I thought for certain MSFT execs would have gotten together and said "hey, we screwed up and let the Windows brand get dinged with Vista, and these AAPL ads -- lets throw this to some creative people." and not interfere/do the death-by-committee thing to the ads.
Apple is continuing to enjoy their great success with its products and high customer loyalty because ?they get it.? Unlike Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer?s idiotic comments and the company he represents, Microsoft is so far out of touch with consumers. I have been a Microsoft user for over 10 years and the culmination of my experiences boil down to frustration, unnecessary complexity, wasted ?down time,? and low return on its expensive products. I have wasted time and money on Microsoft?s terribly executed computer software, Windows Mobile phones, and its XBOX 360 gaming console. Microsoft?s inability to ?get its game on? has resulted in a large number of people to make the switch to Apple Macintosh products because they simply work well. I don?t believe I have to identify all the positive characteristic about Apple products because most people already know why its products are far superior to Microsoft.
All of Microsoft?s products have the characteristics of ?crashing,? not being user friendly, and expensive. As one example, I own a XBOX 360 and a PS3. Microsoft brags that the XBOX 360 is a superior gaming console to the PS3. Microsoft in its ?wisdom? failed to include a Wi-Fi connection, high-definition DVD player, adequate HD space, and locked-down the console for a true multi-media experience. By the time a consumer purchases all the Microsoft accessories that are already included in the PS3, the XBOX 360 is much more expensive and an ugly clunky mess. Not to mention, the XBOX 360 is so loud and frequently overheats. What the heck was Microsoft thinking?
I am making a conscious effort to never purchase a lousy Microsoft product in the future. I don?t consider myself as a Mac geek, but as an average consumer who values well executed technology for my hard earned money.
Kudos to Daniel for pointing this out; I haven't seen any other pundit who's caught this.
Also, I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the fact that Apple started responding to this campaign even before it aired! I have to think that's exactly what the new Web-only ad is about, where PC tells us he's written an editorial, imploring us to stop switching.
Bill Gates has been enormously generous with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ( www.gatesfoundation.org ). It does great things. If he wants everyone to know that he's a good guy, he should exploit that aspect. Maybe with a "we donate x% of profits" to it
I don't think so.
Personally, I am already tired as heck of hearing Billy G. and Microsoft drop hints about what a big deal philanthropist he is. All he has done is give away some of his ill-gotten money. It always had the smell of "rich man buys his way into heaven" IMO. It's not as if any rich person couldn't do the same thing or doesn't do the same thing. It's not as if he actually gets involved in the projects, he just has a bunch of people working for him that find things he can write cheques for.
I have way more respect for people like Jimmy Carter, who put on a hard hat and actually go build a house for someone who needs one, or all those folks that serve hot soup to street people.
There is nothing tackier than doing charity and then crowing about it. If they started making ads about what a great philanthropist Gates is it would be repulsive (at least to me).
What, if I may ask naively, is this PC vs Mac war all about? It is the most useless and unproductive thing I can imagine. serving no function other than to distance people in general from the technology and cultural niche we all want to promote. Different people and companies want to do that in different ways, yipee. So how did this stupid-business start? If I recall the 90's correctly Mac got a whopping amount of hate laid on it. This is before all that anti-trust business. So after getting a heap of dirt from MS users, Mac was fearing their brand would be damaged and set to define their it squarely against those who had been defining it for them. Okay. Maybe they went too far. Had enough yet?
Here's more rhetorical questions: Who's winning? Who cares? Do you think all this useless argument exists in a vacuum? What if there are unintended consequences to this spewing of virtual hatred? Why risk it when it is so unpleasant (and I take that word seriously) and draining? Why Bother?
We need to be promoting the indispensibility and function in the long term of what we've got to the world, in whatever way we can get it done. If you think this involves endless war, quit now with Fail. We all want to make things that let people have more and do more of what we want in a way that's good for life for all time. Am I mistaken in this?
I don't care if you run a successful small business and know that Mac couldn't offer half the value and use for what you get done using Microsoft's platform(s). I don't have half the computer you do! You know what you're doing and don't need anyone to give you a hard time! I don't care if you built your computer from spare parts of every manufacturer and wrote your own operating system, sort of like that Johnny Cash song. Great! I have no critique! I don't care if you buy into a cultural enforcement yuppie commune like Apple-- Hey! It's a nice place!
I will try to say this nicely:
Now shutup all of you get back to work.
-
Disclaimer: the free computer i got several years back was an Apple, therefore i use those boxes for my work, since (especially recently) they are more than adequate. If I would tell anyone that they have to be first to declare peace, it would be Apple users. Just stop it already, jerks. You're making my granny cry.
Double disclaimer: this is a third posting of my little rant, and I will post it no more, so I'm not entirely lying in the Note.
Note: If this strikes you as obvious and you like it, pass it on yourself. This whole platform war is so incredibly boring, and profit-sucking, I can't believe I took even the time to write this.
It doesn't, however, show why you wouldn't do those same things BETTER on a Mac.
Do I hear Apple's next slogan and ad campaign?
(Actually, no, I've had that GIF laying around since I did it up for fun in Oct. 2005...might've said "playing" instead of "gaming" if I were to do it again, hehe)
Dude, what is the deal with Bill Gates in every one of these ads? What is he trying to prove? I just don't get it...
Give Bill a break. He's unemployed!
What's with all these people saying they're PCs when they're clearly users? How stupid. Is the point supposed to be that every time Apple airs one of their "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" ads, these people are being insulted? What a load of hooey.
The only thing this new ad does is weaken Apple's ads if they continue to use the "I'm a Mac, and I'm a PC" line. Through the use of repetition, they reinforce the "PC" part attempting to squash the "Mac" part. It's not a bad counter-offensive if it is part of a bigger strategy.
I think the new campaign is a classic "we are the world" ad. "Everyone around the world is using a PC, be part of the world." It's a normal ad, and I think it'll work like a decent normal ad. Nothing spectacular. Just the usual stuff. It's like when an oil company wanna point out that they're good, they show people in the nature speaking about how much they care about the environment, but they represent an oil company... so. But it works for promoting the friendly image.
And promoting the "PC" isn't bad for Windows or Microsoft, is it? I'd say the majority of PC's are being shipped with Windows, and I think more people use the term PC or Computer than they do Windows and Microsoft in terms of speaking about their PC environment (with Windows). "Do you have a Mac or PC" is a normal question. I rarely hear anyone say "Do you run Mac OS X or Windows (or Linux)?"
Perhaps this article should be labeled as an "opinion" piece. Sure, this whole site is about rumors and speculation - but at least those rumor articles are presented somewhat objectively: "This party thinks that such-and-such product will emerge around such-and-such time". Speculation yes, but not pure opinion.
The more I read this, the more one-sided I realized it was. "Microsoft will fail because of A,B,C..." with almost zero view about the other side.
I love Apple products, otherwise I wouldn't browse this site. Respectfully, I have to say that this "article" more closely resembles a blog entry.
1 billion people may use Windows, but 70% (if not more) don't use Windows because it's a conscious decision; they use it because it's just what happens to be shipped on their PC.
The worry for MS should be that with hardware makers are pushing for more Linux distribution and HP looking into it's own OS, MS needs to be aware that it's the hardware makers that hold the key to Microsoft's destiny...not your average consumer who MS is trying to communicate to here.
MS need to realise that casual people who buy PC's will use whatever OS comes on them; and if hardware makers start pushing more aggressively more alternative OS's and then ship them on that PC hardware in place of Windows, then that leaves MS nowhere.
Perhaps MS should think about starting to build it's own PC hardware....although given the frankly disgraceful failure rate of the Xbox 360 that would probably be a disaster as well.
After watching the commercial this is the impression I'm left with: "I'm a PC rawwwrrr!! I wear glasses!!!! and have a beard rawwwwrr!!!"
This is where it falls down. Apple has already branded PCs for average, uncool users and Microsoft is just adding to that stereotype. The power of advertising is that it can make consumers feel better about themselves for buying the product. Buying a PC means you are cheap, average, possibly ugly, possibly wear glasses i.e one of the conformist mass public. That's hardly a stereotype people want to buy into especially when Apple offer such a better image.
The fact that Eva Longoria is in the ad does nothing because she's already been stereotyped as a person who would say anything for money.
When there are films about superheroes, they aren't shown as everyday fat people that go to the fish and chip shop and that's because nobody wants to be like that. In a world of over 6 billion people, being different and thinking different is the only way to justify to yourself that your life is worth living. If you are just like everyone else then you can be replaced.
As mentioned, the format simply gives Apple more recognition because Microsoft have just copied them again. At least the Bill and Jerry thing was a unique direction to show they aren't phased by Apple. This ad shows they are scared and on the defensive.
Comments
I'm a PC = Fantastic brand gains for MSFT. I thought the spot was hip, energetic and clever.
"I'm a PC" = every second of the ad makes you think about Apple products!
A well-produced spot, nonetheless--like the abandoned Seinfeld ads were.
I thought for certain MSFT execs would have gotten together and said "hey, we screwed up and let the Windows brand get dinged with Vista, and these AAPL ads -- lets throw this to some creative people." and not interfere/do the death-by-committee thing to the ads.
...boy was I wrong.
All of Microsoft?s products have the characteristics of ?crashing,? not being user friendly, and expensive. As one example, I own a XBOX 360 and a PS3. Microsoft brags that the XBOX 360 is a superior gaming console to the PS3. Microsoft in its ?wisdom? failed to include a Wi-Fi connection, high-definition DVD player, adequate HD space, and locked-down the console for a true multi-media experience. By the time a consumer purchases all the Microsoft accessories that are already included in the PS3, the XBOX 360 is much more expensive and an ugly clunky mess. Not to mention, the XBOX 360 is so loud and frequently overheats. What the heck was Microsoft thinking?
I am making a conscious effort to never purchase a lousy Microsoft product in the future. I don?t consider myself as a Mac geek, but as an average consumer who values well executed technology for my hard earned money.
They are doing to the ad campaign what they did to Vista. It's light-years beyond self parody.
... they actually ending up making Gates look more disconnected, arrogantly infatuated with his own sense of genius
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Kudos to Daniel for pointing this out; I haven't seen any other pundit who's caught this.
Also, I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the fact that Apple started responding to this campaign even before it aired! I have to think that's exactly what the new Web-only ad is about, where PC tells us he's written an editorial, imploring us to stop switching.
It's hard to see how M$ is even in the game!
Bill Gates has been enormously generous with The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ( www.gatesfoundation.org ). It does great things. If he wants everyone to know that he's a good guy, he should exploit that aspect. Maybe with a "we donate x% of profits" to it
I don't think so.
Personally, I am already tired as heck of hearing Billy G. and Microsoft drop hints about what a big deal philanthropist he is. All he has done is give away some of his ill-gotten money. It always had the smell of "rich man buys his way into heaven" IMO. It's not as if any rich person couldn't do the same thing or doesn't do the same thing. It's not as if he actually gets involved in the projects, he just has a bunch of people working for him that find things he can write cheques for.
I have way more respect for people like Jimmy Carter, who put on a hard hat and actually go build a house for someone who needs one, or all those folks that serve hot soup to street people.
There is nothing tackier than doing charity and then crowing about it. If they started making ads about what a great philanthropist Gates is it would be repulsive (at least to me).
What, if I may ask naively, is this PC vs Mac war all about? It is the most useless and unproductive thing I can imagine. serving no function other than to distance people in general from the technology and cultural niche we all want to promote. Different people and companies want to do that in different ways, yipee. So how did this stupid-business start? If I recall the 90's correctly Mac got a whopping amount of hate laid on it. This is before all that anti-trust business. So after getting a heap of dirt from MS users, Mac was fearing their brand would be damaged and set to define their it squarely against those who had been defining it for them. Okay. Maybe they went too far. Had enough yet?
Here's more rhetorical questions: Who's winning? Who cares? Do you think all this useless argument exists in a vacuum? What if there are unintended consequences to this spewing of virtual hatred? Why risk it when it is so unpleasant (and I take that word seriously) and draining? Why Bother?
We need to be promoting the indispensibility and function in the long term of what we've got to the world, in whatever way we can get it done. If you think this involves endless war, quit now with Fail. We all want to make things that let people have more and do more of what we want in a way that's good for life for all time. Am I mistaken in this?
I don't care if you run a successful small business and know that Mac couldn't offer half the value and use for what you get done using Microsoft's platform(s). I don't have half the computer you do! You know what you're doing and don't need anyone to give you a hard time! I don't care if you built your computer from spare parts of every manufacturer and wrote your own operating system, sort of like that Johnny Cash song. Great! I have no critique! I don't care if you buy into a cultural enforcement yuppie commune like Apple-- Hey! It's a nice place!
I will try to say this nicely:
Now shutup all of you get back to work.
-
Disclaimer: the free computer i got several years back was an Apple, therefore i use those boxes for my work, since (especially recently) they are more than adequate. If I would tell anyone that they have to be first to declare peace, it would be Apple users. Just stop it already, jerks. You're making my granny cry.
Double disclaimer: this is a third posting of my little rant, and I will post it no more, so I'm not entirely lying in the Note.
Note: If this strikes you as obvious and you like it, pass it on yourself. This whole platform war is so incredibly boring, and profit-sucking, I can't believe I took even the time to write this.
It doesn't, however, show why you wouldn't do those same things BETTER on a Mac.
Do I hear Apple's next slogan and ad campaign?
(Actually, no, I've had that GIF laying around since I did it up for fun in Oct. 2005...might've said "playing" instead of "gaming" if I were to do it again, hehe)
Dude, what is the deal with Bill Gates in every one of these ads? What is he trying to prove? I just don't get it...
Give Bill a break. He's unemployed!
What's with all these people saying they're PCs when they're clearly users? How stupid. Is the point supposed to be that every time Apple airs one of their "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" ads, these people are being insulted? What a load of hooey.
And promoting the "PC" isn't bad for Windows or Microsoft, is it? I'd say the majority of PC's are being shipped with Windows, and I think more people use the term PC or Computer than they do Windows and Microsoft in terms of speaking about their PC environment (with Windows). "Do you have a Mac or PC" is a normal question. I rarely hear anyone say "Do you run Mac OS X or Windows (or Linux)?"
how about being stuck in a cage surrounded by sharks. perfect!
http://forums.appleinsider.com/showp...2&postcount=15
The more I read this, the more one-sided I realized it was. "Microsoft will fail because of A,B,C..." with almost zero view about the other side.
I love Apple products, otherwise I wouldn't browse this site. Respectfully, I have to say that this "article" more closely resembles a blog entry.
1 billion people may use Windows, but 70% (if not more) don't use Windows because it's a conscious decision; they use it because it's just what happens to be shipped on their PC.
The worry for MS should be that with hardware makers are pushing for more Linux distribution and HP looking into it's own OS, MS needs to be aware that it's the hardware makers that hold the key to Microsoft's destiny...not your average consumer who MS is trying to communicate to here.
MS need to realise that casual people who buy PC's will use whatever OS comes on them; and if hardware makers start pushing more aggressively more alternative OS's and then ship them on that PC hardware in place of Windows, then that leaves MS nowhere.
Perhaps MS should think about starting to build it's own PC hardware....although given the frankly disgraceful failure rate of the Xbox 360 that would probably be a disaster as well.
After watching the commercial this is the impression I'm left with: "I'm a PC rawwwrrr!! I wear glasses!!!! and have a beard rawwwwrr!!!"
This is where it falls down. Apple has already branded PCs for average, uncool users and Microsoft is just adding to that stereotype. The power of advertising is that it can make consumers feel better about themselves for buying the product. Buying a PC means you are cheap, average, possibly ugly, possibly wear glasses i.e one of the conformist mass public. That's hardly a stereotype people want to buy into especially when Apple offer such a better image.
The fact that Eva Longoria is in the ad does nothing because she's already been stereotyped as a person who would say anything for money.
When there are films about superheroes, they aren't shown as everyday fat people that go to the fish and chip shop and that's because nobody wants to be like that. In a world of over 6 billion people, being different and thinking different is the only way to justify to yourself that your life is worth living. If you are just like everyone else then you can be replaced.
As mentioned, the format simply gives Apple more recognition because Microsoft have just copied them again. At least the Bill and Jerry thing was a unique direction to show they aren't phased by Apple. This ad shows they are scared and on the defensive.
Shouldn't they be talking to Apple about licensing Mac OS instead of writing their own OS?
I doubt Apple would go for it, but it just might make sense to open up Mac OS to one or two quality hardware makers.
Food for thought, anyways.
Your thoughts?