Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Ok Apple.. enough...

I don't know about you, but the last two Apple ads I've seen on TV (the Mac vs PC thing) are really starting to annoy me. Don't get me wrong, I don't really like Microsoft. But I've always been an 'underdog' kind of guy - with Linux being my perennial hero of course ;). Even though in reality Microsoft is Goliath to Apple's David, these commercials leave me feeling the opposite lately.

And it's not just the underdog sympathy thing either. It's the smugness of the Mac guy. It almost leaves me wondering whether all Mac users are somewhat smug. Of course the Mac users I know are no different than most Windows and Linux users I know. But if I were a typical mainstream PC user, I'd start to feel a little defensive about my current Windows PC when confronted with this barrage of ads lately. They were funny to start with but I'm wondering whether anyone else thinks they're losing their effectiveness and run the risk of backfiring.

Besides, they've got a UI to be proud of and a system that works. Why not highlight the benefits of actually using a Mac rather than a Windows PC? And do it without feeling bad for the other guy. They do it with their iPod advertising.

Or even better yet, show a Mac user that's not some grungy college grad or turtleneck wearing artsy designer type. I think they've already tapped that market anyway. Shouldn't they now be going after the minivan driving moms and dads that populate the mainstream? If you're trying to capture more of the mainstream market, get a likeable, intelligent celebrity as a spokesperson.  Not Mariah Carey or K-Fed...  but someone like Matt Damon, or Julianne Moore.

There's a million possibilities.. all of which are likely better and friendlier than a smartass grunge grad delighting in the misfortune of an overweight fat guy in a suit. Poor guy.







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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Richard.

As a Mac user i'd like to see Apple shift to a positive Mac approach (such as they use with the iPod and iPhone) rather then emphasizing Windows negatives.

Their current approach has already generated a lot of negativity towards Apple (people like the PC guy but mostly hate the Apple guy).

But alas, Apple doesn't call to ask my opinion. ;-)

Anonymous said...

I agree about that smug guy that plays the Mac... But this web ad on Cnet's Vista page is still quite funny.

http://www.cnet.com/windows-vista.html

Anonymous said...

Overweight fat guy? My comp 1 teacher would note that (as she did in my essay). Both mean the same thing, so you can use both. :)

Anonymous said...

*can't

RichardQuerin said...

Okay. You are correctly right. ;)

I could super-nitpick and say that there are people who are muscle-bound who are not fat but are still overweight... but if I was teaching the course I'd still mark it wrong. ;)

Glad you're reading, and thanks for the comment. :)

Anonymous said...

I agree to. I've always been a user of "Whatever OS seems to do this job the best" kind of guy. My new machine is a Mac but I run VMware with both Windows and Linux at my finger tips. Kind of the best of all worlds.

I do like the current throw-back xmas claymation add on apple.com