The first, strongest thing I'd like to see would be a spot that really lays it out and debunks the various myths and misconceptions.
Do it with humor, do it straight. Do it flashy or do it low key.
Just do it.
I honestly think that is one of the biggest hurdles to current, unsatisfied PC users and newbies...they'd consider Apple and might even dig having a Mac. But they simply are held back by all the crap they've heard about them for years.
Until Apple makes it clear to the masses that "yes, you can use Office on a Mac...and Quicken too!", "no, we're not a toy", "yes, this platform is totally MADE for working with digital photography, music, etc.", "no, we're not 'going out of business'", etc.
Everyone I talk to who is NOT a Mac person always seems to harbor some variation of the above as a reason that they won't or haven't looked seriously at a Mac when it comes time to buy a computer.
However, all of them - to one degree or another - are completely frustrated and not particularly happy with their current computing experience on their various PCs.
So they're hungry for SOMETHING. It's dangling right there in front of Apple. Apple just has to do better about reassuring non-Mac people that, yes, they CAN own a Mac and use the software they need/like.
Unti that very basic thing changes, no amount of dual 5GHz G5 or 20" iBook or AirPort SuperUltraMax Extreme is going to mean a damn to the average Joe and potential Mac user. They'd stick with the familiar "safe" thing (pain in the butt that it can be) rather than go "okay, I'm getting a Mac" because they simply don't know.
And Satchmo...that's a very snazzy idea. I can see it in my head:
"Apple is..."
That opens LOTS of doors and avenues to fill in, doesn't it?
Music, photography, memories, business, art, creativity, connecting, the world, no wires, sharing, video, etc.
I agree wholeheartedly that Apple should change their marketing & promotion techniques. I, for one, thought the G5 "Introducing the Power Macintosh G5 ... the fastest, most powerful ..." TV ads were the wrong way to go: there MUST be a way to focus on the user experience versus pure numbers.
G5 or not, I had no intention of "switching" -- "sure, it's a fast CPU and a purtee GUI", I thought, "but how much real difference is there day-to-day"?
It wasn't until I happened into a shop that carries some Apple gear that I really saw what the advantages were -- and I haven't looked back since.
As Pizzaboy said, the "cool" ads don't have a great effect. The iPod has been a success, and is perceived as "cool" not because of multi-colored backgrounds and dancing shadows, but because people like P-Diddy and other modern artists are seen with them. Jeff Goldblum will NEVER have the same effect.
i was the first person in my family to get a steve-mac, that is to say a new mac with osX and the iApps and all the pretty stuff. before all that, my dad had an entire mac network at his office which he eventually changed to windows because at the time, it was better is almost every area. he knew about macs, he had used 'em and he had gone the other way, but when he started playing with my new mac his jaw dropped and he's been obsessed ever since. he reads mac news sites, he talks about it with me regularly and he sat down and watched the entire keynote speach introducing the g5's and panther with me one night after work. just seeing my computer did so much more than any tv commercial could have ever done and it's so much more cost effective for apple because they get advertising and a life long customer.
and the reason that apple is not too worried about their 3-5% is that they will always have that market. once you get a mac, going back to the windows world is just difficult. sure, windows has 95% of the market, but they don't have a good hold on it. that's why they're worried about linux and constantly try be like apple, so people won't leave.
apple doesn't need tv spots and they couldn't handle a sudden jump to 10 or 20% of market right now. they have to regrow slowly and their method of being the best and relying on word of mouth is doing it perfectly.
And Satchmo...that's a very snazzy idea. I can see it in my head:
"Apple is..."
That opens LOTS of doors and avenues to fill in, doesn't it?
Music, photography, memories, business, art, creativity, connecting, the world, no wires, sharing, video, etc.
Wow, the new "think different": Apple is...
Very nice.
Thanks.
One line in your last post made me think that you could also use this slogan:
"You can..."
Just playing off on the idea that Apple can do all these things that most PC owners never even dreamt it could. Show how Macs can do this and that and debunk all the myths.
Then as a closer at the end of each tv spot, flash the price "from $999"...oops on second thought, don't
but when he started playing with my new mac his jaw dropped and he's been obsessed ever since. he reads mac news sites, he talks about it with me regularly and he sat down and watched the entire keynote speach introducing the g5's and panther with me one night after work. just seeing my computer did so much more than any tv commercial could have ever done and it's so much more cost effective for apple because they get advertising and a life long customer.
Amen!!! A good friend of mine has been a "Wintel guy" for many years; in fact, in a previous life he was a Wintel developer. It took about 20 minutes with OS X and iTunes for him to place an order for a 12" iBook G4.
Oh, and "double Amen!!!" to whoever said that iTunes for Windows was the best trojan horse out there ... not just for potential iPod purchases, but as a demonstration of just HOW GOOD Apple's products are ... I have a strong, strong feeling that a good number of consumer Macs will be purchased as a result of iTunes for Windows.
I expect to see a stronger ad campaign next year, after the G5 moves into the iMac and all of the Macs have a better price/performance ratio.
Right now there is just too big a performance gap between PCs and Macs (except at the high end). Consumers always want as much bang for the buck as they can get, and Apple is not offering much in their consumer line. When the iMac G5 comes out, I expect we will see lots of advertising.
Realisticly Apple is the only OEM manufacuter who can produce a decent PC.. Dell, HP, ect.. all suck in terms of quality. Notice the G5 processor it's self was not named as the best component. The Opertron was. Now for the simple fact that it was named as the best doesn't make it the best computer, just the best oem one you can buy. I would challenge Apple vs AMD when both have a program that will take advantage of its 64bit strenghts... then we can really see which is the best computer.
Yeah. Maybe they could make a site specially for potential switchers like they did with the iPod. appleswitch.com or applemove.com. They could put promo (look at iTunes! see how cool browser tabs are?! watch the windows get small with Expose! etc.) And post links to xvsxp.com, maybe, or just the good parts of it (the parts that Apple is better in.)
NO kidding, that Switch tab is sorely missing on the top of the site. Good call.
Fred Anderson was interviewed last week and said the switch ad campaign was not successful.
From Insanely Great Mac:
Quote:
Anderson: Apple a "Constant Innovator", Concedes 'Switch' not Successful
by Remy Davison, Insanely Great Mac
November 17th 2003
Apple came back from the brink of bankruptcy in 1996 because of innovation and a "refusal to mortgage [the] future", Apple CFO Fred Anderson said today in a speech today to US business students, MacWorld UK reports.
Anderson said when he joined Apple in 1996, he faced a $325 million loss. [the MacWorld article says 'billion', but it wasn't that catastrophic - ed.]. Anderson blamed this on Apple's poor customer relations at the time, and a decline in the PC industry.
The CFO singled out iPod and iTMS as innovative ventures which showed the way in terms of consumer demands for digital music. iPod and iTunes, Anderson said, had been successful despite the recording industry's 10-15% decline in recent years.
But Anderson did concede that Apple's ability to convince PC users to 'switch' to Mac had not been terribly successful. Uncharacteristically forthcoming, Anderson is quoted as saying that, "There has been no real marketing effort and poor distribution, and now we?re making changes to address that."
Analysis: That latter statement from Anderson is revealing. Does this mean Apple will return to more mainstream stores (Sears, Best Buy etc.) in order to push its product? Or does that simply mean more Apple Retail Stores? It's the first real public concession from a senior Apple executive that the 'switchers' campaign hasn't been as successful as Cupertino had hoped. One hates to admit it, but Dvorak wasn't that far off when he predicted 'switchers' would be dead and buried by December 2002.
Comments
"Apple is..."
Follow this tagline with all the things Apple provides in a more visual and straight forward presentation.
For instance:
Apple is...COMPATIBLE ?focussing on the available software programs such as MS Word, Acrobat, etc.
Apple is...MUSIC ? focussing on iTunes, iPod
Apple is...CONNECTED ? focussing on basic stuff like e-mailing, address book, web surfing, Safari and .Mac.
etc...you get the idea.
Do it with humor, do it straight. Do it flashy or do it low key.
Just do it.
I honestly think that is one of the biggest hurdles to current, unsatisfied PC users and newbies...they'd consider Apple and might even dig having a Mac. But they simply are held back by all the crap they've heard about them for years.
Until Apple makes it clear to the masses that "yes, you can use Office on a Mac...and Quicken too!", "no, we're not a toy", "yes, this platform is totally MADE for working with digital photography, music, etc.", "no, we're not 'going out of business'", etc.
Everyone I talk to who is NOT a Mac person always seems to harbor some variation of the above as a reason that they won't or haven't looked seriously at a Mac when it comes time to buy a computer.
However, all of them - to one degree or another - are completely frustrated and not particularly happy with their current computing experience on their various PCs.
So they're hungry for SOMETHING. It's dangling right there in front of Apple. Apple just has to do better about reassuring non-Mac people that, yes, they CAN own a Mac and use the software they need/like.
Unti that very basic thing changes, no amount of dual 5GHz G5 or 20" iBook or AirPort SuperUltraMax Extreme is going to mean a damn to the average Joe and potential Mac user. They'd stick with the familiar "safe" thing (pain in the butt that it can be) rather than go "okay, I'm getting a Mac" because they simply don't know.
And Satchmo...that's a very snazzy idea. I can see it in my head:
"Apple is..."
That opens LOTS of doors and avenues to fill in, doesn't it?
Music, photography, memories, business, art, creativity, connecting, the world, no wires, sharing, video, etc.
Wow, the new "think different": Apple is...
Very nice.
I agree wholeheartedly that Apple should change their marketing & promotion techniques. I, for one, thought the G5 "Introducing the Power Macintosh G5 ... the fastest, most powerful ..." TV ads were the wrong way to go: there MUST be a way to focus on the user experience versus pure numbers.
G5 or not, I had no intention of "switching" -- "sure, it's a fast CPU and a purtee GUI", I thought, "but how much real difference is there day-to-day"?
It wasn't until I happened into a shop that carries some Apple gear that I really saw what the advantages were -- and I haven't looked back since.
As Pizzaboy said, the "cool" ads don't have a great effect. The iPod has been a success, and is perceived as "cool" not because of multi-colored backgrounds and dancing shadows, but because people like P-Diddy and other modern artists are seen with them. Jeff Goldblum will NEVER have the same effect.
Just my rant,
-John
and the reason that apple is not too worried about their 3-5% is that they will always have that market. once you get a mac, going back to the windows world is just difficult. sure, windows has 95% of the market, but they don't have a good hold on it. that's why they're worried about linux and constantly try be like apple, so people won't leave.
apple doesn't need tv spots and they couldn't handle a sudden jump to 10 or 20% of market right now. they have to regrow slowly and their method of being the best and relying on word of mouth is doing it perfectly.
Enough already. Come out swinging a bit, will ya?
Originally posted by pscates
And Satchmo...that's a very snazzy idea. I can see it in my head:
"Apple is..."
That opens LOTS of doors and avenues to fill in, doesn't it?
Music, photography, memories, business, art, creativity, connecting, the world, no wires, sharing, video, etc.
Wow, the new "think different": Apple is...
Very nice.
Thanks.
One line in your last post made me think that you could also use this slogan:
"You can..."
Just playing off on the idea that Apple can do all these things that most PC owners never even dreamt it could. Show how Macs can do this and that and debunk all the myths.
Then as a closer at the end of each tv spot, flash the price "from $999"...oops on second thought, don't
"You can"
There we go. Where's our check?
Originally posted by voodoodle
but when he started playing with my new mac his jaw dropped and he's been obsessed ever since. he reads mac news sites, he talks about it with me regularly and he sat down and watched the entire keynote speach introducing the g5's and panther with me one night after work. just seeing my computer did so much more than any tv commercial could have ever done and it's so much more cost effective for apple because they get advertising and a life long customer.
Amen!!! A good friend of mine has been a "Wintel guy" for many years; in fact, in a previous life he was a Wintel developer. It took about 20 minutes with OS X and iTunes for him to place an order for a 12" iBook G4.
Oh, and "double Amen!!!" to whoever said that iTunes for Windows was the best trojan horse out there ... not just for potential iPod purchases, but as a demonstration of just HOW GOOD Apple's products are ... I have a strong, strong feeling that a good number of consumer Macs will be purchased as a result of iTunes for Windows.
-John
Right now there is just too big a performance gap between PCs and Macs (except at the high end). Consumers always want as much bang for the buck as they can get, and Apple is not offering much in their consumer line. When the iMac G5 comes out, I expect we will see lots of advertising.
Yeah. Maybe they could make a site specially for potential switchers like they did with the iPod. appleswitch.com or applemove.com. They could put promo (look at iTunes! see how cool browser tabs are?! watch the windows get small with Expose! etc.) And post links to xvsxp.com, maybe, or just the good parts of it (the parts that Apple is better in.)
NO kidding, that Switch tab is sorely missing on the top of the site. Good call.
From Insanely Great Mac:
Anderson: Apple a "Constant Innovator", Concedes 'Switch' not Successful
by Remy Davison, Insanely Great Mac
November 17th 2003
Apple came back from the brink of bankruptcy in 1996 because of innovation and a "refusal to mortgage [the] future", Apple CFO Fred Anderson said today in a speech today to US business students, MacWorld UK reports.
Anderson said when he joined Apple in 1996, he faced a $325 million loss. [the MacWorld article says 'billion', but it wasn't that catastrophic - ed.]. Anderson blamed this on Apple's poor customer relations at the time, and a decline in the PC industry.
The CFO singled out iPod and iTMS as innovative ventures which showed the way in terms of consumer demands for digital music. iPod and iTunes, Anderson said, had been successful despite the recording industry's 10-15% decline in recent years.
But Anderson did concede that Apple's ability to convince PC users to 'switch' to Mac had not been terribly successful. Uncharacteristically forthcoming, Anderson is quoted as saying that, "There has been no real marketing effort and poor distribution, and now we?re making changes to address that."
Analysis: That latter statement from Anderson is revealing. Does this mean Apple will return to more mainstream stores (Sears, Best Buy etc.) in order to push its product? Or does that simply mean more Apple Retail Stores? It's the first real public concession from a senior Apple executive that the 'switchers' campaign hasn't been as successful as Cupertino had hoped. One hates to admit it, but Dvorak wasn't that far off when he predicted 'switchers' would be dead and buried by December 2002.
Originally posted by FellowshipChurch iBook
Apple is a little like God,
Not going to beat you over the head with facts and figures but for those who know... they know...
hehehe had to throw that in
Fellows
Indeed. I know. And I think you will too, fellow, one day...
hehehe, had to throw that in as well