New "Get a Mac" Ads
 

This repeated poking at Windows is getting pretty childish. Why not illustrate what OSX can do, rather than spotlight Vista's debacle?

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

Apple marketing should show the ad where some of us are so disappointed with Leopard that we are thinking of downgrading back to Tiger. Apple should not be so cocky regarding Vista not working with hardware. My Dymo label printer is down, thanks to Leopard.

It really bothers me when Apple makes such a dramatic change to their OS that developers have to "snap to" and make compatible software upgrades, rather than allow just a little backward compatibility. Even Automator 2, Apple's own title, is not running all that great.

I think these ads should be pulled until Apple really has something truthful to crow about.

i hear what you are saying... but they are fun to watch

Oh yes, by all means fun. I love PR Lady and Podium. I just think they could be more productive. There are two ways of lifting up your product... 1) say what yours can do that the other cannot, and 2) put down the other. I think #1 is the better way, and can be just as fun to watch.

Example:

Open with PC guy looking through his brief case.

Mac - What's the matter PC, lose something?
PC - Remember that file I gave you to read that explained how all the features in Vista are NOT copied from YOUR operating system? I can't find it. I hope I didn't trash it...
Mac - You gave it to me to look at, right?
PC - Yeah and it should be right here, somewhere.
Mac - Just a second... (Mac walks away into a Leopard swirling vortex and then returns immediately) Here it is.
PC - What was THAT?!
Mac - Oh, sorry, that's my new Time Machine application. It allows me to go back in time and find lost files.
PC - Can I use it?
Mac - What for?
PC - Uh, well, there's something I forgot to put in to Vista.

Show latest iMac...

Mac - PC, that's cheating.

Because there's no way that people will remember what OS X can do if their only experience with it comes from a 30 second commercial. They will however, remember the trouble they've had with Windows and the fact that the Apple commercial comically pointed out that the Mac was easier to deal with. ;)

As some one who likes that Mac OS in part because it is NOT Windows, I like the ads.

OK, let's approach it that way. These ads are made mostly for the television, right? The ads are comically geared for those who have had XP, upgraded to Vista, then downgraded back due to problems. A fair demographic but not huge. Now, let's compare these three ads with that student designed (then Apple professionally produced) iPod Touch ad. It showed the myriad of cool things the iPod Touch could do in the same amount of time. What if they focused on the failure of the Zune instead?
Look, I was a big fan of the "Security" ad, and still am. It showed a glaring difference between Windows and the Mac. Focusing on the failure of the "other OS" alone is not illustrating innovation, but is rather acting petty. You may like this "in your face" kind of advertising, but take it from one who is in marketing for a global software company--it casts Apple in an unprofessional light.

I for one like the ads. The most important opinion...even more important than Stevsie's...is the market's. With Apple posting record earnings a change in marketing strategy is unlikely.

Speaking of poking Windows this article estimates error reports from Windows machines total 50 gigabytes per day. I wonder how Apple reports compare?

Rage, Report, Reboot

I totally agree!

I think Schneb has a very valid point. Personally, I like point -> counter-point commercials. A lot of the Apple commercials are. But it would be nice to see commercials focusing on the positives of the Mac.

At the same time, it would be a real blunder for Apple to lose it's "edgy" marketing campaign. It's identified in the market as being a bit arrogant, and that identifyer is what makes Apple distinct. I think losing that distinction would be bad for Apple. Though, at the same time, too much arrogance is obviously a bad thing...I suppose a balance must be reached.

As for problems with Leopard, let's face it, compared to Vista the upgrade to Leopard has been relatively painless. I get hick-ups every now and again, but compared to the horror stories I've heard from friends upgrading to Vista... I'm not saying Leopard is perfect, and I know some of the defects are deal breakers for some, but I haven't really seen people putting together a petition to get Tiger as the default OS on all Macs...

Edit-- Being the idiot that I am, I didn't actually watch the new adds before posting this comment. I still stand by most of it, but I did want to add that these last adds still had the zing, but they lacked any real content. The message just boiled down to a dogmatic "Get a Mac", most of the other adds refer to specific differences between the OS's, like the one about security, or the one where PC falls of a desk, or the one where they both make a movie, etc etc. These new ones really should have pointed out some specific reason that upgrading to Leopard was not as painful as upgrading to Vista. In essence, I think I completely agree with Schneb now.

You're forgetting that the ads are not aimed at getting people to upgrade to Leopard. They're aimed at people who have no idea what Tiger or Leopard is, so convincing them to upgrade is a waste of effort.

What it all comes down to is the fact that if your goal is to get people to stop using product A in favor of product B, then you're going to have to show where product A fails and product B shines. It's done with paper towels, beer, cars, etc., but not so much with computers because most computers are essentially the same. Only Macs have any significant difference from the crowd, so only Apple's ads can do what other companies in other industries do all the time.

I work in marketing for a global software manufacturer, and you should never pat yourself on the back for your company doing well because of what YOU have done. Apple is doing well because of their product, NOT their marketing. In fact, their marketing might be posturing Apple in to looking petty, and not innovative.

As I mentioned before as an excellent example, the new iPod Touch ad created by the student, then re-made by Apple, says more about the iPod Touch than poking fun at the failure of Zune. The iPod Touch is an excellent, innovative product that will succeed if you know what it can do. Focusing your marketing effort on touting the Zune would not be an excuse to crow--even though the product many sell well.

Case in point, read the top dig (over 700+) for this observation regarding the new ad.
http://digg.com/apple/Hilarious_Apple_Ad_Enough_Said

I agree. Marketing is one of those things that doesn't always determine the success/failure of a product...but it's often blamed when things don't go well. I'm sure you've seen some good campaigns for poor products. I'm not saying that I'm a fan of these ads...just that they might also be benefiting from the halo effect.

When things are opposite...poor campaign for good product, there's less chance for that knee-jerk reaction to change course.

It'd be great if they used more fan based ads...but I'm sure Chiat Day wouldn't be too happy.

Exactly. Movies are a great example! Talk about making a bad product look good!

To bolster your point, marketing always reminds me of being a soundman for bands. If you did everything perfect, you did your job. If there was one moment of feedback or low monitor, you were at fault and the concert was ruined because of you.

That, by the way, is when I switched to doing lighting. ;)

I agree to the extent that Apple should make OS X look favorable in comparison to Windows. However, I think they should do it implicitly, not explicitly. Most computer users are familiar with Windows, so Apple doesn't need to point out its weaknesses. They do need to point out the Mac's comparative strength. Make the customer want to do things with their computer that Windows does not do well, so that when the customer asks the salesparson at CompUSA, Best Buy, etc, if the discount PC can accomplish that, the Windows salesman has to either acknowledge Windows' shortcomings, or blatantly lie to make the sale (which leads to an unhappy customer offering negative word of mouth advertising about Windows and/or the retailer).

The problem with explicitly pointing out how bad Windows can be is that the overwhelming majority of switchers have already purchased a WinPC, so such advertisements make them feel defensive about their choice of purchase. It's always bad to intentionally insult potential customers. It's not much better to do so accidentally.

I would like to see Apple create "mini-series" commercials, four or five 30 second spots shown in a specific order such that, while each works as a standalone ad, together they offer a larger, coherent "story" bout Macs. For example, one such series could start out with a segment illustrating how quickly Leopard can boot. User pushes power button, turns to talk to a friend/coworker/family member, while the camera can show the Mac screen, and before the commercial segment is over, the computer is booted. (<- Might not be possible. Macs boot quickly compared to Vista, but I'm not sure if they can boot in < 30 seconds.)

Maybe, but it's done with other products all the time - Avoid skunky beer, drink ours, the ones in the dark brown bottles - is no different from Apple calling Vista a failure. The beer is a failure because it tastes bad, and so is Vista.

That might be better, but there aren't many huge areas where the Mac is better than the PC. Instead, it's a conglomeration of huge numbers of small details that make a large difference. I don't know if it's possible to show that in 2.5 minutes of video.

I remember one ad where a dad asks his son if he wants to see dinosaurs. The boy is enthusiastic and sits next to his father on his PC. Time goes by, install error, cannot find DLL. "Dad, what's a DLL?", "I don't know." Finally, after an eternity of fiddling, the boy walks away. "Where are you going?", "To Billy's house, his dad has a Mac."

People choose Windows over Mac all the time, too, but that doesn't make it a good decision. ;)

I thought it was a good ad, but I don't see how it's much different from today's Mac ads in terms of positive/negative comparisons. In fact, the Mac is barely mentioned in that one, with most of the commercial pointing out the problems with PCs!

Just thought I would throw it in. I did not say it was an effective ad campaign, note that they abandon it quickly. If you want to talk effective, I think one of the best was with the original iMac narrated by Jeff Goldblum...

Step one - Plug in the iMac
Step two - Connect to the Internet
Step three... there is no step three

But cwtnospam, that's exactly what I was saying :D. Did you watch the three most recent adds? They show were product A fails, then they pretty much fail the mention where product B shines. That's my gripe with the new ones.

But they do mention that the Mac shines. Like practically all of their marketing, it's subtle, but there.

In the PR ad, PC says "...and with your new operating system Leopard and its 'cool' features, some people might even switch to you..."

On the podium PC says, "...if Mac's new Leopard operating system has dozens of new features, I say ignore them!"

The boxer ad has the announcer saying that his "brother in law just got a Mac, and loves it!"

If you read the comments regarding these ads in Digg, they are extremely unfavorable. Apple is posturing itself as being more smart alec than innovative--and that is not good.

Read again my idea for an ad. It pokes fun, but really illustrates the strength of Leopard.
http://forums.macosxhints.com/showpo...62&postcount=3

I read a few, and it seems the PC fan boys are getting testy. Vista is a mess, XP is long in the tooth, the Mac is picking up market share, and the iPod and iPhone are dominating their markets. Honestly, I don't think any Apple ad could possibly sit well with people whose jobs are based on Windows, especially now.

I agree with what you say.

There are lots of issues, though, that aren't amenable to oversimplification, and that is what's necessary to create a 30 sec ad. One of the major problems with the overall effort is that comprehension of computer features, in general, requires some level of intelligence that is much higher than the level of intelligence of the typical TV watcher. (Yes, it's a generalization, but I believe it's valid, in this case.)

There are ego issues involved in comparative advertising. Earlier in this thread, mention was made of how effective the "our product is better than yours" approach was, and beer was one of the examples. If someone is told that he made a mistake in spending five bucks on an inferior product, it's not that big a deal to his ego. He'll finish off his current "inferior" six-pack, and perhaps try the allegedly superior product next time.

However, when you've invested $2-3 K or more in a product and someone shows you what a dumsh-t you are because here is a better product, the impact on the ego will tend to result in resentment and defensiveness - not to the inferior product he had purchased, but to the messenger that just told him that he was a dumsh-t. That's just human nature.

The secret to comparative advertising is to display the superiority of your product without damage to the ego of the user of the inferior product. So far, I don't believe the Apple ads have been able to do that.

To Mac aficionados, whose egos are not slammed by the put-downish nature, they often appear clever, humorous, etc., etc. To others, they are insulting, condescending, and arrogant.

Given the virtually unlimited informational resources regarding human behavior and psychology available to advertising companies, I cannot comprehend why they can't come up with better stuff. Even more, I cannot comprehend why Apple continues with the same ad agency that only seems to create ads that seem to appeal only to those that are already convinced about Apple's superiority, and not to those who aren't.

If this is true, then Ford drivers must be livid about BMW ads claiming to be the ultimate driving machine. They're not though, and most PC users aren't unhappy with Apple. People who make a living fixing and selling Fords probably wouldn't be happy with BMW ads if it looked like BMW might take significant market share from Ford, as Apple threatens to do to Windows.

Do you know of any reliable sources that can show that Mac sales are increasing at a faster rate than home/business computer sales overall?

I often hear how Macs are picking up market share, but I've never seen any statistical evidence from which that conclusion can be logically drawn. I'm not trying to imply that it is not true; I'd just like to see the evidence before I accept it as fact.

I think we're talking about apples (pun not intended) and oranges.

First of all, the typical Ford buyer is not likely to have been able to afford the BMW when he bought the Ford. Therefore, it's not as if he thinks he made a "mistake" when he bought the Ford for $x K rather than the BMW for $2x or $3x K. I'd be willing to bet that many (if not most) Ford owners would agree that, except for the price, they'd rather have a BMW.

Secondly, the BMW ad is not nearly so "in your face" that you are a dumsh-t for having bought Ford instead of BMW. In fact, most, if not all, BMW ads don't even mention the competition by brand, they just state that they are superior. And then they explain why (I make no claim that their explanations are truthful and/or sensible).

True, and I believe it's primarily because they haven't been convinced (by the ads) that Apple really is particularly superior. However, they do feel (and this is just anecdotal based on comments from numerous PC users I know) that the advertisements are an attempt to insult, rather than to inform. I would expect, however, that people who have bought a PC only to have found that Mac is superior, no matter how they came to that realization, would feel embarassment at the Mac ads that, for all practical purposes, come right out and say "What a dumsh-t you are".

I only know what I've read, and I certainly haven't read anything indicating that their market share isn't growing.
I guess that's what I'm getting at here. Buying a PC isn't exactly smart (Cheap isn't smart. It's cheap, and it will cost you!), and there just isn't a nice way to tell some one that they've made a dumb move.

Oh, and the PC users you know aren't the ones the ads are aimed at. Apple isn't going to convert them anytime soon. The ads are aimed at the majority of PC users who bought a PC because that's what they were told to buy by the salesman or their IT guy. It's no insult to them to be told that there's a better computer they can get.

Heres your proof...
 

Heres you're proof:
http://blogs.business2.com/apple/200...mac-sales.html

Might not grown the most, but I would say 26.2% is a pretty significant...

It is all subjective, fanboys are fanboys regardless of platform and they exist on all sides. I agree that the Mac ads were funny at first and I laughed but now it just seems like they are being pretentious, and not really proving a point. It seems more like name calling, or labeling. Whatever, though, commercials do not dictate what technology I buy, nor will they ever.

Also, cheap is not always the worst answer at all. I needed to build a file server for my home. $200 in parts and a free downloaded Linux Distro met my needs and it is very reliable and works great for what it is. Now, if I wanted to buy or build a PC for video games, then yes spending more money and getting the expensive gaming card is way more worth it. Also, for the record every PC I have built has lasted over 5 years. Every single one. I still have one in my closet I built back in 1998 and it still boots. So, I don't know where you are getting some of these facts about how cheaper always means it will cost more. I think it is all very subjective, and I can always build a PC for way cheaper than a Mac. Of course I am talking hardware versus hardware completely. Software is a different story, because I can probably find a FOSS linux version for the PC that is similar to any pay for Mac or Windows product. Also, I don't factor in niche markets either. Obviously some markets have certain requirements which helps them lean one way or another with certain technologies.

We just deployed (as in last Wednesday and Thursday) around 6,000 mac laptops (overall in 5 different buildings) at my work. I have about 10 on my desk right now that are defective. The building I am in charge of has about 1100 to 1200 laptops. For deploying that many at once, I think that having 10 or so defectives is really good. I actually expected more like 25 to 50 defectives in my building.

You're not counting the cost of your expertise, which would cost an average user many times more than the price of a Mac Pro. Unless you're willing to work for them for free?

Thank you. Comparing only one quarter of each of two years doesn't really constitute proof, but it does lend considerable credibility to the contention that the Mac's market share is increasing.

You're probably right about the "aimed at" part and you're absolutely, positively correct about the "isn't going to convert" part.

True, but it's gotta be done in a kind, gentle, non-scornful way, otherwise, it is insulting. IMO, the current ads do not deliver in that regard.

To be honest, I'm not convinced that there is a way to do that in a 30 second TV commercial.

(Here's a challenge that can illustrate what I'm trying to get at: Tell your wife and/or girlfriend that she isn't nearly as beautiful or sexy as <insert name of glamourous, voluptuous movie starlet>, but if she went to a plastic surgeon, he could fix that. If you can do that without causing resentment/anger/hurt feelings you're a better man than 99.9999% of us. If you can take care of it all within 30 seconds, then you probably have a great future in the TV advertising business, too.)

You're welcome;) Glad I could help

I won't even try.. My gf is already jealous that I spend more time on my Mac then with her.. yes, I have issues...

Well, I like the new iPhone and iPod commercials. They are also made by Apple, aren't they? Why can't they make Mac commercials in the same positive way showing all the cool stuff their products can do.

Im not sure how much these commercials last, and please don't hate me for saying this, but I like the HP hand commercials better then the Apple commercials. The Apple were funny at first, when they came out, but now they are just annoying.. They HP commercials look more attractive, and talk about the things you can do on them, instead of poking fun at the competitor. From it I get what cool and fun stuff I can do on it as opposed to a Apple commercials, which pretty much says "Windows sux. Get a Mac"
Then again, what do I know, I'm only 14:rolleyes:

IMHO, that was a brilliant post, Pete. This is exactly what I was trying to say. I would not classify the Get a Mac ads as bad or good. However, it postures Apple as being smart-alec, and that is bad business practice. I could not even imagine my company remotely advertising like that! (We don't advertise btw).

I quoted this portion of your post because it cuts to the core of the gentle balance regarding the pulling in of new users. You don't want to embarrass or humiliate people for making a poor choice of platform. Remember, PCs do not last that long in the hands of the average person. So show them that next time, you can get a Macintosh and have a much less frustrating user experience.

My reasoning exactly. The iPhone, and especially the new iPod Touch commercials are what Apple SHOULD produce for the Macintosh. Show what the Mac can do, not how horrible Vista is. That is taking the low road.

Again, average is even subjective because the next generation of computer users are already building their own PCs. Tons and tons of teenagers are already doing this, and the numbers and getting bigger and bigger each year. Soon, your average user will be able to build a computer since it is becoming easier to build them and more people are doing it.

I agree that a lot of people just want a working out of the box solution, but at the same time I think there is a rather sizable user base that wants to build their own configuration from scratch.

Personal experience speaking here, but I almost didn't buy my Macbook because I was pissed off at the PC/Mac ads, particularly the "reboot" one that was airing earlier this year. Every Windows 2000/XP machine that I've built for myself has been rock solid software-wise. Unless I did something stupid like overtax a power supply or overclock beyond the limits of the hardware, I have never had to reboot any of them due to a lock up.

I can't comment on Vista; my current wants/needs are met by my headless Ubuntu server, my XP PC hooked up to my 50" plasma/surround sound, and my Macbook, meaning I haven't even researched the implications of moving up to Vista. But the Mac guy in the commercials still comes off to me as a giant douchebag hippy.

I would agree that there is a very loud user base that wants to build their own, but it is both a very small (always was & always will be) part of the market, and the one part of the market that Apple is not going to sell to, no matter what commercials they use. I think that this group is most offended by the Apple commercials, but they would take offense at, or at least be defensive about any Apple commercial, so it's not really an issue.

I would agree with most of this, but I'm working with an anecdotal sample space of one.

My son (age 26) is aware that Mac H/W will run Windows as well as (he's not convinced of the better, though) non-Mac PCs (what's the proper term for this nowadays, BTW? After all, Macs are personal computers, too.) He is also persuaded that Mac H/W quality is head and shoulders above the rest.

However, when he looked at the prices of "top of the line" Macs, he decided that if he built his own absolutely top-of-the-line PC, he could save a couple of $K, have a modular system in which he could easily replace (in a simple plug and play manner) things whenever "better" stuff came out (e.g., faster processor, better video card, better sound card, etc.) , and not be tied into a highly proprietary machine that is capable of only limited component upgrading which will become obsolescent (i.e., not top-of-the-line anymore, in his view) within 6 months. And, he says, that there's nothing anyone can do on a Mac, that a sophisticated user can't do on a PC.

Even after purchasing all the S/W he needs, he figures he will still be well over $1K ahead, and still have all of the advantages identified in the previous paragraph.

He is not offended by the Apple ads, he thinks they're silly and disingenuous - he thinks they're not germane to "sophisticated" computer users like him, and that they are intended for people with room-temperature IQs.

He also informs me that, according to his observations, the vast majority of the "build-your-own-machine" types are the hard-core "gamers", mostly kids, who wouldn't buy a Mac under any circumstances.

Well PC gaming is a multi billion dollar per year industry, so they are definitely part of the build your own PC crowd. However, there are plenty of other people who are what I would consider computer professionals that build their own PCs and run Linux, or build their own PC for their work. Now, on an enterprise level building a custom PC is a nightmare and I would never do it, but on an individual level it can be quite rewarding. Several of my friends that are web developers don't game all that much and they build all their own machines and many of their colleagues do as well. I think this sort of trend will catch on for anyone who works on their computer at home.

I think that the mac platform has higher quality control from the beginning because Apple designs everything from the ground up. Hardware, OS, and applications. However, that can be accomplished easily on the PC platform just by doing some research and using what works. With a Mac, for the most part, you don't have to worry about it. I think that a higher quality control doesn't mean higher quality but I can see why they have the price difference.

Gamers are not the only build your own PC crowd but they probably do take up the majority of it. With Mac gaming being a possible up and coming thing with the macs I can see the want and need for customizable Mac computers. I want to build a DVR PC with a bunch of home theater options and I am going to build a PC and run Linux. After researching everything that I wanted I saw that the best deal for my price and still getting high performance was to build a PC and run Linux for everything. Things like that are also going to be a niche market I suppose, but then again the Mac is also kind of a niche market.

Honestly, he's not understanding (nor caring about, I think) what a computer is for. He prefers the PC because it allows him to show off his superior computer skills, not because he can get more work done with it. That may be fine for him, but the vast majority of people just don't want to spend the amount of time and effort required to get to the point where they can do what he does.

That doesn't make them less intelligent. That only makes them less interested in computers. For every guy like your son, there are hundreds who think that the box is the CPU, and that RAM is some sort of goat. Many of those people are intelligent, well educated, and thoroughly uninterested in clock speeds, OS versions, hard drives, or anything else that has to do with computers other than how easily they can get their work done. Those are the people the ads are aimed at, and they have no allegiance to Windows, so they aren't put off by an ad that puts it down.

As for hardcore gamers, if Apple gets game developers seriously developing for the Mac, they'll come around, but not before then.

You're absolutely correct. I did not mean to imply that what he said is "right", I was merely trying to state his point of view as an example.

However, I think there is a communications disconnect between you and me (and perhaps others) here:

I completely agree with what you say in that sentence - they would not be put off by an ad that puts Windows down. What I believe, however, is that the ads are perceived, rightly or wrongly, by many of these people as not putting Windows down, but as putting the people that use Windows down. In this particular case, I believe the ad company has done a poor job in the creation of this type of ad. Even I, a long-time Mac user who tried Windows a few times many years ago and wouldn't go back if they paid me, get the impression that the ad indirectly demeans the Windows user by the way it's presented. This is why I do not believe the ads are as effective as they could be.

I think you're right, but I think that's because of the vocal minority of guys who consider themselves techies. Their voices still carry a lot of weight with novices, and they'd like to keep it that way.

I think the ads are aimed directly at the Windows user, but not to insult. They're aimed at pointing out that there is a better way, and you can feel a bit smarter by choosing it. True, these ads are only going to appeal to the casual Windows user, who only bought Windows because they didn't know there was another choice. That is a huge percentage of Windows users though!

This is controversy nothing new. The original Mac ad was much the same, and consultants and other 'techies' at the time hated it. They were quick to point out that the dull gray masses in the audience represented the buying public, who they felt should feel insulted. If the current ads didn't arouse techie ire, I'd be worried.

Have these been canned in the UK?

I notice that they are still on the UK site, but still depict the older white iMac at the end. On the US site, the older ads still depict the older iMac, too, but some have a MacBook now.

It would not take much to update them...

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Speaking of which...

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By the way, in my humble opinion, Podium, Boxer and PR Lady are the weakest three in the Get a Mac series. They lack the elegance of former ads -- I found my smile stiffening.

hey schneb you should really consider emailing this in to apple, i think this would make a GRRRREAT commercial. Maybe they do it, like the ipod touch commercial, some teen made that and now it's all over. anyways, i really think it's great. give it a shot mate!