New Microsoft ads directly target Apple
Microsoft's new ads begin with company employee Sean Siller saying "I'm a PC and I've been made into a stereotype."
(Credit: Microsoft)After two weeks of running a series of ads with Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates that left many people scratching their heads, Microsoft's latest spots take direct aim at the Apple ads that have turned Windows into a punch line.
"I'm a PC and I've been made into a stereotype," says Microsoft employee Sean Siller, who looks a whole lot like John Hodgman, the actor who plays the PC in Apple's ads.
The spot then goes on to have other people say that, they too are PCs, including an Obama blogger, a McCain broadcaster, actress Eva Longoria, a school teacher, and a fish salesman, among others. (My favorite is a guy standing near cows saying "I turn No. 2 into energy.")
Bill Gates does make a cameo, saying "I'm a PC and I wear glasses." The ads will debut later Thursday on NBC's The Office.
The purpose, Microsoft says, is to show that Windows is part of a common language uniting people around the globe.
The software maker is counting on the massive ad push to help improve Windows' image. The campaign is expected to last beyond this year and spending has been estimated at around $300 million.
Microsoft will also run print ads focusing on the notion of "Windows without Walls" and "Windows: Life without walls"--notions that Microsoft expects to use for years to come. A series of print and outdoor ads shows a single image split across multiple desktop, laptop and Windows Mobile phones, aiming to show Windows as an experience that spans many devices.
Another facet of the campaign tries to play up the notion that Windows works across multiple devices, from desktop PC, to laptop, to phone.
(Credit: Microsoft)In an interview, Microsoft VP Brad Brooks said Thursday that the new ads are aimed at making sure the story of real Microsoft employees and customers get told.
"So far the story that has been told about Windows over the past couple years has been very negative," Brooks said. "It's just not true."
Despite some reports to the contrary, Brooks insists the plan was always to shift away from the Seinfeld-centered ads. He said that the company did not film any other spots with Seinfeld.
That is consistent with what Brooks told me in an initial conversation a couple weeks ago, though I must say the shift in conversation seems quite abrupt with little connection between the first ads and the new pitch.
"Hey that's fair feedback," Brooks said. "We'll work from that."
As for whether it got the value of the reported $10 million it spent to hire Seinfeld, Brooks had several things to say.
"We spent nowhere near $10 million for Jerry," Brooks said. "We've got options with Jerry and we consider Jerry to be a very good friend of Windows and Microsoft. Right now, we are entering a new phase, but it's not to say we might not bring back (Seinfeld). We've got our options open with Jerry."
Brooks said to expect the "I'm a PC" notion to run for some time, being joined by a Web push that will go live at Windows.com tonight and invite users to tell their own "I'm a PC" story, some of which will be made into online advertisement.
"We're definitely not afraid of the truth," he said. "The problem is it just hasn't been told."
Brooks cited surveys that show 89 percent satisfaction among Vista users. However, I must say, he also quoted a statistic that 78 percent of people liked the Jerry Seinfeld-Bill Gates spots.
The print portion of Microsoft's new ad campaign characterizes the Mac vs. PC debate as an epic struggle between "Windows vs. Walls".
(Credit: Microsoft)
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
However I dont know what Msft is worried about, Apple users are still very much in the background of the business landscape. I know- I sell Apple systems to businesses. Mostly they are creative-based companies that use Macs to create and PC's to tend to the business-side of things.
But similar to the American electoral process most people feel you have to be either one or the other with no room for compromise. I use both and am happy straddling the fence.
Evidence:http://www.flickr.com/photos/ldiazsantana/2869094754/
Eva Longoria?
Oh gimme a ******* break!
Does Microsoft have too much money than sense to waste on these vacuous so-called celebrities?
Apple is able to use a few ordinary dudes that no one has even heard of, pay them peanuts and still make a very effective ad that actually gets people to buy Macs. Why can't Microsoft do the same?
No we are definately not the same. We are a mix of every type of person on the planet, over 80% in fact that are PC's and most of them will never convert to a Mac. We stick with the Microsoft brand because it offers the largest selection of hardware and software with the most customization options available.
We are angry and vocal when things don't go right because we know they can be a whole lot better from past experiences with the PC ecosystem!
It's high time the PC stand up and be recognized for what it is and what it can be, a versatile, and incredibly capabile machine that currently has no equals in the breadth and scope of what it offers. Where it will lead us no one knows, but it will be exciting and wonderful to watch.
A new Mac and a new PC are quite different animals, and not all of that is Microsoft's 'fault'. A Mac is a tightly controlled product, where one company (Apple) have controlled every aspect of its design. The materials used, the colours selected, pre-loaded applications and default icons even the packaging have been carefully considered. This makes for a product that is (if you share Apple's design aesthetic) a pleasure from the moment you get the box home.
The PC isn't like this at all, most PC makers don't care about the packaging (HP a notable exception with the "laptop in a bag" - Why hasn't someone done that before?) make the product from whatever is cheap (usually pressed steel and plastic) and give little thought to the design (how often have you got a new PC and found that one or more part seems to have been designed on a different planet to the rest of it - usually the monitor). Then they load it up with lots of stuff you don't want (because they are being paid to put that stuff on there) and the thing runs like a dog because they've not tuned anything. Now sure, we can blame Microsoft for what's wrong with Windows - but really there are a lot of problems that have nothing to do with Microsoft. Just seems the whole approach is wrong, how can you create a great product, when everyone between you and the customer doesn't give a damn about quality?!
Honestly, I don't think better ads are the key here. Microsoft need to get the OEMs in line, stop them from preloading so much rubbish, make it easier for them to tune Windows for the hardware and try and get them to care about product design.
Then, address what's really wrong with Vista.
can you get me a $400 mac? that's what my dad uses and it works great for him!!!
MS has done more for Apple's bottom line in one year than Apple has done for itself in 10.
How's that for shooting yourself in both feet?
Regardless of whether I prefer a Mac or PC, I'd rather watch Eva Longoria than Justin Long...
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Here here!
I am a M$ hater and I approve this message. :-)
The current series, with John Hodgeman and Justin Long, are hardly done for peanuts, but neither John or Justin are famous names in the Seinfeld or Eva Longaria sense. The only reason the public thinks they're "famous" is because of the consistant repetition of the ads, which proves that Apple knows something about advertising.
And is it just me or does anyone else want to punch that apple guy in the face, justin long or whatever his name is.
Their computer system is done that some way, always a step (or a block) behind Apple.
You seemed to think it's just a doddle to tack it on to the end of the features list for the devices, so go ahead.
And be sure to draw pretty pictures and be prepared to show all your work.
Unlike, uh Microsoft, that after the first set of Seinfeld/Gates ads, has "changed direction as we planned." I cant think of any other company that has a successful ad campaign that changes them as a sign of the previous ads success.
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Thank you, that statement was bothering me too. "Wow, that worked perfectly! Let's try something else!"
Who cares whether you like the ads or not?
Advertising is about stimulating consumer interest and driving store traffic.
Have you walked into an Apple store in the past 12 months? Every time I go, they are all jammed!!
Fact: Apple's computer market share has increased.
Fact: They continue to dominate the MP3 player segment.
Why is this? Because Apple products are cool and they work! PCs (Windows) are not.
If Windows boxes were so cool, then why are they spending millions to try and change their image right now?
And really, who cares about Gates and his phoney shoe store ads?
Ps. If ever i miss the blue screen of death I'll come visit your office.
Have a nice day!
Ahhhh... but nooooooo ... you can't .. because you know.. deep down inside.. that ...
YOU FOLLOW MICROSOFT RELIGIOUSLY !!!!
So suck on THAT.
"Apple is able to use a few ordinary dudes that no one has even heard of, pay them peanuts and still make a very effective ad that actually gets people to buy Macs"
Well, actually...they are not 'ordinary dudes'. In fact, one is a well known writer and the other is ACTOR. He was in 'Live Free or Die Hard', which is just what the Die Hard franchise is doing.
I never heard of them.
The fact that I thought the ads were efective, even without knowing who they were, goes to prove that those Mac ads were very good.
Can't say the same about the very expesive Seinfield ads.
Never heard of them.
Plus who they are never made any diffrence to how effective I thought the Mac ads were.
Even without knowing who they were, the Mac ads struck me as very effective, straight from the get go.
Micrsoft doesn't need Eva Longoria to make an effective ad for Vista.
They should try actually thinking, then making a good ad for a change, instead of simply paying some "celebrity" milions of dolllars to make stupid ads.
Note to Microsoft: Celebrity is NOT equal to an effective ad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Long
The "PC" was a regular on The Daily Show and writes a lot of the comedy stuff you see.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hodgman
It is these too personalities that make the Mac commercials what they are. In fact, they probably would have been flops without John Hodgman who depiction of PC is the highlight of the ads.
Did Microsoft consult Karl Rove for this ad campaign?
Actually nothing could be further from the truth, Mac OS X runs Microsoft Office (if that's still important to you) and can run most open source programs (I say "most", I don't know of anything that doesn't run - but maybe there is something) as it is Unix based (in the broad sense) and has X11 (in addition to Aqua/Quartz). It is important to remember that Mac the platform can also run Windows (XP and Vista) either alone (not booting Mac OS X at all - being a PC to all intents and purposes) or on top of Mac OS X (via, VMware, Parallels or VirtualBox - the latter option being freely available from Sun Microsystems).
Punching that kid in the face is the nicest thing I could think of doing to him. Maybe it's not even the actor himself but more the image expressed through him... or maybe both..
If there's anything apple can do well, it's create hollow fads for simple people to follow like religion.
That's not why most Mac owners buy their computers.
So next time you think about posting this argument, just remember you're being Just Like W.
My perspective is probably skewed though, considering I am only 23, have never actually owned a Mac, or an iPod, and the last conversation I had was my roommate telling me he is buying a 3000$ Mac for MySpace and porn.
A lot of people find the Mac commercials to be funny. Microsoft tried too hard to emulate the tongue-in-cheek comedy in the Seinfeld ads, but I think those failed. Of course, not all people will connect with the humor in the ads, and Mac does point out what PC is good at. That stance has never changed, however, Vista was not ready for prime-time when it came out. Apple exploited Microsoft's weakness in its newly introduced operating system. If you were in a similar position, you would have done the same thing. It's just good business.
Plus: 1) the iPhone is still a work in progress, and copy/paste will come in the future -- it is still the best phone on the market, hands down
2) You do have a radio on your iPod. Just go out and purchase the radio remote to activate it. However, I have not listened to a radio broadcast in the last two years. Radio is now becoming quickly irrelevant.
3) Macbooks get updated quite regularly, at least once a year. Apple doesn't put out multiple versions of nearly the same thing just to fill a product portfolio. This hasn't worked well for Dell, HP, and others. Why would then need to follow?
Just my two cents...
Dell and especially HP have been doing great in the laptop business. You might take a look at HP's results since Mark Hurd took over a few years back.
2) Without music sources other than an iPod, how do you think music should be discovered? 30 second samples on iTunes? No thanks.
3) You're right. Why give people a choice of product line. Just let Apple decide it for you. Stupid Dell...
My Sandisk Clip cost me less than a comparable Shuffle and comes with a color screen and a radio.
It takes 2 years to develop copy/paste on a device running osx?
"Radio is now becoming quickly irrelevant."
I own an ipod (and a zune) and I still listen to the radio. I guess those things that come with radios, what are they called, ummm cars, are irrelevant as well.
1)The iphone is far from being the best phone in the market. Its not the first touch screen but its just one of the better ones out there, as for everything else its just trash. Many phones are better in the us that cost about the same, and there are far far better ones in countries like Korea, Japan, and places in europe.
2) you have to go and buy radio? Another thing i hate about apple is that basic accessories are too expensive.
And i wish apple would just stop making the samething every year like the ipod, kinda want them to make something new once in awhile.
I hate both apple and windows on somethings and like them on others so i cant be a hater.
id say mac is like a Kitchen Knife, very effective for its decided purpose, but if you wanted to do anything other then what mac says you can with it, you will most likely break it.
where Pc is like a Swiss army Knife. designed to very very effective in almost any situation, and can be configured to match your needs.
Here's how it works; with no competition I don't need to change anything, there is no pressure on me to lower prices, to improve products, in short I don't need to do anything. I can employee extra staff, whenever I have a whim to do so, I can pass this cost on to the end consumer, my company can get fat (lots of jobs) and lazy: MORE jobs.
With competition, I need to keep an eye in pricing, it might not be everything (I might make a better widget) but it is important, I can't let it get out of control, and I probably need to improve the product at least as fast as the rest of the market. I try and make employees are productive as possible to keep the employment costs low: FEWER jobs.
Think about it, competition might be good for prices, but not for employment.
And what's with "more jobs"?
Are you running for President too?
Personally, I was enjoying the Seinfeld/Gates ads, so I'm disappointed they're going to move in a different direction. Loved the stolen giraffe in Gates' backpack! Regardless, I'm looking forward to an entertaining ad grudge match between MS and Apple! FIGHT!
The Mac itself is a good platform, it's the kool-aid swilling zealots who are so irritating. They're like the kids in junior high school who developed a cult centered around the right brand of shoes. A telling point: for years the Macolytes ridiculed the Intel CPU architecture, that is until Apple started using it in their own machines. All of a sudden the Intel CPU was the greatest thing since sliced bread!
The funny thing is, the Mac has in many ways become a PC that runs a specialty flavor Unix-derived operating system. The hardware is largely identical now, though it remains the fact that you can't custom build one with off the shelf components. Maybe one day they'll learn!
seaspray, what makes him different is that 92% of the world agrees with him, and only 8% agree with you.
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Oh come on now. 78% of all statistics are made up on the spot, 47% of the population knows that. I'll bet 92% of the people who meet you think you're a jerk and 8% know you are.
But you can run Windows on a Mac, you can add cards to a Mac Pro (sure those cost a lot - but it does have two quad core Xeon processors, try pricing up a Dell like that - similar costs).
Sure you like building systems, clearly Mac isn't for you - but given that, why talk about Dell/HP? If you really want to build a system, you don't start with a Dell or HP do you?! Also if you open up a Mac Pro, it's mighty pretty inside (they know how to build really nice system).
Me? I usually use a Mac, but I do like to build stuff too, and then I tend to use Ubuntu, but I sure as hell don't start with a Dell or HP system!
On a side note: I own both PCs and Macs, so I'm not complaining either way :-)
Nope.
If been on on sale for over a year. Its a finished product the moment it goes on sale. You don't sell "work in progress" cell phones.
@ jypeterson : " it is still the best phone on the market, hands down"
Not even close.
iPhone sales in Japan have been crappy precsiley because its not cutting edge enough for the Japanese.
Wall Street Journal:
Models currently sold by Japanese cellphone makers typically contain a high-end color display, digital TV-viewing capability, satellite navigation service, music player and digital camera. Many models also include chips that let owners use their phones as debit cards or train passes. Noriko Tanaka, a 34-year-old Softbank customer in Tokyo, said she likes the iPhone's touch screen, but would prefer a phone with digital television capability. "The touch screen looks fun, but I'm not sure I could get used to it," said Ms. Tanaka."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122143317323034023.html
We live in AMERICA...While it is unfortunate that we don't have the many technological devices that Japan has, maybe you should take a look at the POS you recieve responses "to your stupid comments" and see how many steps it takes you to reply back to this...An iPhone can bring up the appropriate screen with 2 simple "touches" or buttons on your phone and probably send it alot faster. Let me know when you get that "Japan dream phone" in your hands and make it work HERE in AMERICA so we can go to lunch while you use your "debit-phone" to pay for it.
My suggestion: open source or release Windows XP to the public for a meager price ($50 dollars or so), and give the people freedom to upgrade ("downgrade") to it from Vista PC. Then insert an online survey on the machine. You'll see that 80 to 90 percent of us "converts" to Vista gonna go back. Why? Vista sucks, but we use it 'cause we don't have an option. My two cents.
Ignore the comments from the M$ apologists, for they know not what they speak.
Try Linux out on a spare partition on the drive, or maybe an older drive sitting around doing nothing. This way if you just don't like it (to each his/her own), you can easily go back - it's not a full blown commitment. Try a few distro's, some much prefer one over another (I like Ubuntu myself - I still need to try Kubuntu because I actually prefer KDE over Gnome, but others swear by SUSE or Fedora) until you find one you like - or conversely decide you don't like any of them.
My point is simple, despite what those nazi's at M$ want you to think, YOUR COMPUTER BELONGS TO YOU!
with some of the new upgrades vista now has a lower faliure rate then windows xp, and 60% less viruses effect vista now.
what is moving forward to you, because to me it seems they are moving forward, with pocket pcs, and palm pilots, better and better office applications, better looks, more features if you ask me thats moving forward.
to you if microsoft isnt moving forward either is apple. apple has no extra features that microsoft has.
if windows is so bad, why would apple need boot camp...duh, to get real work done....nuff said.
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I've ignored this retarded comment twice already, three times is my button. ;-)
Apple doesn't need Boot Camp, nor does it need winblows. I get lots of work done on my Mac at work without ever touching winblows. It's there OMM for a simple reason - proprietary software the company uses that has a graphical interface THAT IS WRITTEN TO WINBLOWS ONLY (rumor has it this interface is supposed to be rewritten in Java to allow native use on other OS's, but it's only been a rumor so far). Most of the time Parallels (the VM I run winblows in) is shut down. Guess what I don't have to deal with on a regular basis. Hint - in humans it can send you to the doctor's office.
At home I have one machine with two partitions on it. One partition is used when I want to play games and the other partition is used when I want to do some real work (everything from checking email to writing code). Guess the OS's used in each partition. Hint: the partitions have different OS's. Hint 2: Winblows is good for games and little else. Hint 3: My "other" OS isn't susceptible to the myriad of viruses, spyware and DRM trashware that winblows is. Hint 4: My other partition is NOT a Hackintosh (though I'd like to try that!).
Boot Camp is there because it was so freaking easy to do now that Apple caved in and went to Intel for processors. Nothing more to read into it than that.
You indeed are one in a thousand, that's the percentage of people using mac :)
http://www.macrumors.com/2008/09/17/apples-u-s-notebook-marketshare-up-to-10-6/
In 30+ years of using a PC, I have yet to encounter a virus. NOT ONE!!!!
I like the Mac OS, but I hate, HATE Trendy F**ks who think they know all.
I have yet to find a corporation that was "all Mac". If you know of any, please post their site. I REALLY dare you to!!!
And once you do (yea, right!) I'll be back to make a fool of you.
- by Galaxy5 September 18, 2008 9:47 AM PDT
- PCs are a common thread uniting people who are annoyed with their computers.
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- by Lerianis September 21, 2008 6:36 PM PDT
- That is true..... but only because those people keep on blaming things like driver problems, software problems, etc. on Microsoft and the operating system instead of putting those things on the people who write those drivers, softwares, etc.
- Like this
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- by ScaryMonkey69 September 21, 2008 10:46 PM PDT
- As if Apple was ever Original.
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- by coastguarder September 24, 2008 8:23 PM PDT
- "FYI: I didnt see MS starting an ad campaign bashing other systems."
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Showing 1 of 6 pages (254 Comments)Nice to see Microsoft co-opted Apple's schtick once again, though.
Fact is, I have NEVER had a program that took down my computer..... unless it has DRM on it (which the company in question for that one game REMOVED from it with their latest update).
FYI: I didnt see MS starting an ad campaign bashing other systems.
Sounds like Apple has "***** envy".
FYI the "I'm a Mac" campaign doesn't just "bash" other systems. In fact in a number of the ads Mac points out a number of the things that PC does well; running spreadsheets, compiling databases, cost benefit analysis, etc. And then goes on to show that you can do those things on a Mac as well.