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Interesting take by the writer. I don't see the ads as insulting Windows users. I see the ads insulting Windows and its (in)ability to get things done without crashing or getting viruses.

I may be wrong but the current ads don't actually make any claims about windows users being stupid, they say windows pc's are rubbish and their users don't know any better.

Tony Briggs is not cool.

To prove the point of intelligence, he misunderstands the rather obvious symbolism that the "Mac" is cool, the "PC" is not cool. He sees himself as the PC, rather than a user of PC. Hmm, maybe he should seek counselling because this suggests that he might, in fact, feel uncool and is projecting that onto his PC. Just a thought.

There's an old saw in marketing that 50% of your advertising dollars are wasted. You just don't know which 50%.

Apple's sales are increasing, and the message about viruses is finally getting out. Something's going right.

""This has been the mantra of the Apple cult for going on 20 years now: 'We are smart and sophisticated and everyone else, especially those who use computers running Windows, are complete dopes.' And perhaps even more important -- 'They cannot hope to be as cool as we are,'" Briggs writes."

The people who would get offended by the commercial are the very ones who KNOW they fit into that mold. People desperately trying to convince themselves they made the right choice.

Sounds to me like these ads hit a little too close to home for him, and so he has to declare them ineffective.

Bottom line, we will see how much they 'don't work' when APple give quarterly earnings this week.

OTOH I would like to see Apple use some different types of people in these ads to broaden the spectrum a bit. Perhaps in the second wave.

Not all Mac users are smarter than PC users.

See: MDN staff

You gotta just love those 'commericals'.

I have to admit I absolutely hate the "Get a Mac" ads, and I find them kind of insulting to Mac users, if only because the guy who "plays the Mac" is annoying as hell and just a little too smug. I can see why THAT would bother a PC user. Now, when it comes down to it it's not easy to sell computers via television commercials but I would think 30 seconds of OS X in action would be more effective then some bad sketch comedy...

"...even more important" should be "...importantly". they aren't dopes, but this guy is not helping his case.

Well now... you have to appreciate a story that boils down to "The Truth Hurts"

It's a commercial.

Get over it....

If you are insulted by Get A Mac ads, you are an emotional cripple and should seek help immediately.

sadly, he's right.

the ads would've been more effective if the roles were reversed, with john hodgeman (the "nerd") as an everyman mac-user and the punk-ass kid as a mountain dew-swilling pc gamer.

At least they're not getting the adverts wrong in the UK, there are no adverts!

Macca, it's good that you don't work for Apple marketing, because that idea is horrible. Apple will never change the minds of gamers and they are a small bunch anyway, so Apple could not care less about that. The dull PC business person is much more typical of a PC user.

Dr. Gecko--It's a commercial.

Get over it....

No, it's a commerical. Read the headline.

The problem is that whilst winblows users say we're in a cult, they too are in a cult. It's a battle of religions, at least with the fervent. There's just more fervent mac users proportionally than winblows users. The rest (of winblows users) are just showing up for church on Christmas, Easter, and funerals. They don't know there's a better way. If it's smug to imply PC's are inferior so be it. Smugness is a matter of opinion. Personally I think the adds are too tame. An add the says PCs suck for thirty seconds wouldn't hurt my feelings .

Anyway we're not here to please the competition, we're here to crush them! Do you think Ford would be happy with a Toyota commercial--No way! So go ahead don't be ashamed of the superiority of your mac. Wear it loud and proud!
It's all about belief. And we beleive we have the best!

He might just feast his eyes on the feedback to this little column and then wonder if what he said made sense...

http://switchtoamac.com/site/why-are-macs-becoming-more-popular.html

Man this guy should have taken a hard look at the new sales number that hit the street this week and then aks himself do I still wants to write this crap - Answer No!

Besides the message was written for the group it'stargeting! PC users! We're just try to help. But you PC types have got to do a little of the work yourselves!

"Macs run Windows so that Apple can get people to finally sample Mac OS X."

It also makes it one more point to get Apple hardware. And since Apple is a company that primarily sells hardware ...

This weekend I spent some time in an informal setting with two gentlemen interested to hear why, as both a Mac and Windows software developer, I preferred the Mac in my personal computing.

One was MOST receptive to the explanation I gave and will be buying a 24" iMac this week or next. The other gave me the old "there's not enough software for Mac" whine, to which I answered, "You mean not as many GAMES, right?" When pressed to identify the missing software in question, he could not . . . other than a few in-house proprietary applications he was forced to use at work. When I reminded him of MS Office, and then added "iLife," "iWork," and all the benefits of truly SAFE, maintenance-free computing, he TOO was sold. (I had to throw in the "Parallels" and "Boot Camp" features first, of course, but that's all it took to close the deal for good.)

A little personal evangelism is all it's ever gonna' take to make the Apple/Mac/Leopard/iPod/iTV combo a true long-term knockout punch, folks! Let's keep it up!

You guys are missing the point. This is targeted marketing. Apple is not attempting to convert entrenched PC lovers. They are a lost cause. Sure a few may switch, but these ads are targeted at 18-35 year olds. They are the future and emerging work force. The adds play off of people's desire to be crisp and cool.

As we have seen, Princton students choose Mac at about a 8 to 1 ratio over the average computer user.

Princton is the home of some of some of the smartest people, Albert Einstein for example. I like the smug ads. The PC guy is EXACTLY like a pc user. The ads tell the truth.

I think MDN is spot on, Never-the-less, I also think Mr. Briggs makes one or two good points, like: "Here's a tip for Steve Jobs and company: Insulting the people you are trying to sell to probably isn't the best strategy." I have always believed, and still believe, that Apple should be educating the masses on WHY using a Mac at home AND at work IS an informed choice, rather than this persistant (and Burger King-like) head wagging and tongue displaying that it's adds seem indelibly based on. Television adds can be both entertaining and educational nowdays, they've figured out how to do that.

Point number two, "The irony of all this is that one of the big selling points for Apple PCs now is that they can run the dreaded Windows operating system. I still don't get the point of that," Briggs writes." I know well MDN's stand on this, but like it or not, I see this fact as a kind of chink in the Apple armour, and it tends to have a hint of Custer's Last Stand flavor to it. I have no doubt it will draw a few to Mac hardware and ultimately the OS, but up to now, it is also a fact that Intel based Macs have garnered a lot of head turns without any miraculous conversion numbers. I still have the uneasy feeling that Macs natively running Windows could turn around and bite Apple in the ass.

I'm still shocked that people continue to use the 95/5 market share numbers. As far as I know, the consumer vs. business marketshares have never been separated, so a huge chunk of the windows share is corporate boxes right? That would mean windows gets a double count, one pc for someone at work, and one at home. Macs generally don't get that benefit because of the windows stranglehold on corporate IT folks.

I've no idea whether the ads are any good at shifting Macs, but boy are they smug.

KP: "Now, when it comes down to it it's not easy to sell computers via television commercials but I would think 30 seconds of OS X in action would be more effective then [sic] some bad sketch comedy..."

I love it when people spout this tired mantra. The problem, KP, is that APPLE ALREADY TRIED THIS APPROACH!

There are numerous examples of them attempting this very type of campaign. Look here for several variations on a theme:

http://www.esm.psu.edu/Faculty/Gray/old-apple-ads.html

Or better yet, I'll save you some time. Go straight to, say, THIS one:

http://pulsar.esm.psu.edu/Faculty/Gray/graphics/movies/macvsordinarypc.mov

And don't go trying to tell me that now that Jobs has returned, well, things would be somehow "different". That, in some significant way, such a campaign would now be "successful". Bullsh-t.

It wouldn't be successful because it was never successful before. The attention span of the average American simply won't permit such a tactic to work. Instead, you need something to KEEP their asses in the seats when the commercials start to roll, and something that ALSO keeps their fat fingers from surfing during the breaks. And the way you do that is with either FLASH (iPod ads) or with SATIRE & HUMOR (Get a Mac ads).

Don't underestimate Apple. The very fact that some people are "annoyed" with the Get a Mac ads is proof that, at the very least, people know they're there.

Awww, the truth hurts, doesn't it. Other than games, the only reason the PC has more "applications" than Mac is because those applications are in the form of malware. End of F$#$@ing story!

My daughter revealed a conversation between herself and a friend when discussing making music on their respective computers (they're both musicians). The friend uses Windows and claimed she didn't like Macs. Has she ever used a Mac, I asked - to which the reply was 'no'.

This seems atypical response from some entrenched Windows users against sampling the Macintosh experience. How can you possibly criticise the Macintosh platform if you haven't tried it?

My experience is that places such as PC World here in the UK consign their Apple products to the back of the store, unplugged, and without Mac savvy staff at hand. When I finally got my Windows user brother into the store, because they couldn't find the 'recovery disk' they wouldn't sell him the Macintosh on display. Rather than get a replacement copy of OSX from Apple, they were going to throw the computer in the dumpster. Instead, I got him to spend several thousand at the Apple Store. He hasn't regretted the change. There's nothing he can't do on his Mac compared to Windows.

Perhaps Apple needs to proactively promote 'roadshow' type events, populated by knowledgeable Mac users, to show potential Windows migrants the unique selling proposition of the Macintosh platform. They shouldn't rely on Apple Centres alone in spreading the word.

Now, if you want to read an article by someone with intelligence (refreshing change), read this recent article on the exact same topic...

http://www.macobserver.com/columns/hiddendimensions/2006/10/16.1.shtml


[MDN: It'd make a good post!]

Take a pill Tony.

Even if Windows users are insulted they aren't the ones that is going to be the long term future for Apple. It's the high school kids that are graduating, it's the college kids, all of them need a new computer, they want one that is cool and works. They're not all computer geeks that can put together a box themselves. They want something that does what they want to do, burn dvds, web cam, play with photos, manage and listen to music, watch movies. They don't want to deal with viruses or updating security software.

The boomers and Xers in the windows world will not always be the dominant consumer force. Teens and college students has sizable buying power too, even if the money comes from the parents.

The Mac guy could've been WAY more smug. He's holding back his smugness, bigtime. He wants to shout, "PC, you fscking goofball, why do you torture yourself." But he doesn't.

Part of me wishes he would just bitch-slap some sense into the PC.

They do work (at least helped)and I know...I'm gonna be a switcher!!

The average PC user, which comprises the vast majority of computer users, couldn't care less about Mac. In fact, most of them do not even know Macs exist. All they know is that if they want a new computer they can go to a big box retailer and buy one complete for less than $500.

To anaknipedro,

BINGO. Right on. THe ads are fun, informative, and make a point. I agree that you will not convince most PC geeks to change. They love fixing their software / hardware. And if you insult them, well they were not going to buy or suggest a Mac anyway.

If you want an education, go to a few PC / windows tech sites and read the articles but mostly the comments. EVERYTHING is techo - geek. "My 1.1 Ghz computer is better than your 1.0 Ghz computer cause its faster" or has a better graphics card etc. These people never talk about getting their work done quicker or easier or having an easy time using the system.

JMHO

We will find out Wednesday if the commercials are working when Apple publishes it quarterly financial report.

They don't work?

Who the hell broke them?

These ads are just plain stupid. Show the damn products and enouph of the stupid ass Mac kid. OMG if I see another one of these unkempt Mac guy ads I swear I will look at other computing options. I am starting to really hate what Apple is doing.

Oxymoron -> Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Gee, I don't find the Mac guy smug at all. He seems pretty friendly and honestly questoning. Not judgemental, condescending, or smug. Hodgeman is great, though. But "old"?... I get the feeling Tony Briggs is feeling helplessly nerdy and old and is projecting a bit.

Those Commercials are Funny. I have used both Pcs and Mac. These kinds of comedy make people Laugh. And Not offend people ok.

Both operating Systems are Good. Its just that One has Viruses and Spyware and less secure thats why it gets spyware and one Dont have viruses or spyware. Plus what do you expect from new users. Because they dont alot about Pcs. I heard 93% people call technicians just to remove spyware, virus or ask what is a virus to technicians. And 7% people call because there having issues with hardware issues.

I cant believe these people why cant they remove themselves by free programs like avg anti-virus or Ad-Aware, Spybot spyware programs. Oh well But there both good still including Linux. Bye

ZachCube, then you'll love the recent one with Mac dressed smartly in a business suit...!

This thread just goes to show how subjective advertising is. Personally, I've never found the Mac character to be smug. In fact, he goes out of his way to pump up the PC's self esteem. Watch them again, the Mac is never pointing out that the PC sucks, the PC does that himself. That this writer was so offended by the ads says more about him than it does about the ads.

Regardless, the proof is in the pudding. We'll see how sales were this past quarter, and only then will we know if they were successful. There's a common saying that an ad is a success if it gets people talking and they remember it. That's not true. An ad is successful if, and only if, it accomplishes the company's goal, which is, usually, generating sales.

ZachCube - you would change to a less-able computing system just because you don't like the Apple ads? That is crazy! There is an old saying about "cutting off the nose to spite the face". It ain't a good idea.

To Bruce,
Thanks, when you said "They want something that does what they want to do, burn dvds, web cam, play with photos, manage and listen to music, watch movies. They don't want to deal with viruses or updating security software." you brought to mind the other half of the commercial issue.

Has anyone seen the HP commercials? I think that they are so much worse than the Apple commercials and so much more effective for selling to the "cheap computer" crowd.

Why do I dislike them? Hey, need a computer? Just buy HP and wave your hands like this and everything works. Photos, movies, files, all will flow seemlessly to where ever, however you want them to. NO BRAINS required. Just wave your hands. My friend bought one. What a piece of crap. You were not even allowed to empty the trash with out performing a 9 step effort (and that effort was hidden in the help files).

Hey they can surf the web, do e-mail, and write letters, what more is there?? LOL

Anyway, just my 2 cents worth and thanks Bruce.

N.

Think Different...something PC users in general fail to do.

Do the ads work? Who cares. But they have obviously worked well enough to get people's attention; which is what an ad is supposed to do. Heck if the ads didn't "work," nobody would be talking about them.

Further, no ad, by any company, will get you to 'buy' their product. It may however get you to consider it, if you are in the market.

These ads have worked.

Tony Briggs thinks he knows more than Steve Jobs. Here's a tip Tony: You don't.

Also, saying that the ads don't work is a pretty bold statement to make just before earnings announcements. Good ol' Tony might find out that the ads have, in fact, been working rather well.

I don't see how you can insult the "intelligence" of people who have so little of it to begin with?

MDN is right. A choice made through ignorance is no choice at all.