Why doesn't Apple advertise MacOS X?
 

Why doesn't Apple advertise its operating system?

Wouldn't that be the most direct way to snatch up potential switchers? By showing them, i don't know, 30 second clips of how MacOS X would make their computing experience simpler?

Show that we have MS Office, show that you can use Non-Apple mice, etc... clear out those all too common misconceptions that have plagued the minds of many potential switchers.

Show off Exposé, Dashboard, Spotlight in action...

I mean, it seems so simple...it's right there for the taking. Why don't they do it?

Even if they took 10% of their iPod advertising budget to do it, wouldn't it be worth it?

The intel ad is cool and all (besides the whole underlying theme of insulting the customers that they want to buy their hardware) but it doesn't show off the OS. I don't really think anybody cares what chip is inside it...the main part is how it works.

This really bothers me to no end!

I agree, the only explanation I can offer is that I think Apple thrieves off of being mysterious... I know, weird explanation, but I think they like being 'the different one' or 'the odd alternative' and don't want to be completely understood.

It's the only explanation that comes to mind, but I have to admit, if it's true the Apple advertising department needs to get a grip.

Also, you might notice that the iPod commercials are kind of the same. The iPod has a wonderful organizational structure, excellent sound quality and good batter life. But all you ever see in the commercials are dancing shadows... Definitely going for the artsy types if you ask me.

Apple's advertising has always been a pet peeve of mine. It's the OS that ultimately makes a Mac different than a PC, not the hardware. Great industrial design is nice, and I don't care of I have a "taco chip inside®" as long as my machine worked fast and properly. I use a Mac because of the operating system.

When one of the first iMac commercials where out (the one with the Rolling Stones song and the different colored iMacs flying around), I can remember people saying they liked the commercial and song, but didn't know what the product was.

I think their ads ultimately appeal to people who already have Macs, and come across almost as nothing more than an inside jokes to a lot of us. They had a good concept with switcher ads, but didn't take it far enough.

Yeah - you can see from the sales statistics that iPods are only selling to those "artsy types". Who knew that they are 85 % of the population?! :)

Yeah, that and Americans love to be hip. We will buy anything if its the new hip thing to have. If apple marketed something that looked cool and the commerical made you look cool, but it had no real practical function, people would still buy it.

"I don't think so, Tim."
Not at a price of several hundred dollars.
The iPod is cool, but it also is extremely functional.

I don't know, I do know and have worked with people who buy anything and everything apple puts out, even if they don't need it. At my second job I do onsite mac work for this company (they never had any mac people) and all my clients have all apple products. I set up a small network last week (wired and wireless) and the people in the office wanted all apple stuff so it matched. Their wireless APs and Switches were in the ceiling and in cabinets, so no one would have ever really seen them. I think that there are some apple fanatics out there that will buy anything apple puts out, as long as it looks slick and has a slick name like the idevice. Don't get me wrong, I like apple products, but I also buy their competition if its a better deal.

I think what you are seeing is more the fact that Apple hardware is trusted to be good. People are more than willing to pay a small (or even a large) premium to get something that is guaranteed to work and to avoid headaches. I know I am.

And especially with wireless networking gear, it has been widely reported that things work best if they are all from the same supplier. E.g. when using WDS

Those ads kept me away from Macs much longer. If I'd never seen one, I might have switched a year sooner. I didn't want to be associated with the morons in those ads.

Yeah, I should have mentioned I thought the concept was good, but would have been better with different people.

I don't disagree with anything you just stated. However, there is a difference of wanting something that is going to work over making it all match (ie same designs and colors). It worked with out a hitch, but to me I could have personally used cisco, trapeze, linksys, netgear, etc etc, and would have had the same success rate. Plus their APs were hidden behind ceiling panels, so no one would even ever see them.

In the end I don't care what it is as long as it works, and I also like to have the most cost effective hardware.

As for your wifi comment I agree. We have 3com APs right now in 52 buildings and my opinion is they suck. I lose ips and signals all the time. We are going to rebuild our whole wifi network over the summer with a different brand. We are looking at trapeze at the moment, and so far our test APs from them work very well.

Having never seen the "switcher ads" and the people involved your post makes me curious to see the morons in action! :)

Hayne, I think you might not understand the amount of disposable income artsy college students have...

And, BTW, 85% is of the percent of people who have digital music players, not everybody on the planet. I stand by my earlier statements in regards to iPods.

Artzy college students have more disposable income than non-"artzy" ones? If that were true, then Apple would indeed be smart to target the ads at them.

But I don't think the iPod has a greater market penetration among those you call "artzy" than it does in the general population. Unless you are claiming that "artzy" folks listen to music much more than others. "I don't think so Tim".

hahaha, i love the Home Improvement sprinklings in this thread...great show.

I'm watching it right now ;)

Googling for: Apple switcher ads
finds several pages, among them this one that has gathered most of the ads for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.esm.psu.edu/Faculty/Gray/switch-ads.html

I thought the definition of being artsy was being into the arts? So actually artsy people should be more into music ;-).

I don't know about all colleges, but the artsy people at mine are the ones that have rich parents, and thus can pull of the 'artsy' motif. So yes, they do have more dispensable income.

Further more, having sold iPods before, I can say that there seemed to be a higher proportion of 'artsy' people buying iPods. And I can say the same for the whole entire Mac line.

Granted, I can only speak from personal experience at my little store at BYU. Where we averaged a mere 10 computer sales a day, and somewhere around 20-30 ipods a day. So I might not have the best grip on this.

But none of that necessarily relates to Apples advertising scheme. I still think that the motif of Apple's commercials is 'artsy' and I personally think that Apple very much enjoys the perception. Take jobs clothing at keynote addresses, he wears a black turtleneck with black pants. Is there anything not artsy about that?

Wed. night was the first time that I saw the Mac + Intel commercial on T.V.

how many times has anyone else seen it on T.V.?

Once, but I don't watch a lot of TV...

You know what's always bugged me is how I can go to Apple Insider and they always have ads (from google) for the Panasonics that look a lot like Mac's. Do they really think they're going to talk someone who goes to AppleInsider out of using an Apple?

That in itself puts you far away from the norm of the typical American consumer that Apple is targeting. I submit that Apple's marketing department likely knows much better than you or I what will appeal to the broad masses of consumers.

i agree
 

osx is the best. i hated macs for years. always locking up and crashing w/ their little bomb window popup thingy.

great decision to move to unix, brilliant. i always used dec alphas in high school and next and sgi's in college and they were great. such cool computers.

OSX made me switch and i was a die hard PC strictly because of all the software i could get. but i can deal w/ less apps and almost no games. that's why i have my pc too. but use my 17" powerbook everday.

.
I work with advertising -- as a copywriter.

Apple’s advertising and marketing strategy fascinate me to no end. There are many things that can be said about the topic, and I’m sure many of us could suggest individual campaigns or selling points that we’re convinced would sway potential purchasers. (I have some myself, including a campaign that focuses on OSX as a virus-free safe haven for Windows refugees.)

The fact remains that Apple’s current marketing strategy works. A few arguments to underscore my point:
[/LIST]•• Apple’s sales really took off with the Apple Store, which must be seen as a key element in their marketing strategy. The Store helps form the customer’s product perception all the way through the sale. And Apple has pulled it off brilliantly!
•• Apple has a brand recognition far beyond what is merited by its still humble share of the PC market. Now why is that? Great products and successful marketing strategy!
•• Apple successfully sells itself as "The Great Innovator". And they’ve stepped up their pace. Re: Steve’s more frequent announcements.
•• The "halo effect" is successfully being used for all it’s worth. Apple’s market share and share of new PCs sold has grown incredibly in the last few years.
•• Apple is a so-called "love brand". The marketing of a "love brand" is radically different from other brands.

I posit:[/LIST]•• With the ongoing transition to Intel chips, and the iMac and MacBook Pro unveiled 6 months before schedule, Apple has scored a major marketing coup.
•• They have built confidence amongst existing users and grabbed media attention.
•• Apple’s "digital hub strategy" is a success. They’re far beyond the competition -- and in a subtle and convincing way this permeates their marketing.
•• Apple will build on its success with the the iTunes Music Store, expanding its media range and catalogue, continuing its dominance for at least three years. (There is still no effective contender in sight!)
•• Apple has already passed Dell in corporate value...
•• Now the gloves are off and in the next two-three years I predict Apple will double its market share – at the expense of the other players, and Microsoft.

Well, those are my thoughts.


With best regards,
ArcticStones

I think the mentality that many people have is that they are buying a "computer," and so their concern is more focused on the "bottom line." When they find out that they can run all the software they need on a PC and play a lot more games, the deal is done. And if they already have PC software from a previous computer, it's likely their next one will be a PC as well. That's been the case with several friends with whom I've showcased OS X, the iApps, etc. They acknowledged it was all very cool, then they went out and bought a new PC! :rolleyes:

Granted, but I don't recall saying that Apple ought to be doing this or that kind of advertising, and I've never claimed to know what they should do for advertising. All I've been saying is that Apple likes being an exclusive brand that appeals to the artsy types. How many commercials do I have to watch to figure that out? How many key-note addresses? How often do I have to look at an Apple Product before I realize the design motif is pointed in that direction?

Yeah, I don't watch a lot of TV, how does that put me 'far away' from the norms? Does not watching TV make me so blind that I can't make a call on Steve Jobs outfits during his keynote address? I suppose that since TV is the 'new reality' I'm just out of it?

Besides which I'm rather familiar with modern society, I just get most of my information from the internet rather than TV, that's all. I've seen plenty of ad's, banners and commercials, just not Apples.

In the end what you're saying is ad homonym, and doesn't relate. If you think I'm wrong, fine, but show me some evidence, don't just bash me.

Sorry if you took what I said as "bashing". It wasn't intended that way.
I think your statements above about the appeal to "artsy" people are begging the question since you haven't defined what you mean by "artsy". I think Apple is going for good design: products that work well and that are of themselves beautiful. I think the appeal of such products is universal.

And given the topic of this thread ("why doesn't Apple ...") your statements do seem to imply that you think that Apple is doing something wrong - that it is only appealing to a minor segment of the potential market.

I'm trying to figure out how to phrase this...I'm having a real hard time figuring out how to explain my definition of 'artsy'. The only real definition I can give is that they like to wear nice but simple clothing and be a bit elitist about their tastes in obscure or traditional art-forms (like painting, jazz or yoga...) It's a hard definition to pin down, but it infers a bit of class and what not.

I think that the way Apple's finishes their products shows that they are trying to fit in with this crowd. Take a look at the design motif they use, it's so simplistic, it's minimalism, which is in vogue at the moment. They use this design as opposed to any number of 'high techish' looking designs (take a look at an AlienWare) that are cool, but aren't as posh.

Anyway, I'm not saying Apple's products lack universal appeal, and I don't believe that the 'artsy' crowd is all that Apple is going for. But I think it's apparent that Apple enjoys this image, I think they like being 'something different', i.e. think different? That's what I'm trying to say.

i also think they should advertise osx but a 30-45 second commercial needs to be an attention grabber and i dont think it would really work it would come off slow...but then again apple has always had great commercials so they might be able to pull it off. lets hope to see one for leopard

Intel Inside
 

I haven't seen the ad, so my apologies if this is a bit off-target :o

It's a sad state of affairs that a large percentage of people will only consider a computer to be such if it has that little sticker which says Intel made the processor. By focusing on this aspect of the new Macs, it means that these people could consider it as a possible purchase.

Unfortunately, these people will probably go into somewhere like PC World and ask for it, only to be told that they don't stock Macs, before ending up buying a PC anyway.... :p

The biggest problem that Apple has with its product, is the (percieved) lack of software for the platform. While it is indeed the case that a lot of freeware, shareware, etc. programs are only available for Windows, all the major applications have Mac versions. If you notice, Microsoft are currently running an advertising campaign (here in the UK at least) which suggests that people should by computers running Windows because of 'the world of software and devices' that run on it.

In my view, you only need a PC for games, and occasionally reminding yourself why you bought a Mac :) .

However, on the up side, Apple has a brand image that few, if any, other computer manufacturers have. Can anyone honestly say that they would be happy for Apple to have the same kind of image as Dell? I know I wouldn't.


Apple's market share will be hampered, so long as schools, businesses, etc. use Windows machines exclusively. I am lucky enough to have used, and be familiar with, the three main OS types (OS X, *nix, Windows), but many people are not. You could show the OS doing all manner of fancy things, but people will still say "I'm used to Windows, so will stick to that".

In my view, I think that Apple should focus on the security aspect of their product (tho' no need to get as 'technical' as saying 'Unix-based'). Basically, that the number of viruses in existence that target Macs can be counted on one hand. Alternatively, they should take a leaf out of the Honda adverts from last year (again, possibly only in the UK) which had the tag line: 'Isn't it great when things just work?'. No system crashes, no blue screen of death, no configuring things for hours, no downloading drivers (rarely).

This has consistently been Windows' weak point,and Apple have done nothing to benefit from it.

Eastwithfingers-

Though I do not disagree with you, but I think the issue everyone is discussing is moot, IMHO. Apple does not advertise to technical people. Technical people already know what apple hardware/software is capable of and what it costs. Apple is advertising to the consumer. Apple doesn't even advertise their enterprise level equipment (which they don't really have besides xserv).

For example, I find most of apple's advertising kind of silly and not to my liking. I don't like ipods because of the software restrictions to them, so I bought a creative zen instead, and couldn't be happier with it. I don't care what any manufacturered case looks like, I want one that is practical to work on. The one thing I have always hated about apple products is their inability to make them easily serviceable. Enterprise level equipment (and consumer for that matter) from every other company is 100s of times easier to repair. HP desktops have a tray loaded motherboard with one screw. I unhook the cables, unscrew that one screw and the whole tray pulls out. I can swap out a motherboard in one of those desktops in about 1 minute. Then voila, its back up with very little down time. G5 desktop takes about 45 minutes or more to tear down to replace a logic board. I also don't buy into that it never breaks down, because right now I have three G5s on my bench with dead logic boards. Face it, if this stuff didn't break I wouldn't have a job in IT. If it worked so flawlessly no one would need to have an IT staff, people could just configure everything from the user end.

Apple advertises to people who don't care about customizing their system, don't care about having to fix it themselves, and people who want something that is aesthetically pleasing. I don't care about how it looks, I want it to be practical and I want it to work.

So, when you see an ipod commerical you see dancing and music and everyone having a good time, and you want to have a good time too. Advertising is something that tries to create a relation with its viewer. It tries to make the viewer feel they are missing something from their life and that product on the television will fill that void. Does apple even do its own marketing/advertising, or do they just hire out some firm? I have no idea.

There is no need to market OS X, because the people who make the descisions to go that route in the technical world already know what OS X can offer, or the already know where to get the answers. Advertising is not necessarily needed.

IBM, OTOH, does infact kind of market itself to IT people. Their new server commericals are somewhat commical if you have ever worked in the IT field and been into an over crowded server room. IBM is targeting enterprise customers, they don't even sell consumer level prodcuts anymore.

Apple is trying to get to the consumer and the average consumer could probably care less if the OS is unix driven, powerful, secure, etc etc. If I told 75% of my clients about the unix side of mac os x, they would look at me like a deer in headlights. They want it to be fast and look cool, and that is what apple is giving them advertisement wise.

There is a need, because the average consumer doesn't know the difference between OS X and Windoze. They've been taught by Microsoft's marketing (Why else would you need a home and a "pro" version of an OS?) that computers are difficult to use, difficult to secure, and when it doesn't work, that's because of user error. These people have no idea that it doesn't have to be that way.

I don't think anyone here is asking that Apple start advertising the advantages of the Terminal. There are are hundreds of little things that make the Mac much easier to use than a PC, but the average consumer knows nothing about them. I'd like to see an ad campaign that pointed out some of them.

if there's a need to advertise for milk...cotton...beef...I don't see why OS X wouldn't "need" advertising.

They spend a ton of cash as it is...why not a cool OS X commercial. It could be related to browsing/spyware. IMO, that's one of the largest selling points.

All the "What if..." and "Someday.." banter about virii is great and all...but we all know what would happen if you plug-in a default install of OS X and a default XP install to the Information Super Highway.

The XP system would come out looking like a battered wife, while the OS X system would be virtually no different...aside from some harmless cookies and cache.

Again this type of advertising does not really work with technically inclined people. Been running XP pro on my PC at home for over 3 years straight, been through a few upgrades, never had to reload the OS, never had a virus, never had any kind of spyware problem, because I know what I am doing. To someone who knows how to make a windows machine run securely, effeciently, and with out hassel will need something more than a fancy commerical to make them switch to a mac. I mean whats stopping them from just downling free bsd or linux and putting it on their PC, and pretty much getting the same thing?

I agree this may work with the masses who are not aware of how to take care of spyware or how to avoid it on the internet (most of the spyware out there is put on the machine by the user itself) which is a reason people might want to switch to a mac.

I don't think advertising should be their main goal, I think producing a more compatable, better working product should be their main goal. I mean do you know how many users out there would toss OS X on their machine if you could just load it on their PC? Until apple does that I don't see why they would waste the time and money on advertisement. They have to sell their hardware first. Their hardware is proprietary, so when you buy a mac you really have no choice of what to run on it besides OS X and a few linux distros. They are selling you their hardware, the OS is just the icing on the cake.

Until apple gets out of the hardware buisness and becomes more of an OS buisness I don't see them trying to push their OS in major advertisement. Now, if they make a version of OS X that can be put on a wide variety of x86 based machines (amd systems, compaq, HP, dell, custom builds) I can see them wanting the OS to compete with other OSes.

MS markets their OS, because thats what they are, an operating system and buisness application solutions software company. They don't produce or make any kind of hardware (not counting xbox or their mice those don't count) that they market for major profit of their company. Apple however, does rely on their hardware sales a lot, which makes their systems more expensive.

What we might see in the future with the intel inside switch is: Cheaper macs, a wider variety of x86 compatable hardware and preipherals, OS X that can be put on a larger scale of x86 based systems, so on and so forth.

I have been a supporter of this change from apple for a long time, and I may be one of the few on this forum who think apple should make OS X run on all x86 based hardware and become more of an OS company. If I could build my own PC, load OS X on it, and run all MS based applications on it, I don't think I'd really need to run windows again. That is of course unless MS came back with a better OS. IMHO, if this happens it will force the software companies out there to make a better product since there will be a bigger competition for the market share. I think it would be a good thing, not too many mac people agree with me. That is okay too, everyone is entitled their opinion and this just happens to be mine.

But that's the point! The masses have a lot of clout, but little to no knowledge. Advertising is also educating, and the masses need to be educated about the Mac OS so they can make intelligent choices.

That's an excellent goal, but unfortunately, without advertising the masses won't know if Apple is achieving it or just producing another OS like Windows. Many of them won't even know that Apple exists.

You seem to be confusing what might be good for you with what might be good for Apple (i.e. for its shareholders). Do you really think that Apple will make more money in a highly competitive market that is mostly driven by concerns over price and not quality?

Okay, I agree with you. With everything you just posted. The thing is apple is advertising mac computers not the OS. The OS is the icing on the cake. Trying to explain that in a 20 to 30 second commerical may be very hard. Advertising online and in magazines that have in depth articles of features and benfits are probably the best way to go as of now.

That is a good point Hayne, will they make more money? If it is a truly greater product I do not see why not. I like OS X, and I like apple hardware, I am by no means bashing it in any way. The move Apple just made switching to intel will make their machines cheaper. The development cost will go down with time, this has happened with pretty much every single x86 system out there. Where as the Macintosh lines still are a bit more pricy. I am not saying that making a less quality product cheaper will increase sales. From a hardware perspective nowadays a 3,000 dollar PC and a 3,000 dollar mac do not really out perform one or another in any extreme measure. Same goes as a 500 dollar PC versus a 500 dollar mac. I don't see it has a lesser quality product being made. I do think that OS X has many features which can be argued to make it one of the better OSes out there, even better than windows. In fact just comparing the windows installer versus the mac os x installer, I would say that the Mac OS X installer is 100 times better in a lot of aspects.

What if instead of them making a lesser quality product that was cheaper they just ported an already great product to a new market? OS X retails for 129.99 which is about half the price of MS XP Pro. Given what has already been posted about spyware and viruses, the average consumer given a choice from MS windows or Mac OS X on any system they buy, may sway to switch to a different operating system.

One good example is the xbox 360. The CEO of xbox just announced not too long ago (like a month after the 360 came out) that they are already seeing a way to produce xboxes at a cheaper rate. Which means when the competition hits (PS3 & Nintendo Revolution), they will easily drop their price to maintain sales.

Also, I remember when apple stock dropped down to about 10 dollars/share back in like 2000. It was right when apple dumped a bunch of R&D money into OS X and into the new G4s that were going to run it. Apple bounced back from that, and now they are financially in a better position. I don't see why they can't do the same again. They are obviously smart people running that company, and I think they could easily find a way to expand their market and their customer base to a broader level.

However, Hayne, I do totally agree there would definately be risk involved, and that is something that will be up to Apple and none of us.

Good discussion though

I suspect that Apple would have to at least double the price of OS X if they were to sell it for generic hardware. I think the current $129 price is highly subsidized by hardware sales.

LOL, I'm not sure who suggested advertising should be their main goal...I see a potential to seel more hardware by touting a superior "icing" on the product.

It's like those BMW ads that say all scheduled maintence is included. They're advertising a small part of the total package, not diverting their focus.

The Mac OS add would be similar...buy our hardware and get a great OS included. Along the lines of "our products require far less upkeep than the competition's"

You're right, BMW will not sway any mechanics opinions...but when has advertising ever influenced an educated consumer?

I think it'd be good to raise awareness that there's a very cool OS out there. Many people have never seen, let alone experience the Mac OS.

Steve Jobs is a marketing/business genius.

I'm sure this idea has come up in at least one meeting. I'm also sure he had very good reasons to not do it. Those reasons are far beyond my knowledge..since I don't work for apple, or in marketing in general.

Over all Apple has been very good in their advertising and marketing. The buzz around Macworld is evidence enough.