Apple Has Answered My Prayers -- Mac Television Ads are HERE!!
 

New Mac TV ads:

http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

It's about time.






Edit: Consolidated the links to Hayne's superior suggestion :)

YouTube link since the above two are borked:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Z386vXrt4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAo4WjFzvZU

Apple just started a war!
 

Mac and PC fanboys will be grabbing their video cameras and making their own commercials now.

Official site
 

You might as well go to the official site: http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

Touché

:D

I really like the networking one as well, the subtle hinting of OS X's great multilingual capabilities is nice.

If anyone here understands Japanese, I'd be interested in knowing what they are saying.

I liked the networking one too. But mainly, they just repeat the same old tired themes from all the Mac commercials we've already seen over the years.

• PC users are boring corporate dads.
• Apple is trying to get PC users to switch.
• Too bad Apple just insulted every PC user on the planet...again.
• Apple is still not interested in large corporate accounts, because they just insulted them.
• Mac users are scruffy slacker "artistes," Are they able to afford Macs because they are students with rich parents, or trust fund kids.
• Either way, Mac users are insufferably smug.
• People who dress well, formally or informally, apparently don't buy Macs or PCs.
• Buy a Mac to reclaim your lost youth, feel countercultural, and have Asian chicks dig you.

When will the talky, pretentious Mac commercials start being as joyful, energetic, and positive as the iPod commercials?

Check back in a quarter. If this "answer to prayers" doesn't lift Apple market share...probably time to switch gods.

What IS Apple’s market share!?
 

Does anyone have reliable figures on Apple’s market share? Computers sold, desktops sold, laptops sold, the personal market, the business market? And share of computers in actual use?

I haven’t seen any in a long, long time. Just very approximate conjectures.

I don't think PC users have a strong enough emotional attachment to their machines to be insulted by anything; if anything it reaffirms feelings of frustration they already have.

I didn't like the tone of the "viruses" one - too cocky, way too smug. The "PC" guy is sneezing because he has a virus and warns the "Mac" guy to stay away but "Mac" guy says "I'll be fine". While it's true that there haven't been any OS X viruses described to date, and a Mac wouldn't be affected by a Windows virus, Macs are hardly immune to viruses. But that's the message that a technologically naive audience is gong to take home. The lawyers will say that the ad doesn't make any untrue statements but do they really want to play that game? Al Gore is still paying for (not) saying he invented the internet. I'm worried that this one is going to come back to bite them on their shiny aluminum asses when the first real OS X virus does emerge.

I agree and felt the tone of all their ads were very negative toward Windows.

From a purely legal standpoint, Macs are not susceptible to any viruses that Windows have, just as Windows is not susceptible to viruses that Macs have (ie: Windows is immune to LeapA).

My thoughts are the opposite. It has long astonished me that Apple hasn’t gone for the jugular. I think they really could have increased their share by making security more of a selling point.

In fact I had a very simple proposal for full page ads. On the left side, a listing of every Windows-based virus the world has seen in this millennium (with progressively smaller type to make it fit). On the right side the corresponding OSX list. All with a nice, catchy welcome.

I think their sales would have gone through the roof.

The business sector
In addition, imagine a campaign aimed at the business sector documenting the time and money that is lost due to security problems. Oh, and "one more thing": imagine a few months from now if Apple can add the following campaign:

"The most secure place to run your Windows programs -- is on a Mac."

We’re soon there. :)

If you take a non-partisan look at the numerous security blunders in OS X we've seen come and go here over time, there is nothing to be particularly proud of. A lot of that is only possible if you don't have security integrated as an essential element in the software design process.
Arbitrary shell script execution in Safari !
Hello, how tough is that one to figure out ?

Granted, for the time being, spectacular virus outbreaks and botnets run mainly on Windows, but there are certainly other factors than some mind-boggling superior security at Apple to explain the perceived invulnerability of the platform.

.
Agreed. But Microsoft has never been able to fix the basic flaw at the heart of their OS that accounts for the 114,000 known viruses and the embarrasingly long (and still unending) list of patches.

That said, there is plenty of room for Apple improvements too, as you point out.

I think about that question every time I see that ad about the truck that gets hit by the meteor and keeps rolling along through the desert. I guess Apple can push it as far as that company does.

Just realized there is another contradiction within the ad, though it sort of hidden.

1. Windows is FULL of viruses.
2. Windows is bad at multimedia.
3. Windows is no fun.
4. Basically, Windows sucks harder than a black hole.
...
5. This week's big news, it was literally in ALL the papers: Now you can run Windows full speed on your Mac! The solution is from Apple, just download Boot Camp! Wow! YAY everybody! Windows on a Mac!
(6. ???)
(7. Profit!!!)

Not that I can suggest how they're going to get around that contradiction, since I think it's a great thing that Macs can run Windows well now, if only so I never have to buy non-Apple hardware again.

Love those odds!
 

You’re absolutely right.
But I would say 114,000 to zero is a pretty good track record.

:D

The original switcher ads were truly horrible, and probably kept me away from Macs for a year longer than if I'd never seen them. I didn't want to be like one of those idiots. There was the stoned moron girl, the guy too stupid to load software, etc. These have a totally different feel, and the "Mac guy" isn't offensive, stupid, too much of a hippy, or anything else like that.

I've always wanted Apple to go right to the security and virus angle, and they finally did. It's a closer, a deal-maker, and one that people just assume is not the case. People are astonished when I tell them there are no viruses or spyware for the Mac. I have to repeat it multiple times. They just assumed, and tell me so, that viruses affect all computers equally.

i really enjoyed the ads, i think its about time the smugness was broadcast!
regardless of these adverts, i have recently switched 3 people in the past month, and know so many others are going for a mac now that it runs boot camp.
i think the smugness is merited, in the same way that non smokers are about smokers, if you see what i mean, sure, a virus may one day infect a mac, but sure you could get hit by a bus in five years time, statistically more likely.

i think the casting is good, i dont nessisarily identify with the image of the mac guy or the pc guy, but its a generalisation that will look outdated when "cool" looks different.
the essense is, that the anti mac argument is usually as weak and stubborn, as that, we all identify with that. and if you were to be one of those chaps, no matter what your digital preference (thanks to boot camp we can now be "bi"!) you'd no doubt choose the 'relaxed and groovy' guy
at the end of the day, its product advertising preying on sexyness and desirability, and cool, and above all material desire. it works, it will work, and i definately think it will make a lot of people, that arent even exposed to the concept of there even being a diffence between macs and pc's to question it and look into it further, and when enquiring about this with a salesman etc, no longer will they hear "oh but you wont be able to run that on a mac"
here i am actually refering to generations aged 40+ i know they arent the biggest spending market for advertisers, but they are the generations buying larger items of value, and the ones most detatched from the nearest knowledge of any mac/pc debate, (also, in the case of my inlaws, the most stubborn to actually listen to you after you lecture them on their 6th pc purchase in 2 years, due to virus' and breakdowns etc. honestly i stay with them, power up their machine in the morning, 15-20 mins later i arrive at my email inbox, and thats after being heavily *ssraped by their aol service, which is another story) i really hope they see it and start to look into it.

on a side note, g3 imacs on ebay decent specs selling between 40-70 quid, have been making great presents for some of my friends reluctant to take the plunge. have been weeining them off by getting them to use the imac as their internet terminal, and the pc for "all their other stuff" the pc's are already collecting dust...and thats without bootcamp.

anyway.. i am waffling now.
i want to see more ads, and i fancy some blood in them!

By the way, the "PC" guy in the ads is John Hodgman who is well known from The Daily Show
The "Mac" guy is Justin Long

Maybe they aren't hip enough:

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/12

Seriously though, I don't care for these commercials.

I don't see anything wrong with them, they speak the truth. PC Marketshare is mostly business and industrial anyway, why not personify their marketshare using a suited grown man? You never see Bill Gates out of a suit either.

I think they need more commercials like this, and more showing how you can run Windows on the new Macs and how you really can have your cake and eat it too.

Maybe even show it running Linux to get those good folk drooling :o

Also had a problem with the Restarting ad, because I've got two installations of XP (one in Virtual PC) and, well, they don't freeze. They're no fun to use, but if anyone asked me if Windows ever made me restart I would have to say no, not in a long time. The last time I had to restart any of my computers was a rare OS X kernel panic. That's right, it was my Mac that last did the total system freeze-up shown in the ad.

Keep in mind that the Windows experience to be compared with is the one that is commonly seen by a non-technical person. Such people often have much more trouble than is seen by a properly maintained Windows system.
And note that, almost by definition, anyone who even reads these forums (let alone participates) is likely to be far, far more technically competent than the average consumer.

Via DaringFireball I found a blog that supplies a translation of the Japanese: http://takaakikato.jp/

The last part of the exchange that prompts the laughter is the following:
Otaku poku nai? (He looks like an Otaku, doesn't he?)

I think everyone I know has sent me links to these ads today. Apparently they all think I'm a fervent Mac evangelist. So far everyone likes them (most) or is just neutral on them. No negative reactions, even from the guys in suits who own businesses.

I love the "Restarting" ad. Best ad ever. hehehehe :)

Where would they get that idea?

CAlvarez
Hall of Famer

Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,529

Gotta good point there, actually. I suppose if I did my main web surfing on a PC that wasn't behind a NAT router, it would explode more often.

Oh...and another thing. So Apple wants us to think squares in suits and ties are a negative image. And then what do they cite as a good Mac review? That bastion of youthful hipness.......the Wall Street Journal! Ah yes, all my unshaven skateboarding iPodding hoodie-wearing friends read the WSJ, they pick it up off the front porch every morning to read during their daily wake-and-bake. :)

Heh. Well, I think it's from my complete disgust with the state of viruses and spyware, and my usual answer is "just get a Mac" for the people with recurrent virus/spyware issues.

I have to say, we all know that NO OPERATING SYSTEM CAN BE VIRUS FREE, but people, MACS DO HAVE LESS VIRUSES, AND THOSE VIRUSES CAN'T JUST BE GOTTEN BY DOING NOTHING! IT REQUIRES USER-INTERACTION! (ie. Enter your administrative password: ••••••••••••)

My prayers will be answered when Virtualization is perfected. When I can seamlessly use Windows programs without having to boot into Windows XP AND without a substantial decrease in performace, my prayers will be answered.

BTW, doesn't the guy who's supposed to be a PC look like Bill Gates?

Compare:
http://i2.tinypic.com/x3tift.jpghttp://i1.tinypic.com/x3tjyw.jpg

did the us get the ad with Kiether Sutherland's voice over for the intel mac's? I liked that, its a shame this new ad probably won't make it to the uk

I'm doing that right now. parallels.com

I could have sworn that wasn't virtualization, but just another emulator thing.

Isn't DarWINE supposed to do that?

Why can't OSX be virtualized (guest OS) on parallels? Practically everything else can.

note: I'm talking about the versions that run on Unix, Linux or Windows.

Parallels is true virtualization, and full speed (well, about 95%, close enough). It's fantastic, reliable, easy and fast.

OS X isn't virtualized because then you'd be supporting piracy.

I'd also like to throw in my 2 cents regarding the "tone" of the ads. When I look at the ads, I see apple trying to portray PCs as boring, plain, and common whereas the Macs are flashy, out of the ordinary, and different. I'm a 25 year old graduate student and I find them satiable. A fine mix of light-hearted jeering at PCs, yet defining the shining points of owning a Mac.

I think its more of a difference in interpretation based on generation that seems to be causing all of the hullabaloo. Overall, I think they are perfectly flavorful and respectable. Cheers!

On the other hand I'd love to see an ad with one of those retarded PCs with neon and other garbage in it, versus the simple elegant design. Maybe show the PC catching fire...

I'm a 98 year old graduate student and I find them intelligible.
I like them too!"
:)

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you hayne. My apologies.

No offense was taken. The most important part of my previous post was the smiley.

i'm a 27 year old mother of none, and i find them, most agreeable.

I was at a pub last night, enjoying some flaming hot wings and a brew, when one of the ads came on the big-screen TV. It was interesting to note how many people watched and discussed it.

Did you see/hear anyone who seemed to be offended because the ads were "diss-ing" them?

I couldn't hear any conversations, too loud in the place. I saw laughter and general discussion, didn't see outward signs of offense. I think these ads are anti-Windows, where some ads in the past could have been seen as anti-user.

Exactly. I think its a clever way to illustrate the pros of owning a Mac over a PC.

WSJ readers with t-shirts
 

I don’t think you have to be a suit to read the Wall Street Journal. I purchase it on occasion. "Mac" in the ad looks like a credible subscriber to me. And the Norwegian equivalent of it, Dagens Næringsliv, is read by some of the hippest people I know. In fact, I would venture to say that its (DN) Saturday edition is far and away the country’s best newspaper.

And for those who don’t read the WSJ, rest assured that Mr Mosberg’s musings are quoted in publications throughout the world. He truly is respected.

But I wouldn’t be caught with a necktie more than two-three times a year. Tops. I coined a phrase about neckties; roughly translated:

"Ties strangle clear thinking."

:cool:

Hmm - that is usually attributed to Lin Yutang - e.g. see: http://www.quotegarden.com/clothing.html

Shucks! :o Never heard of him, nor the quote.
Well, just goes to show that all has been said before, and by wiser people than us.

FYI: There are 3 new "I'm a Mac" ads.

http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

They are titled "Out of the box", "Touché" & "Work vs. Home".

I wonder how much attention Apple will get with that Touche one, telling people that Macs run Windows.

I like all of them.

Powerful.

"I've gotta delete all that demo software..." Bahahahahaha

Mac Gaming commercial
 

Already done. This one is my favorite Apple ad about how gaming on OSX is better than PC.:cool:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...54844569110939