and asked that one of their 'Laptop Hunters' ads be pulled. But now the Windows maker has modified the ad to reflect Apple's current MacBook Pro prices.

According to AdAge.com, Microsoft "quietly tweaked" the advertisement and removed a reference to a $2,000 MacBook Pro. In the modified version, the customer, Lauren, doesn't mention the computer's price.

"We slightly adjusted the ads to reflect the updated pricing of the Mac laptop shown in the TV advertisement," a Microsoft spokeswoman said in a statement. "This does not change the focus of the campaign, which is to showcase the value and choice of the PC."

AdAge.com continues: "There is precedent for marketers being forced to yank outdated comparison ads. In a classic case, Ford pulled commercials for its Freestar minivan in 2004 after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Chrysler's legal department pointing out that claims in the Ford ads were outdated."

Speaking last week at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference 2009 in New Orleans, La., COO Kevin Turner insinuated the advertisements, which portray Windows PCs as a better value than Apple products, have proven so effective that he received a phone call from Apple. Turner called it "the greatest single phone call in the history that I've ever taken in business."

"I did cartwheels down the hallway," Turner said. "At first I said, 'Is this a joke? Who are you?' Not understanding what an opportunity. And so we're just going to keep running them and running them and running them."

While Apple didn't comment on the matter, some at the time read into Turner's comments and hypothesized that Apple's problem came with one ad in particular -- the one Microsoft eventually changed. In that ad, Microsoft showed a MacBook Pro that cost $2,000. But, since early June, it has been replaced by a newer model that costs just $1,700. The advertisement, with old pricing, continued to run on TV well after the price drop.

For the past year, Microsoft has ramped up its advertising of Windows in a $300 million campaign with acclaimed advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The "Laptop Hunters" ads play up the notion that PCs offer more choice and value than Macs.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[zunx]

"the value and choice of the PC."

Wow. Mac, it just works!

What is the value of crap?

[mindscud]

Originally Posted by zunx

"the value and choice of the PC."

Wow. Mac, it just works!

What is the value of crap?

True, you can't polish shit

I still think the whole story about a phone call to Apple is bogus. Who these days (especially lawyers) call a rival company to tell them to please stop airing ads? Don't you think they'd write an e-mail or a letter? This story is just ridiculous marketing stunt by M$ and it's simply sad that it got so much attention...

Turner you're a dick!

[hittrj01]

So these ads focus solely on price, and don't even mention the price of the Mac? Fitting, I guess, since they don't mention the price of security software, productivity software, additional multimedia software, repair costs, and lost time on the PC side.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by hittrj01

So these ads focus solely on price, and don't even mention the price of the Mac? Fitting, I guess, since they don't mention the price of security software, productivity software, additional multimedia software, repair costs, and lost time on the PC side.

Isn't that the way it is? Mortgage the future for the low up front price. I'm not saying it's right, but still, the reality is that we have big swaths of people that don't look much farther than the sticker price. It's just an individual-scale version of buying from the lowest bidder.

[macxpress]

It really is too bad Microsoft is acting like its ashamed of its OS. It never advertises any of its features. Features that might entice people to buy a PC over a Mac. This is what Apple does. Price isn't really feature. Its just a perceived value of what you're buying. Why don't they advertise the improvements of Windows 7? There really are some nice improvements over Vista. I just think that Microsoft's slam campaign is going to hurt them, rather than help them. So far, I don't see it working very well. Its a waste of money and they need to go back to the drawing board with some original ideas! Its working for Apple because for the most part, they all have valid points. Key word there, for the most part!

[Hudson1]

If I were Apple (and I'm not) I'd strike back at those ads by pointing out to the public how little those PCs can manage at the out-of-the-box prices they mention. Especially glaring is the one with the self-made movie maker buying some cheap PC without ever mentioning how much she still will have to spend to actually get some movie-making software on the thing.

[PG4G]

This wasn't about Apple crying over Microsoft's ads - its about stating false facts about Apple's products. This could stop people looking at the Mac due to a misrepresentation/lie on microsoft's part. Its false advertising, simply. Microsoft would do the same thing. Its only legally fair to protect your profit line from false advertising, no matter how many other (non-deluded) customers may be ignoring the ads and buying the Macs.

Apple aren't worried about the adds killing their sales, just stopping some customers who would otherwise buy a mac from going elsewhere due to microsoft's bulls***

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by hittrj01

So these ads focus solely on price, and don't even mention the price of the Mac? Fitting, I guess, since they don't mention the price of security software, productivity software, additional multimedia software, repair costs, and lost time on the PC side.

And don't forget residual value ... a three year old MacBook can easily sell for 50% of its purchase price. What is a three year old Dell worth?

[Quadra 610]

Too funny.

MS is its own worst enemy.

First we see the Laptop Hunter ads fail miserably. Then we see COO Kevin Turner gloating over some call from Apple legal, as if it was a victory of some kind. And now we see MS actually change those ads, making Turner look like a complete tool and exposing MS as outright liars, now relegated to somewhere in the bottom-end of the market.

Is Microsoft fucking stupid? Seriously, it boggles the mind that a company of its size and value can display such collossal shortsightedness and outright ignorance about how their marketing will be received beyond the current workday. Do these people ever think ahead??

[chronster]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

And don't forget residual value ... a three year old MacBook can easily sell for 50% of its purchase price. What is a three year old Dell worth?

It's worth about as much as it was from day one: A kick in the rear.

Dell shitputers asside, I think we're at a point right now where the core2duo cpu's of 3 years ago are still great processors, so pretty much a lot of PC's would hold their value better than those old p4 systems.

The big thing that has most recently changed is the introduction of USB 3.0, but that's very new and probably won't even be taken advantage of for another year or so.

What's in a Mac that holds it's value? OSX, period. The guts at the time are still similar to what PC's have.

So basically, i'll avoid a rant and state my point: Macs hold their value more because of OSX, and the fact that you can't just load OSX on any machine. OSX is what sets macs apart from PCs, and if you could simply grab a copy of it and load it on a cheap PC, macs wouldn't hold their value as much.

[Jerseymac]

Originally Posted by hittrj01

So these ads focus solely on price, and don't even mention the price of the Mac? Fitting, I guess, since they don't mention the price of security software, productivity software, additional multimedia software, repair costs, and lost time on the PC side.

So true. When I was using Windows I never got anything done because I was always running down error messages and bugs. Macs are worth the price just because they work so well.

I think Apple should hire Lauren to do one of their ads. She is a actor for hire! She could admit she is cool enough for a Mac.

[chronster]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Too funny.

MS is its own worst enemy.

First we see the Laptop Hunter ads fail miserably. Then we see COO Kevin Turner gloating over some call from Apple legal, as if it was a victory of some kind. And now we see MS actually change those ads, making Turner look like a complete tool and exposing MS as outright liars, now relegated to somewhere in the bottom-end of the market.

Is Microsoft fucking stupid? Seriously, it boggles the mind that a company of its size and value can display such collossal shortsightedness and outright ignorance about how their marketing will be received beyond the current workday. Do these people ever think ahead??

So he's a liar? He said Apple called him about the ads, then they changed them. I think the fact that they changed them is evidence enough that there most likely WAS a call. So how is he a liar?

And do you feel the price drop that Apple introduced was substantial enough for a large multi-million dollar lawsuit?

I don't understand why Microsoft wouldn't be completely covered if they simply put "filmed 4/25/09" or something at the start of the ads. It seems like such a waste of money to pull these. They didn't lie in the ads, Apple simply changed the price, now suddenly they are exposed to a lawsuit? Something doesn't make sense here.

[Sofabutt]

Changing the commerical to reflect current pricing is pointless, Windows PCs will always be cheaper than Macs, and the commercials will cobtibue to have their desired effect on the masses.

[mitchell_pgh]

I'd love for Apple to come out with a similar ad. I can see it now...

"Where is your PC now?"

Go back and interview those people 4 years down the road.

I used my PowerMac well over 6 years.

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by chronster

So he's a liar? He said Apple called him about the ads, then they changed them. I think the fact that they changed them is evidence enough that there most likely WAS a call. So how is he a liar?

And do you feel the price drop that Apple introduced was substantial enough for a large multi-million dollar lawsuit?

I don't understand why Microsoft wouldn't be completely covered if they simply put "filmed 4/25/09" or something at the start of the ads. It seems like such a waste of money to pull these. They didn't lie in the ads, Apple simply changed the price, now suddenly they are exposed to a lawsuit? Something doesn't make sense here.

MS' changing the ads proves that they misrepresented the facts in the first place. The ads weren't accurate at the time, although MS passed them off as such.

If Apple changed the price in the middle of MS' ad campaign and MS still did nothing to change them, then the same idea holds true.

Of course, they're not the first ones to do this, and I'm sure Apple has gotten away with worse. I just find it amusing that Turner jumped up and down with glee, only to see his company buckle to Apple shortly after - the very company they're attempting to expose as liars, cheats, and purveyors of the now meaningless "Apple Tax" that no one ever believed in the first place.

But let's be nice and assume they didn't know any better.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by Sofabutt

Changing the commerical to reflect current pricing is pointless, Windows PCs will always be cheaper than Macs, and the commercials will cobtibue to have their desired effect on the masses.

While your point may or may not be true it was a valid request that they show the current price accurately so as to not mislead. It is frankly an obvious problem in making any TV ad (I do this for a living) to lock in anything that may soon change as you are simply facing a certain edit revision and media redeployment. Good news for the ad agency though

[chronster]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

MS' changing the ads proves that they misrepresented the facts in the first place. The ads weren't accurate at the time, although MS passed them off as such.

If Apple changed the price in the middle of MS' ad campaign and MS still did nothing to change them, then the same idea holds true.

Of course, they're not the first ones to do this, and I'm sure Apple has gotten away with worse. I just find it amusing that Turner jumped up and down with glee, only to see his company buckle to Apple shortly after - the very company they're attempting to expose as liars, cheats, and purveyors of the now meaningless "Apple Tax" that no one ever believed in the first place.

But let's be nice and assume they didn't know any better.

wtf are you talking about? find me an ad where they say a mac cost something it didn't. Sure the people in the ads say stupid stuff like "macs are more about aesthetics and less about performance" but that's no stupider than saying a person will spend hundreds of dollars on their pc just to make it work.

[MH01]

Kinda sad actually, Apple has been bashing M$ for years and years with their marketing, finally M$ comes back and apple is threatening legal action, sounds like a spoilt brat to me. Frankly Apple ads while funny also contain alot of BS in them. I was hoping they would comeback with some classy strategy, this legal action is kinda pathetic.

I want to see a ad war.....

As one person has stated in this thread already, does not matter if they adjust the price in the ad, in the end PCs are just cheaper.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

MS' changing the ads proves that they misrepresented the facts in the first place. The ads weren't accurate at the time, although MS passed them off as such.

I think you're misrepresenting the facts. They ads weren't wrong at first. Several weeks after they were first aired, Apple changed some prices and added a less expensive 15" model.

[chronster]

It would be kind of funny if instead of pulling the ads, they did voice overs.

"I like this mac, but it's SEVENTEEN HUNDRED dollars"

[ncee]

And here is HOW to stop this madness.

The Ad goes something like this (Pay attention Apple!)

Scene starts out with STEVE JOBS (maybe on a college campus / Film Studio ) stopping a young lady on the street and saying "Hi, I have a challenge for you" "I want you to go into a store (Scene is in front of an Apple Store, not sure how to do this and use the college campus / film studio theme) and pick up a computer for under $2,000.00 (YES this is more then the Microsoft ad's, but there is a reason folks …). Steve say's "Now there is a catch, this computer MUST be ready to plug-in and be ready to work once you turn it on". The girl says "I'm not sure what your saying Steve explains again, she says ok, I get it.

She goes and looks at computers / laptops, and a scene has her looking at a Dell X46212 CBD (or what ever these things are called) and asks if it has the needed software to do what she needs to to do, the clerk says now, but it's all right here. The clerk puts the laptop on the counter along with all of the software, adds it up and WOW "STICKER SHOCK"!!

She say's WOW I only have $2,000.00, the client says oh, no problem, here you go, and he hands her a Apple laptop (The scene shows the PC, with all of the software boxes on the counter, and her holding the Apple FOR LESS!)

I think you all get the idea.

Hey, some might say it's getting down to Microsoft's level, I say "Fight fire with fire". Show people what the real truth is.

Let us not forget, the clerk as also going to inform her about installing all of the software, the tech help that is available for when she NEEDS it …

Remember folks, most people shop and "Get the picture" a lot better with pictures then words. Why I say this is, even though the current Apple ad's are cute, they don't put in front of people what they need to make a informed purchase.

Have a great day folks.

Skip

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by MH01

Kinda sad actually, Apple has been bashing M$ for years and years with their marketing, finally M$ comes back and apple is threatening legal action, sounds like a spoilt brat to me. Frankly Apple ads while funny also contain alot of BS in them. I was hoping they would comeback with some classy strategy, this legal action is kinda pathetic.

It's not about bashing, it's about whether or not what they say about the competitor is true. If Apple's ads said something about Windows computers that were false, then all Microsoft has to do is issue a C&D. I think it's under the Lanham act.

As one person has stated in this thread already, does not matter if they adjust the price in the ad, in the end PCs are just cheaper.

True, but if the ad cites a specific number about a competitor and that number is no longer true, then the ad must be changed to be legal.

[chronster]

Originally Posted by ncee

And here is HOW to stop this madness.

The Ad goes something like this (Pay attention Apple!)

Scene starts out with STEVE JOBS (maybe on a college campus / Film Studio ) stopping a young lady on the street and saying "Hi, I have a challenge for you" "I want you to go into a store (Scene is in front of an Apple Store, not sure how to do this and use the college campus / film studio theme) and pick up a computer for under $2,000.00 (YES this is more then the Microsoft ad's, but there is a reason folks …). Steve say's "Now there is a catch, this computer MUST be ready to plug-in and be ready to work once you turn it on". The girl says "I'm not sure what your saying Steve explains again, she says ok, I get it.

She goes and looks at computers / laptops, and a scene has her looking at a Dell X46212 CBD (or what ever these things are called) and asks if it has the needed software to do what she needs to to do, the clerk says now, but it's all right here. The clerk puts the laptop on the counter along with all of the software, adds it up and WOW "STICKER SHOCK"!!

She say's WOW I only have $2,000.00, the client says oh, no problem, here you go, and he hands her a Apple laptop (The scene shows the PC, with all of the software boxes on the counter, and her holding the Apple FOR LESS!)

I think you all get the idea.

Hey, some might say it's getting down to Microsoft's level, I say "Fight fire with fire". Show people what the real truth is.

Let us not forget, the clerk as also going to inform her about installing all of the software, the tech help that is available for when she NEEDS it …

Remember folks, most people shop and "Get the picture" a lot better with pictures then words. Why I say this is, even though the current Apple ad's are cute, they don't put in front of people what they need to make a informed purchase.

Have a great day folks.

Skip

then the girl says, hey wait I can't play left4dead and throws it out the window going 60mph

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

I think you're misrepresenting the facts. They ads weren't wrong at first. Several weeks after they were first aired, Apple changed some prices and added a less expensive 15" model.

At which point they became wrong, and it apparently took a call from Apple legal to change them.

It's not a big deal on its own, but the whole Kevin Turner episode turned it all into pure comedy.

[piot]

Originally Posted by chronster

So he's a liar? He said Apple called him about the ads, then they changed them. I think the fact that they changed them is evidence enough that there most likely WAS a call. So how is he a liar?

"I did cartwheels down the hallway," Turner continued. "At first I said, 'Is this a joke? Who are you?' We're just going to keep running them and running them and running them."

Yes sure, keep running the ads.... after you have changed them! Perhaps not an out and out lie.... but not the whole truth either.

And do you feel the price drop that Apple introduced was substantial enough for a large multi-million dollar lawsuit?

Yes and it appears that Microsoft agrees. It doesn't matter if the price drop was $10 or $1000.

It seems like such a waste of money to pull these. They didn't lie in the ads,

Yes they did lie. If you say that a computer costs $2000 when in reality it costs $1699 then that is, quite simply, not true.

Something doesn't make sense here.

Yes but unfortunately it appears to be you.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by chronster

then the girl says, hey wait I can't play left4dead and throws it out the window going 60mph

That line would make sense if more than a handful of girls play left4dead.

[Jerseymac]

Originally Posted by chronster

then the girl says, hey wait I can't play left4dead and throws it out the window going 60mph

Then I find it on the side of the road in good condition because of the unibody construction and use bootcamp to make it a great gaming machine.

Now THATS life without walls.

[JDW]

Originally Posted by ncee

The Ad goes something like this (Pay attention Apple!)... The scene shows the PC, with all of the software boxes on the counter, and her holding the Apple FOR LESS!)

And the ad concludes with the young lady sitting with the Apple notebook on her desk. The camera pans to the Mac's display where the reflection of her face can be seen so clearly in the glossy screen you could sware it was a vanity mirror. She then cries out, "OMG!" while she powders her checks, puckers and then paints her mouth with -- you guessed it -- lip gloss.

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by chronster

S It seems like such a waste of money to pull these

You think so? Are they working? Is there a point to having them? Because they seem to be way off message, not helping MS, and right up there with MS' earlier marketing abortions. And this was apparent from the very first Laptop Hunters ad.

Noy only did these pointless ads not help MS, they also had no effect on Apple's results, and in fact seemed to have had the exact opposite effect. They seem to be a perfect encapsulation of MS' new situation: Windows still has overwhelming unit sale market share, but it is now almost entirely at the low end of the market. Ewwww.

Seinfeld ads = failure

I'm a PC ads = failure

Laptop Hunter ads = failure

I wonder what MS' next brilliant marketing move will be.

[piot]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

It's not a big deal on its own, but the whole Kevin Turner episode turned it all into pure comedy.

Perfectly encapsulates the whole story... in just one line.

Every story I read about the whole Kevin Turner thing, summed it up as Apple whining and Microsoft winning. Then just a couple of days later Kevin cartwheels down to the ad agency and has to change the commercials.

[jdbaum]

"Microsoft profits sink for the first time in 23 years"
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/23/m...e-in-23-years/

"Mac sales power Apple profits past forecasts"
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/669733

[fulldecent]

Originally Posted by Hudson1

If I were Apple (and I'm not) I'd strike back at those ads by pointing out to the public how little those PCs can manage at the out-of-the-box prices they mention. Especially glaring is the one with the self-made movie maker buying some cheap PC without ever mentioning how much she still will have to spend to actually get some movie-making software on the thing.

No.

If you'll recall Apple's ad campaign in the 90's (sorry no link) this is the exact technique they used. Of course back then, the differentiation was hardware, not software.

[wally007]

It just works is pure BS as well as anything apple , microsoft and other companies spew out.

I love macs as much as next guy but please , i've had more trouble with my macbook pro than with any other computer in my life.

Mac Pro , trouble free , almost never crashes , even when working in number of high end apps.

MacBook pro , crashes all the time. Took it to Apple store twice and nothing came out of it. They changed couple things hardware wise but it's hardly what i'd call solid performer.

Mac mini is golden. No problems at all.

PowerMac G5 2.7 Ghz before i moved on to intel was nightmare to work with as well. Random crashes , kernel panicks. Apple changed RAM , HD , Video card and that piece of crap would never work right.

so i would hardly call macs any more stable than dells / hps etc etc....

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by chronster

So he's a liar? He said Apple called him about the ads, then they changed them. I think the fact that they changed them is evidence enough that there most likely WAS a call. So how is he a liar? ....

I think when you look at his picture, the idea that he really did "cartwheels down the hallway"pretty much has to be a lie.


Cartwheels are hard and solely the province of the young and fit, which he isn't.

[walueg]

Originally Posted by MH01

Kinda sad actually, Apple has been bashing M$ for years and years with their marketing, finally M$ comes back and apple is threatening legal action, sounds like a spoilt brat to me. Frankly Apple ads while funny also contain alot of BS in them. I was hoping they would comeback with some classy strategy, this legal action is kinda pathetic.

I want to see a ad war.....

As one person has stated in this thread already, does not matter if they adjust the price in the ad, in the end PCs are just cheaper.

I want proof that that call actually happened. Apple Legal wouldn't make a phone call. They would mail a cease and desist order.

The truth smell test on this stinks to high heaven.

[christopher126]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

You think so? Are they working? Is there a point to having them? Because they seem to be way off message, not helping MS, and right up there with MS' earlier marketing abortions. And this was apparent from the very first Laptop Hunters ad.

Noy only did these pointless ads not help MS, they also had no effect on Apple's results, and in fact seemed to have had the exact opposite effect. They seem to be a perfect encapsulation of MS' new situation: Windows still has overwhelming unit sale market share, but it is now almost entirely at the low end of the market. Ewwww.

Seinfeld ads = failure

I'm a PC ads = failure

Laptop Hunter ads = failure

I wonder what MS' next brilliant marketing move will be.

Perhaps, Microsoft should start thinking about making a superior product, for once!

[diamondgeeza]

Originally Posted by zunx

"the value and choice of the PC."

Wow. Mac, it just works!

What is the value of crap?

value is also a highly subjective term. devious the way it is presented as objective...

[christopher126]

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

I think when you look at his picture, the idea that he really did "cartwheels down the hallway"pretty much has to be a lie.


Cartwheels are hard and solely the province of the young and fit, which he isn't.

When this story first broke about "doing cartwheels," one previous poster said, "Yeah, cartwheels right down the hall to the Legal Department!" Which I thought was pretty funny!

[diamondgeeza]

Originally Posted by Jerseymac

So true. When I was using Windows I never got anything done because I was always running down error messages and bugs. Macs are worth the price just because they work so well.

I think Apple should hire Lauren to do one of their ads. She is a actor for hire! She could admit she is cool enough for a Mac.

lol. that's genius!