What advertising gimmick will Apple use to sell the G5?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
It's unforunate that Apple was hung up at 500 MHz for so long. It allowed the public to be impressed by how much "faster" the Pentiums were getting. macG4 servers are not competitively priced. Heck, nothing from Apple is competitively priced. Oh, whatever, that's what I get for liking a premium computer.



Worst of all, in terms of advertising to the dumbass public, Apple has already used the Supercomputer gimmick. (The definition's probably been changed by now, anyway).



What line do you think Apple will follow in promoting the G5 when it comes to maturity in a year or a year and a haf?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 47
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    [quote]Originally posted by cdhostage:

    <strong>Topic: What advertising gimmick will Apple use to sell the G5? </strong><hr></blockquote>Calling it a G5.
  • Reply 2 of 47
    kidredkidred Posts: 2,402member
    [quote]Originally posted by BRussell:

    <strong>Calling it a G5.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    HAHAHA, I was going to say, "Gimmick, what gimmick is needed to sell the G5?"
  • Reply 3 of 47
    leonisleonis Posts: 3,427member
    "Today the NASA computing power finally comes to your desk near you. Introducing the new PowerMac G5 from Apple"



    Do you like it?
  • Reply 4 of 47
    I'm hoping they don't need one.
  • Reply 5 of 47
    I just hope they release them soon. My sister wanted an iPod for Christmas until I informed her that it wouldn't work with our family Beige G3. She told my dad and he said we might just have to get a new computer...



    *crosses fingers*
  • Reply 6 of 47
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    APPLE HOT NEWS X/XX/2002





    "APPLE RELEASES REVOLUTIONARY POWERMAC G5"



    Cupertino, CA. Apple Computer INC., has released the long awaited successor to its professional PowerMac G4, the PowerMac G5.



    The machine incorporates G5 processors at 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6 GHZ. It also sports DDR RAM and has an all new BUS.



    But, most impressive is that the G5 will ship within 3 months of this press release. It will also offer a "ReallySuperDrive" that lets you burn DVD's, CD's, Cassette Tapes, Eight Tracks, VHS, BETA, LP's, 45's, MiniDiscs, Hi-8 video tapes, MiniDV tapes, and toast.



    Other features include the "Windoze Buster". Your Mac automatically senses it is on a PC network and sends a special signal that immediately fries all non-mac motherboards, save one, which automatically connects to our web site and orders replacement machines shipped via FedEx. That's right, just connect by remote to your company's intranet and you won't even have to convince your tech department to go Mac...the machines wil just show up. :eek:



    But wait, there's still more: Your Mac now also doubles as your girlfriend. That's right, using our revolutionary new technology "VaginaPort", which, well you get the point. And, of course, your Mac comes with our all-new free porn service, "iPornDisk". ("PenisPort" available only in CA) :o



    You also get great additional features, like a 43" plasma monitor and a free Bose Wave Radio with every purchase. Your new Digital Hub Lifestyle" will center around your Mac. It will replace your TV, stereo, DVD player, VCR, oven and microwave, blender, toaster and salad-shooter. It also makes great drinks with no need for a tip. It comes with optional wheels and a new 300 horsepower V6, so you can also ride your Mac all over town. In fact, every time you need to use the bathroom you'll need to make sure you ask your Mac's permission. After all, we want to make sure you are always productive (this technology brought to you by Mircrosoft").



    You Mac also can repair your houshold electronics (except itself), appliances and your roof.



    So why wait, go Mac. At only 192% interest on your new Mac, starting at only $155,997 US, you can have it for only $987.65 per month for thirty years.



    "Your Mac--it owns your bitch ass."



    ---I"M SOLD!



    [ 11-22-2001: Message edited by: SDW2001 ]</p>
  • Reply 7 of 47
    [quote]Originally posted by SDW2001:

    <strong>



    "You Mac--it owns your bitch ass."



    ---I"M SOLD!</strong><hr></blockquote>



  • Reply 8 of 47
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    I fixed it.
  • Reply 9 of 47
    moogsmoogs Posts: 4,296member
    As long as the words "gigaflop" and "myth" aren't used on a regular basis, I don't care what the gimmick will be. I tend to agree that at this point, using the moniker "G5" will be all the gimmick Apple needs to sell a boat-load of them. <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
  • Reply 10 of 47
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    [quote]Originally posted by cdhostage:

    <strong>What line do you think Apple will follow in promoting the G5 when it comes to maturity in a year or a year and a haf?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Let's see: how about none? What makes anyone think Apple is actually going to be worth two damns promoting and hyping this when they've been so lackluster and absent on their other stuff?



    Seems to me that if their goal is to increase their marketshare/presence, they can't run every ad they produce in Mac magazines. Talk about "preaching to the choir". WE already get it and know, Apple!







    I know, I know: there's the occasional full-page (or even two-page spread) in Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly or Rolling Stone, but they don't seem to be saying much.



    I'd much rather see a hard-hitting, can't-take-your-eyes-off-it television ad campaign dealing with OS X, the retail stores, the G5 (IF it even exists), AirPort, iBook, iTunes, iMovie, etc. rather than this half-hearted, lame-ass approach they currently take, which is to make a bad commercial to show once at Macworld and once during "Friends", never to be seen again, and then to run cryptic, "appeal only to Mac heads" ads in magazines that probably do very little to sway anyone.



    Honestly, does anyone outside our community of current Mac users/fans know about the existence of these Apple retail stores?



    No. And why should they? If you're a PC user (or a newbie, looking for your first computer), you probably don't go to maccentral.com 5 times a day, which is the only place Apple seems to be notifying, regarding the opening of their retail stores.



    Would it kill them to make a 30-second spot touting the fact that these stores exist, and that more are on the way?



    If their whole stated goal is to increase Apple's marketshare and visibility, they're doing a piss-poor, lame-ass job of it because I guarantee you...NOBODY in the real world knows the first thing about OS X, the new iBooks, any of the cool iApps, the G-whatever, etc.



    So no...I think the G5 will come, surrounded by an initial burst of fanfare that only we will dig on and appreciate. Then, after 2 months when it finally starts shipping in quality, there still won't be a TV commercial about it OR a cool, enticing print campaign to go with it either.



    Hate to sound so cynical and doubting, but after two years of the same kind of crap, what else should I expect or feel about it?
  • Reply 11 of 47
    Here we go.



    Introducing the PowerMac G5, all for the low low price of YOUR SOUL.......buhahahahahahahhahahahaha
  • Reply 12 of 47
    jambojambo Posts: 3,036member
    [Lots of spinning G5 stuff]



    "Apple's new PowerMac. Now with the mighty G5."



    [Fade to Apple logo]



    "Intel who?"
  • Reply 13 of 47
    Here's how Apple should start to aggressively market themselves and their products.



    First of all, they should get rid of spinning computers and white virgin backgrounds. That's old hat. It's nice in a perfect world, but it's kind of blah for those who don't give a damn about Apple. You need to get people's attention.



    The way to get people's attention is to be "In your face about Apple." Have some rock music from a contemporary rock band with the moniker, "How fast is the Apple PowerMac G5?" And have some really insane and trippy fast video -- whether its abstract or sped up video -- it doesn't matter. Come in with stats and the power points. "The new PowerMac G5 is twice as fast as the 2Ghz Pentium 4." Then you have to pump up where to get the product. I would suspect that direct marketing Ã* la Dell would work here. "Go to <a href="http://www.apple.com"; target="_blank">www.apple.com</a> and get your hands on the planets fastest computer."



    And there also has to be a strategy to debunk some misnomers about their product. They need show the common compatibility the files have with Mac. A good situational spot would emphasize this.



    Joe: "Hey Bob, looking for a new computer?"



    Bob: "Yeah. Check this out. I'm thinking one of these!"



    Joe: "A PowerMac G5...Apple? I thought Apple was dead."



    Bob: "Oh, no way, dude! This thing has a G5 processor. Even the low-end model is twice as fast as that 2GHz Pentium 4."



    Joe: "Yeah, that's great...but it's a Mac...there's hardly any software to run on it, and the files and stuff aren't compatible with anything else."



    Bob: "No, the Mac is quite compatible with everything else. And there are tons of software titles for the Mac...probably just as many as for your Windows machine over there!"



    Joe: "Really?"



    Bob: "Yeah, look? This running Quake III, and over here, Microsoft Office X for OS X. Now, tell me something! Doesn't Office on the Mac look better than it does on the PC?"



    Joe: "Geez, yeah you're right.....Wow, look at how sharp those icons are."



    Bob: "That's the Power of OS X. Apple's new operating system."



    Joe: "So you think a Mac is better?"



    Bob: "Without a doubt, dude!"



    Voice Over: "The Apple PowerMac G5...the best damn computer on the planet!"



    Whatever the case may be ...a different attempt to market their products is needed.
  • Reply 14 of 47
    sinewavesinewave Posts: 1,074member
    I agree.. when the G5's come out Apple wont NEED a gimmick. They will just have commercials.. with a pic of the G5.
  • Reply 15 of 47
    "Apple's new powermac G5, this time it's scalable!"



  • Reply 16 of 47
    The G5:



    It doesn't suck!



    We promise!
  • Reply 17 of 47
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Apple should hire Dave Hagan...he obviously gets it.



    The current style of Apple's marketing/advertising only gives us current owners/users the warm fuzzies. The average PC or non-user doesn't get ANYTHING from them. They're simply preaching to the choir.



    I like everything Dave said above.
  • Reply 18 of 47
    Why thank you.



    I think the marketing of a computer is every bit as important as the computer itself. We all know (we being the Mac heads) how good and how great these computers are (and can be)...so why not tout our computer's strengths and exploit everything that makes it better than the competition.



    Frankly, the marketing coming out of Apple is to voyeuristic or too vacant and removed. You can make anything look good on camera (example Sarah Michelle Gellar ). The new Apple iPod commercial is good in that it's a "What is that?!?!" type of commercial. But what else is there to it? You can only leave someone in suspense for so long!



    I think the pickle that Apple has been in with their marketing campaign is that they're trying to take a so-called high road. They're trying to not put out tv commercials that look like every other computer maker out there. Yeah, their logo is "think different." So that can only go so far -- nevermind the fact that that slogan is grammatically incorrect.



    So Bottom line, I think that in order for Apple to succeed, they're going to have to show people the value in their computers.
  • Reply 19 of 47
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    Yes, you're totally right.



    There are WAY too many people walking around out there with entirely the wrong idea about Apple and Macs swimming through their heads.



    Hey, they may NOT be for everyone, but how are they going to know if Apple doesn't do a better job or touting their stuff?



    At the very least, the lame and inaccurate myths about the Mac could be tackled and halfway debunked.



    Does Apple realize how many people out there AREN'T buying Macs because of the whole "well, my mom's boss' son's girlfriend said Macs don't have software..." or how many people only see the curvy, colored plastic of the iMacs and iBooks and automatically assume - wrongly - that they're somehow not "real" computers.



    These are real and valid concerns/issues, and in almost three years, I've seen Apple do NOTHING to change or confront this stuff.



    It's as if vague commercials with spinning products on a white background, that idiot Goldblum acting all spazzy and an awful set of recent ads with a brat on an airplane and a geek getting WAY too excited about his iPod is actually going any good or making any headway.



    Hell, we, the Apple faithful and loyal supporters, think their marketing and ads are shit. What do you think the average PC user or complete novice/newbie must think?







    Insane. I've had better ideas for Apple's marketing while clipping my fingernails than they've gotten in three years from Chiat/Day.



    Something's gotta give, otherwise that whole "we're gonna increase our marketshare with OS X, these new stores and cool-ass hardware!" bullcrap is just a silly pipedream and a wasted goal to shoot for.
  • Reply 20 of 47
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    And, oh yeah:



    WHY IN THE HELL is Apple not producing and selling Apple-branded items, via their website and (especially) their retail stores?



    Do these chuckleheads not realize the goldmine in revenue and free advertising they're sitting on?!?



    For crying out loud, Apple...make a goddamn keychain or coffee mugs and baseball hats with the blue Aqua Apple logo or the big blue "X" or whatever and sit back and collect the bucks and let people like us (who would gladly pay for a cool Apple T-shirt, jacket, thermos, calendar, mousepad, tie pin, etc.) be walking billboards for you.



    See what I mean?



    What is this stuff not being done? Who in the hell gets paid at Apple to NOT come up with stuff like this?







    Simply amazing.



    They'd better be glad they make a good product and that I love the Mac OS and hardware, because if this were any other company, I'd be so fed up and disgusted with their lack of initiative, that I would've stopped supporting them a long time ago.
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