Apple plans expansion of "Get a Mac" TV campaign
Apple Computer appears pleased with the result of its "Get a Mac" television commercials and holds plans to expand the campaign more than threefold in the coming weeks and months.
According to an LA Times interview with Justin Long, the actor who plays the hipster Mac slacker dude in the commercials, Apple has lined up nearly 20 additional ad spots to the seven it has aired on national TV so far.
Although Long is currently appearing in theaters alongside Jennifer Aniston in the "Break-Up, he was previously best know for his role in the TV series "Ed." But while Long is focusing on jump-starting his film career, he admits that most of his stardom has come as a result of the Apple commercials.
"Nine out of 10 people who recognize me recognize me from the commercials," he told the LA Times. "I had a guy come up to me, in my face, saying, 'You think you're so cool? You're not cool' and I'm saying to him, 'Dude, it's a commercial.' "
Long said that when he was first contacted by his agent over playing the role of the Mac dude, he was a bit wary. "I was in this false arrogance, deluding myself that I was beyond [commercials] -- 'I'm doing movies'," he said. However, growing up in a house where his mom made a living as a commercial actress, he recognized the value of the offer.
Still, Long has found that playing the a laid-back hipster Mac user poses more of a challenge than some may think. "Commercials are hard because you don't have a lot to work with but you have a lot to work against. You don't want to look silly and polished but still, you know, you're selling something," he said. "We were fighting with the company people who didn't want it to be too subtle and I didn't want to come off too smug. People who haven't done commercials don't appreciate how hard it is."
According to an LA Times interview with Justin Long, the actor who plays the hipster Mac slacker dude in the commercials, Apple has lined up nearly 20 additional ad spots to the seven it has aired on national TV so far.
Although Long is currently appearing in theaters alongside Jennifer Aniston in the "Break-Up, he was previously best know for his role in the TV series "Ed." But while Long is focusing on jump-starting his film career, he admits that most of his stardom has come as a result of the Apple commercials.
"Nine out of 10 people who recognize me recognize me from the commercials," he told the LA Times. "I had a guy come up to me, in my face, saying, 'You think you're so cool? You're not cool' and I'm saying to him, 'Dude, it's a commercial.' "
Long said that when he was first contacted by his agent over playing the role of the Mac dude, he was a bit wary. "I was in this false arrogance, deluding myself that I was beyond [commercials] -- 'I'm doing movies'," he said. However, growing up in a house where his mom made a living as a commercial actress, he recognized the value of the offer.
Still, Long has found that playing the a laid-back hipster Mac user poses more of a challenge than some may think. "Commercials are hard because you don't have a lot to work with but you have a lot to work against. You don't want to look silly and polished but still, you know, you're selling something," he said. "We were fighting with the company people who didn't want it to be too subtle and I didn't want to come off too smug. People who haven't done commercials don't appreciate how hard it is."
Comments
PC: I started working on Windows in 1984 thats when I got my sweet stock options.
Mac: Well, I am a young cat, I started at Apple in 1997...
PC: Stock options?
Mac: Oh hell yea, really friggen amazing ones, better than most, I can make a shitload of money with one phone call, I am just waiting on the price to go up a little more!
Enter SEC Investigator: Interesting.
Enter Nasdaq official: Yes, I know a few folks who would find this little tidbit interesting as well...
Enter cops: Mac is perp-walked off screen
fade to black.
It's funny because he appears to look older in the mac comericals than any of his film roles to point where I wasn't sure it was the same guy.
The people who say they are insulted are actually embarrassed. These problems have happened to them. Their egos are bruised.
I believe you are projecting.
The only people who find these ads insulting are the die-hard Windows fanboys and they aren't going to switch anyway. Without exception every person in my workgroup thinks the ads are great and right on the money. I'm the only Mac user in the group as far as home machines go.
If wish Apple would have emphasized the website more.
"The Break-Up" is still in theaters?
For real. I read this article LAST week.
i'd be glad to see more of these commercials, they are funny and true.
i'm a mac... and i'm a pc.
I remember one where we had a young lady sitting on a stool. She had to hold the product up, and say one short sentence.
It required 39 takes.
i dont think its insulting.. i mean, in reality, they arent even exaggerating many of the problems that plague PCs. they are just making 99% accurate comparisons. i think its a great campaign.
It is somewhat insulting.
They are also somewhat misleading.
It is just about as easy to connect a camera to a PC as it is to a Mac.
We have also had our own problems with many models of cameras, as has been discussed here in the past. We still have problems with syncing many phones. Windows has less problems in that area.
We shouldn't feel that much superior. Apple is well known for their exaggerations.
The people who say they are insulted are actually embarrassed. These problems have happened to them. Their egos are bruised. Apple needs to keep it up. Do you notice the people that do switch tend to be very happy with their decision and they tell everyone about it. I guess everyone likes to be in the know.
They've happened to us as well.
That's one reason there are programs for us to buy to get around our problems.
"I've wondered if these ads were a bit too insulting to PC users."
The only people who find these ads insulting are the die-hard Windows fanboys and they aren't going to switch anyway. Without exception every person in my workgroup thinks the ads are great and right on the money. I'm the only Mac user in the group as far as home machines go.
As opposed to die-hard Mac fanbois, such as yourself?
More ads --> more people will see Macs --> more people will think about checking out a Mac --> more people will visit and Apple store or research online ---> more people will buy a Mac --> resulting in more Switchers --> resulting in a larger Mac user base --> leading to increase market share
i hope the expansion also means running them in other countries.
We've been through this before. Not all countries would accept these ads.