Comments on: Are Apple's ads really better than Microsoft's?

The generally accepted view is that Microsoft has some way to go to catch up to Apple in terms of brand image. But are Apple's ads really that much better? And if so, why?

[e92]

just had to comment on the number of people bashing vista

vista doesn't suck. If you customize the settings correctly, it is the most secure version of NT yet, and it has similar performance to XP (which was a disaster security wise). If anyone remembers the days of windows ME, they know how crappy a mainstream OS can be. Windows 7 will hopefully keep security and push performance above XP.

As for OSX, i love how it has UNIX at its base. And, the GUI is great. but, if linux / UNIX ever becomes big, they will have simular security issues as NT. Maybe not as bad, viruses can't (for the most part) execute commands as administrator, but still an issue.

As for the actual ads, you guys have to remember, the average user has never heard of Linux / UNIX, or even knows what hardware makes up a good computer. All most people want is an inexpensive machine that they won't have to worry about. With windows, the average user is confused when something doesn't go according to plan, and blames Microsoft, not admitting it was them. Macs are more expensive, but the average person doesn't have to worry about their computer. So, the general population is shifting to apple. But, OS X is great for knowledgeable people too. So, I'd say personally that if you can bear the "apple tax" or don't know much about computers, go with a mac. If you do know stuff about computers and aren't going to pay for a mac, you're probably running linux right now.

Anyway, I think that eventually as everything shifts to the internet and code similar to JAVA, the OS won't matter anymore, as long as you can get on the internet (and run whatever interpreter you need).

So, I think that in a decade or so, most people will run some version of UNIX included on their computer. Games will have moved entirely to either a language simular to JAVA so they can have maximum portability.

[MagicianoffaitH]

that was a low-blow Nenicirene XD

reading all the comments from PC & MAC war is quite a musing i must say... i don't know why i am commenting here, but feel like this is one of those boring day...

all i see is ppl r comparing Apples (no pun intended) and Oranges and just saying.. i like Apple, i like Orange.. what is there to fight? they pay you to argue for them? throwing blows at each other while letting them suck out all ur wallent clean? why not do something productive and start demanding from ur Apple or Orange of what you will like to see in their new product as CUSTOMERS...

i don't see any problem for a PC guy to switch to Mac if it suits him/her more or he/she wants to try out new stuff.. vice versa, for a Mac guy to switch to PC... it is a free world after all... do what you want with your money, no one really cares.

[jean.luc.picard]

The difference between the two styles is remarkable. Apple is more of a hardware company that also produces its own operating system and other applications. Microsoft is mainly a software company that also produces a few hardware items.

Strange that Apple, the hardware company, focuses more on OS functions in its ads while M$ focuses so much these days on other peoples hardware and never mentions software at all.

[Rohedi]

Steve Job and Bill Gates are excelent Rohedi's friends. But before comparing the performance of their corporations, I will ceck whether pi formula in built-in function of both apples and microsoft softwares have been updated using the pi formula that recently posted at this link:

http://eqworld.ipmnet.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=157.

[Gromit801]

The Mac ads are better. People "get" them because most have used both platforms. That's why comedy is inherently funny, there's truth in all funny things.

The "I'm a PC" ads reek and scream of people who have never touched a Mac, know zilch about them. They only know the hoary old myths and inane comments by other PC users (and MS ad agency script writers) who have never used a Mac. By used, I mean USED. Not toyed with a Mac at a store or friends house.

[francute]

Mac are increasingly winning the PC users, if not only affected by recession, i think in the next 5 years 90% of the computer users would be using Macs and Iphone.

I think the only way to defeat Apple is to have Microsoft to lower their price and do lessen the system requirement of their product (if i were the MS lead developer, i will re-edit the Win98 code (or even Win95) to make the PC much faster and lesser system requirements).

As to Mobile, there's no way Windows Mobile would defeat Iphone. Windows Mobile always crash while Iphone does not. I always press the reset button when i was still on the Windows Mobile while I haven't experience any crashes when i've got my iphone. I think the only way to defeat Iphone is to have a full PC OS version on Mobile, like running Windows XP or Windows 98 (re-edited edition) running on Samsung Omnia or say HTC touch. If MS cannot able to do that, theres no way i will purchase Windows Mobile Product on my next smartphone.

[moucon]

Apple's ads are brilliant - funny and intellectual without being mean-spirited at all. Meanwhile, Microsoft's ads are pompous and absurd. If I see one more four-year-old making a photo-video collage "awl by hehr wittle bittle self' I will scream.

[Me--]

I'm really thinking about sending my resume for cnet for a position... anyone supporting me on that? ;)
cuz seriously, what was this article... some 70 year old apple fanboy, who woke up one morning and looked himself in the mirror and thought with himself that if he doesnt write an article soon he'd lose his job? I'm seriously thinking about removing cnet from my favorites list and not bothering reading the articles anymore... cuz when was the last time someone read some "news" (sounds familiar? ya, it's the domain name, supposed to be news site not opinions site... maybe you guys should rename the domain to appleloverOPINIONS.com)
The author of the article talks about apple's quality but it's only his opinion and doesn't back it up with any study or stats or anything like that!! c'mon... seriously? this is NEWS web site?
"Many of Apple's ads are nothing more than simple product demonstrations"... seriously? you have a job because to me it seems either you need to change your glasses or hearing aids because thrashing vista (who I've owned for a while and havent had any problems with) doesnt sound like "simple product demonstration"
so, anybody seconding the motion of me sending my resume? you bet i've got looooots of OPINIONs that i can fill NEWS website with!

[Kewpa]

Mac is all looks and no brains, the kid that is for some reason popular despite being unintuitive and unimaginative, just pretty and "cool".

Windows is everyone else. So many people make PCs with Windows installed, from low-end computers to high-end ones, while Mac seems to only tailor to those who don't mind paying 2K minimum for something that compare to a PC of the same value. Some are amazing and powerful, while others can be used for simple apps like email and internet browsing.

I applaud Apple for making a product so inferior as successful as it is.
Mac is so simple. I guess that's why the young adults like it so much.
It's pretty and you can wave it around like a big paycheck. Look how much money *I* have.
I can afford a Mac!

[jayperk]

The video from 2005 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Luces7GrOw ) says it best. I understand it was actually produced by Microsoft creative talent.

Really, this piece effectively conveys the difference in marketing communication between Apple and Microsoft. Simply message versus unbounded complexity in message. The latter is bound to fail. Microsoft's product development also suffers from this malady I call "over-collaboration".

[jayperk]

The video from 2005 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Luces7GrOw ) says it best. I understand it was actually produced by Microsoft creative talent.

Really, this piece effectively conveys the difference in marketing communication between Apple and Microsoft. Simply message versus unbounded complexity in message. The latter is bound to fail. Microsoft's product development also suffers from this malady I call "over-collaboration".

[DarkHawke]

Well said. Microsoft hasn't had any good advertising focus since the old Win 95 "Start Me Up" days. Now THAT was a great campaign! I think part of the problem is reflected in their new round of ads, effective though they are. While Apple is a VERY unified brand, OS, hardware and peripherals, the XBox is a separate thing from the Zune, and neither one runs Windows, though in turn that OS can run on EVERY other computer, including Macs. You can't have an Apple-esque unified ad strategy when your parts are so disparate.

I think Microsoft will have something really compelling to hawk with Windows 7, so I hope that they will have an ad push to match. Not a snarky slag-off-the-competition thing like now (though considering that's been Apple stock-in-trade for years, why the hell not fight fire with fire?), but something that emphasizes what's great about the new OS and why you'd want to use it.

And if they would cut the upgrade price (from Vista) to $50 bucks, that'd buy them a hell of a lot of good will!

[Angmarr]

Apple ads appeal to stupid people! yea what now?

[rapier1]

I honestly can't believe that this is a realy topic of discussion.
"Hey Bob! Which giant anonymous multi-national multi-billion dollar compnay do you feel more passionately about?"
'Well, Fred, I've always been partial to the emotional manipulation of MegaSoft. I'm cool if i buy their products'
"Bob, that's bull! Everyone knows that CyberSlop delivers maximum value and MegaSoft is for effete egotistical jerks"
'How dare you insult the company I fork over thousands of dollars a year to! I've come to identify with them so much that I feel personally insulted!'
"Well I've become so wrapped up in this false controversy that I feel deeply outraged by your patronage!"

Get a grip people, its just a computer. Its *not* part of your family. If it is, then you some serious issues to work through.

[SpiritWater]

Apple's ad campaign is fine. Many comedy shows last as long. Apple's ad only due one thing - make people curious.

Microsoft's ads do a good job too. In this down economy it reminds people that they can get a system they desire for a reasonable price.

My preference is the Mac after being a windows user (still am with the work laptop) for many years. This is not because of the ad, but because of the style and function of the product. Lots of RAM, big hard disk, and fast video don't matter much when your system is junked-up with malware. All that space for your precious videos and pictures is for not when you have no other choice but to wipe your system and lose everything.

No malware has infected my Mac as of yet. I use TimeMachine and have had to restore from it once. It kept all my media safe and I am grateful for that product.

Apple needs to tell real stories about how their systems are different. I have dozens that the PC experience can't touch.

[ivanmex1]

all i have to say is that the only times i have problems with my mac are when im on microsoft apps.... who here has had problems with office and messenger? anyone everyone?

[mattstiker]

One of the frustrating things to me about this article was the back-and-forth semantics of it - while "Where do you want to go today?" was in fact a true Microsoft brand campaign, the last true Apple brand campaign was "Think different." The Mac vs. PC ads are MAC product ads! And while they certainly tell a great story about the Apple brand (as do iPod or iPhone ads), the fact is that they are product ads (by the writer's definition).

Given that, let's talk true "apples to apples" (pun intended) comparison. Want to see some amazing Microsoft PRODUCT advertising? Check out the following examples - just two of many:
1. Windows Vista "pre-launch" effort - http://clearification.mekanism.com/ - once you've seen that site, check out the amazing blog reaction to it
2. Halo 3 "Believe" Campaign - if you haven't seen this work, it's truly spectacular

There's a whole lot of Microsoft-haters out there, and a whole lot of Apple-lovers, and while I'll certainly say that Microsoft has made some mistakes over the years (not the least of which is not sticking to a single idea over a long period of time, as the article references), it's become too easy to say "Microsoft stinks," because no one will challenge you on that. Apple has made sure that it's cool to diss Microsoft and decidedly not cool to diss Apple.

So let's just be clear on the language here - brand ads vs. product ads, and if we're talking about Apple products or Apple marketing/advertising (most of the blog posts are about the product, not the ads). Then let's do our research on the subject to make sure we know the range of work we're talking about, rather than just what we've seen on TV recently. From there we have a foundation for a more complete and objective conversation. If we don't do that, the articles end up feeling one-sided, and incomplete.

For goodness sake, Apple lovers, enough hating.

[UrbanBard]

empirestatebuddy said:
"Apple has been saying that it's superior to Microsoft/Windows for over 20 years now, but... if that were really true, wouldn't Apple have reached 10% market share by now? "

Apple's just shy of 10% in the US sales, now. The problem was that Apple was run way down during the period when Steve Jobs was off running NeXT and Pixar.

"The reality is that Apple is still around today because Microsoft threw them a lifeline in the mid-90s by creating an Office Suite for them."

Re-check your history. Microsoft did no one any favors. Word and Excel were developed on the Mac and was moved to Windows, only years later.

"Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy. "

No. Apple still had almost a billion in the bank and had 12% of the market in 1996. Apple was in trouble and buying NeXT, and bring back Steve Jobs, was the proper step. Steve slashed the product line, ended the clone market. Both of these cost Apple large chucks of market share, but profits resumed.

"There's no denying Apple is someone to be reckoned with. But so is Microsoft... which still dominates OS, Office software and web browsing... even against some impressive competition. There really is a place in this universe for both. "

Perhaps, but Microsoft must earn it. Some technology changes are coming which will place Microsoft in Jeapardy. It's old marketing plan is running out.


"Not all of Microsoft's products junk. And not all of Apple's are heaven-sent... after all, the Mac's most popular software program is... Microsoft Office."

Yes, and when Office is superseded, then those profit will vanish.

[Sabroson]

> Could you imagine the uproar if Microsoft denied Macintosh computers the ability to install Windows?

Really?? Uproar from who? Mac users? Please!!

Now, MS Office is a different story.

[Ramon V. Martinez]

Apple advertising might be simplicity at its best. Perhaps unintentional.

It appears to be directed to reassure buyers of apple products that they made the correct decision even though they have paid a premium price for their product.

Anyway, that the feeling I am left with after watching their iMac ads.